Statistikk innhold

Statistics on

Work assessment allowance

The statistics provide an overview of recipients of the work assessment allowance pursuant to the regulations of the National Insurance Scheme. A core part of the statistics is the description of work assessment allowance recipients according to various identifiers, as well as their attachment to the labour market.

Updated: 24 June 2026
Next update: Not yet determined

Selected figures from these statistics

  • Recipients of work assessment allowance by sex and age, 18-67 years
    Recipients of work assessment allowance by sex and age, 18-67 years
    2025
    Recipients of work assessment allowanceRecipients of work assessment allowance, per cent of population
    Both sexes210 5545.8
    Males86 6624.7
    Females123 8927.0
    18-24 years17 8723.8
    25-34 years44 2365.8
    35-44 years49 2826.4
    45-54 years48 1586.6
    55-61 years33 4896.5
    62-67 years17 5174.6
    Explanation of symbols
  • Recipients of work assessment allowance by sex, age and education level
    Recipients of work assessment allowance by sex, age and education level
    2025
    Recipients of work assessment allowanceRecipients of work assessment allowance, per cent of population
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years
    Total210 55486 662123 8925.84.77.0
    Basic school level70 30734 66435 64310.08.711.6
    Upper secondary education77 99234 86843 1246.14.78.0
    Higher education58 18915 05643 1334.02.55.0
    Unknown or no completed education4 0662 0741 9922.42.12.7
    18-24 years
    Total17 8727 58310 2893.83.14.5
    Basic school level13 2005 9187 2827.65.810.1
    Upper secondary education4 1281 5092 6192.01.52.7
    Higher education4731283450.60.50.7
    Unknown or no completed education7128430.40.30.5
    25-34 years
    Total44 23618 53325 7035.84.86.9
    Basic school level17 2848 7988 48614.712.318.2
    Upper secondary education15 2746 5708 7047.24.711.8
    Higher education11 2342 9098 3253.01.93.7
    Unknown or no completed education4442561880.91.00.8
    35-44 years
    Total49 28218 74830 5346.44.88.1
    Basic school level15 2387 7747 46412.010.514.3
    Upper secondary education15 8466 5299 3177.24.810.9
    Higher education17 0873 87813 2094.62.66.0
    Unknown or no completed education1 1115675442.21.82.9
    45-54 years
    Total48 15818 64729 5116.65.08.2
    Basic school level11 5995 5536 04611.19.713.0
    Upper secondary education19 3448 59510 7497.25.49.8
    Higher education15 9443 90112 0434.92.86.3
    Unknown or no completed education1 2715986734.23.25.9
    55-61 years
    Total33 48914 04819 4416.55.47.7
    Basic school level8 1954 0964 0999.08.49.7
    Upper secondary education15 1866 9178 2696.95.78.5
    Higher education9 3342 6366 6984.93.16.3
    Unknown or no completed education7743993756.05.46.7
    62-67 years
    Total17 5179 1038 4144.64.84.5
    Basic school level4 7912 5252 2665.45.94.9
    Upper secondary education8 2144 7483 4665.15.34.9
    Higher education4 1171 6042 5133.42.93.8
    Unknown or no completed education3952261695.26.14.4
    Explanation of symbols
  • Recipients of work assessment allowance by sex, age and country background
    Recipients of work assessment allowance by sex, age and country background
    2025
    Recipients of work assessment allowanceRecipients of work assessment allowance, per cent of population
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years
    Immigrants, total51 87824 31827 5606.25.76.8
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand18 0959 6288 4675.34.95.9
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions33 78314 69019 0936.86.47.3
    The rest of the population158 67662 34496 3325.74.47.0
    18-24 years
    Immigrants, total1 4197236961.91.82.0
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand4972252721.91.72.1
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions9224984241.91.81.9
    The rest of the population16 4536 8609 5934.13.44.9
    25-34 years
    Immigrants, total6 0263 0452 9813.53.53.4
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand1 8478261 0212.62.23.1
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions4 1792 2191 9604.04.43.7
