NAV

Local employment offices

In your local NAV office, [?], you will find updated lists of available jobs. The office can help you find vacant positions and assist you with the application process, but they have no influence on who finally gets the job.

Please note:
Throughout this page, we have used some Norwegian words and expressions that we believe you are familiar with as a job seeker - they come with an English explanation and are given in italics in the text.

Register as a job seeker in your local employment office!
Write a CV before your first visit to the office. A CV is a short description of your educational background and work experience. You should also think about what type of work you prefer.

The employment agency/NAV Arbeid will register when and where you went to school, if you have worked, when you worked and what your job was. They also want to know if you have a driving licence or a truck driver's certificate, if you are familiar with computers or have interests that may be useful for employment. They also want to know what kind of jobs you prefer.

Employment status registration - Meldekort
When you have registered as a job seeker, you will receive an employment status registration card, or meldekort , by mail every two weeks. This card should be filled in and returned to NAV every two weeks until you get a job. This way, you will stay registered as an active job seeker, and NAV will be able to keep track of the number of job seekers.

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AMO[?] courses
The employment office/NAV Arbeid arranges courses that facilitate admission to the job market. These courses are called AMO-kurs, or labour market training courses. Examples are courses for shop assistants, office workers, warehouse workers, kindergarten assistants and computer training courses. Not all courses run at the same time. Most courses start in September and January. Contact the employment office/NAV Arbeid to know about current courses.
If a course is part of your plan to find work, you must apply though the employment office/NAV. Many are interested, so participation is not guaranteed. If you are admitted, you may be eligible for financial support (kursstønad) while completing the course.

Norwegian language skills
When you apply for an AMO course you must document how much Norwegian you know, in order to match the course and your language skills. Some courses are in simple Norwegian, but most of them require good language skills. "Norskprøve 2 or 3 for voksne innvandrere", "Bergenstesten" (Test i norsk - høyere nivå) or the university course "Norwegian for foreigners" can be used for documentation.

If you cannot document your Norwegian skills, ask to have a language test and interview at NAV Intro[?] in Oslo. The language test is for everyone, whether you know a little or a lot Norwegian. It is not an exam, but serves as a tool to find the AMO course that is right for you. In the interview you get an opportunity to discuss your plans and the possibilities to get a job.

Job seeking course
The employment office/NAV or NAV Intro sometimes runs job seeking courses. If you find it difficult to get a job on your own, check with NAV Intro or your local employment office.

Trainee placement
A trainee placement though the employment office means that you work full-time in a regular work place that has been approved by the employment office/NAV Arbeid. You receive financial support in the form of "kursstønad" throughout the placement period. The local employment office or NAV Intro will also help you find a trainee place.

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Subsidised salary
Subsidised salary means that the employer and the employment office share salary expenses for a certain period of time. Such agreements must be approved by NAV in advance. The idea behind a subsidised salary is to ensure employment also after the agreement period has expired.

Financial support to job seekers
It is a policy of the Norwegian state to secure a certain income level for unemployed persons and persons who have been laid off or lost their jobs. It is also a policy to support persons who try to improve their qualifications through the employment office/NAV Arbeid in their search for employment. The Norwegian state also supports persons who have to requalify for a new job because of injury or other problems in a previous job.

Below you will find some explanations of rules and regulations that are important to know when you are looking for a job. The employment office/NAV Arbeid can give more information, and you can check NAV's website.

Individstønad - financial support
If you attend an AMO course you are eligible for "individstønad"; i.e. a basic daily allowance throughout the course period. If you have children under 16, you are eligible for dependant supplement. This is also the case if you have children under 10 in kindergarten or with a nanny or in after-school care and your spouse is not working at home. If you live more than 6 kilometres from where the course is given, expenses for public transport will be covered up to a certain amount.
Special rules apply for reduction of the financial support if you do not attend the course regularly.

Kursstønad is exempted from tax, but it is not a pensionable income, i.e. no contribution is made towards a pension scheme. Nor does the allowance qualify for unemployment benefit or holiday payment.

You can work nights and on weekends without reduction of the individstønad. If you receive social security benefit, the individstønad is deducted from this amount, so that you will receive approximately the same as before.

Subsidised salary - lønnstilskudd
Subsidised salary or lønnstilskudd is an agreement between the employment office, the employer and you. You receive a regular salary that is paid jointly by the employment office/NAV and your employer. You pay tax and acquire rights to pension scheme points[?].

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Unemployment benefit - Dagpenger
Dagpenger is financial support paid by the employment office if you lose your job