    The rest of the population38 21015 48822 7226.55.18.0
    35-44 years
    Immigrants, total14 5086 2418 2675.84.96.7
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand4 8352 2602 5754.73.86.0
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions9 6733 9815 6926.65.97.1
    The rest of the population34 77412 50722 2676.74.78.8
    45-54 years
    Immigrants, total16 5187 1929 3268.57.19.9
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand5 6012 9782 6236.55.68.1
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions10 9174 2146 70310.08.810.8
    The rest of the population31 64011 45520 1855.94.27.6
    55-61 years
    Immigrants, total9 0944 5084 58610.29.710.8
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand3 3071 9461 3618.88.59.3
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions5 7872 5623 22511.210.811.5
    The rest of the population24 3959 54014 8555.74.47.1
    62-67 years
    Immigrants, total4 3132 6091 7048.39.66.9
    Nordic countries except Norway, EU/EFTA, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand2 0081 3936159.811.57.3
    Europe except EU/EFTA/UK, Africa, Asia, America except USA and Canada, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, polar regions2 3051 2161 0897.38.06.7
    The rest of the population13 2046 4946 7104.04.04.1
    Explanation of symbols
  • New recipients of work assessment allowance by sex and age.
    New recipients of work assessment allowance by sex and age.
    2025
    New recipients of work assessment allowanceNew recipients of work assessment allowance, per cent of population
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years65 30328 08137 2221.81.52.1
    18-24 years7 2453 2703 9751.51.31.7
    25-34 years13 7075 7977 9101.81.52.1
    35-44 years14 9916 0358 9561.91.52.4
    45-54 years14 0735 7448 3291.91.52.3
    55-61 years10 1734 4755 6982.01.72.3
    62-67 years5 1142 7602 3541.41.51.3
    Explanation of symbols
  • Recipients of work assessment allowence by sex, age and work-intensity.
    Recipients of work assessment allowence by sex, age and work-intensity.
    2025
    Recipients of work assessment allowanceRecipients of work assessment allowance (per cent)
    Both sexesMalesFemalesBoth sexesMalesFemales
    18-67 years
    All intensity levels210 55486 662123 892100.0100.0100.0
    None122 78856 58466 20458.365.353.4
    Low30 63512 78317 85214.514.814.4
    HIgh13 5424 6398 9036.45.47.2
    Full43 58912 65630 93320.714.625.0
    18-24 years
    All intensity levels17 8727 58310 289100.0100.0100.0
    None12 2755 4856 79068.772.366.0
    Low2 6261 1081 51814.714.614.8
    HIgh1 1673867816.55.17.6
    Full1 8046041 20010.18.011.7
    25-34 years
    All intensity levels44 23618 53325 703100.0100.0100.0
    None27 63212 67614 95662.568.458.2
    Low6 8772 8504 02715.515.415.7
    HIgh2 9101 0161 8946.65.57.4
    Full6 8171 9914 82615.410.718.8
    35-44 years
    All intensity levels49 28218 74830 534100.0100.0100.0
    None28 48712 31416 17357.865.753.0
    Low7 2972 8444 45314.815.214.6
    HIgh3 1529732 1796.45.27.1
    Full10 3462 6177 72921.014.025.3
    45-54 years
    All intensity levels48 15818 64729 511100.0100.0100.0
    None26 35511 77814 57754.763.249.4
    Low6 8122 7284 08414.114.613.8
    HIgh3 1151 0282 0876.55.57.1
    Full11 8763 1138 76324.716.729.7
    55-61 years
    All intensity levels33 48914 04819 441100.0100.0100.0
    None17 8318 5989 23353.261.247.5
    Low4 5621 9752 58713.614.113.3
    HIgh2 1037501 3536.35.37.0
    Full8 9932 7256 26826.919.432.2
    62-67 years
    All intensity levels17 5179 1038 414100.0100.0100.0
    None10 2085 7334 47558.363.053.2
    Low2 4611 2781 18314.014.014.1
    HIgh1 0954866096.35.37.2
    Full3 7531 6062 14721.417.625.5
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 15 June 2021.

Resident. The statistics cover persons who were registered in the National Registry as resident in Norway as of 31 December. The Act of Population Registration of 16 January 1970 (with subsequent amendments) and associated regulations from 1994 set out the criteria for classification as a resident in Norway. The total number of residents in an area is also referred to as the population.

Information on place of residence, gender and age is retrieved from the National Registry. Information on place of residence and age relates to the end of the statistical year.

Work assessment allowance from the National Insurance Scheme is intended to provide an income for persons between 18 and 67 years of age who, due to illness, injury or disability, have a reduced working capacity and are actively receiving treatment, or participating in a return-to-work initiative or receiving other treatment aimed at finding employment or remaining in work. The capacity for work must be reduced by at least half. The work assessment allowance is calculated on the basis of the income in the year preceding the reduction in capacity for work, or of the average of the 3 preceding years if this results in a higher amount. Everyone is guaranteed a minimum annual amount, including those without an employment history. The main rule for qualifying for work assessment allowance is that recipients must remain in Norway. The allowance can be paid for up to three years, but this may be extended by a further two years under certain conditions. Several changes were introduced to the regulations for work assessment allowance on 1 January 2018, including in relation to length of entitlement (see nav.no/aap2018).

Recipients of work assessment allowance are persons who receive work assessment allowance from the National Insurance Scheme for at least one month in a year. The vast majority of the tables in the statistics only include recipients of work assessment allowance who are resident in Norway (see definition). Two tables also include non-resident recipients, and a distinction is made in the figures between residents and non-residents.

New recipients of work assessment allowance are persons who received work assessment allowance in month m during the course of a year, but who did not receive it in month m-1. In cases where m represents January, m-1 will represent December in the preceding year. It is possible to restart the allowance several times following a break of at least one month in a 12-month period, but recipients are only counted as a new recipient once in such cases.

Access to work assessment allowance refers to the number of times that work assessment allowance was restarted after a break of at least one month in a 12-month period. Access to the allowance can be restarted several times during the period, and each restart following a break of at least one month is counted as a reaccess.

Work intensity is a measure of a person’s degree of employment as an employee whilst receiving work assessment allowance. The measurement requires receipt of work assessment allowance and paid employment to have occurred in the same month, and is calculated as ‘the number of months in which income from work and work assessment allowance is received / the number of months that work assessment allowance is received’. The results are shown as Zero (no months where both conditions occur), Low (employed for at least one but less than half of the months when work assessment allowance was received), High (employed for more than half but not all months when work assessment allowance was received) and Full (employed in all months when work assessment allowance was received).

Employees are defined as persons who performed paid work, with compensation in the form of wages or similar, for at least one hour in the reference week, as well as persons who had such work but were temporarily absent due to illness, holiday leave, paid leave or similar. Persons undertaking military or civilian national service are considered to be in employment. Persons on government employment initiatives who receive wages from an employer are also classified as employees. This follows the recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Statistics Norway’s statistics use the terms ‘employee’ and ‘wage earner’ interchangeably. Note that the self-employed are not therefore included in the measurement of work intensity in these statistics.

See also About the statistics at http://www.ssb.no/arbeid-og-lonn/statistikker/arblonn/kvartal

Immigrants are persons born abroad to two foreign-born parents and four foreign-born grandparents. Country of birth is normally the mother’s country of residence at the time of the person’s birth.

EU/EEA, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand include immigrants with the following countries of birth: Denmark, Greenland, Finland, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Sweden, Belgium, Bulgaria, Andorra, Estonia, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Ireland, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Lithuania, Spain, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Vatican City, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, except Australia and New Zealand and Europe except EU/EEA include immigrants born in the following countries: Albania, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Asia, Africa, America excluding USA and Canada and Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand. Persons who were stateless at birth or with an unknown country of birth are also included.

Data on education relates to 1 October in the statistical year. In these statistics, a variant of the Classification of education is used, where the highest completed education is classified as follows: http://www.ssb.no/klass/klassifikasjoner/36/varianter/843

The Norwegian Standard Classification of Education 2016 forms the basis for this classification:

http://www.ssb.no/utdanning/artikler-og-publikasjoner/norsk-standard-for-utdanningsgruppering-2016

http://www.ssb.no/klass/klassifikasjoner/36

The classification of municipalities is in line with the list of municipalities as of 31 December in the statistical year.

Classification of municipalities: https://www.ssb.no/klass/klassifikasjoner/131

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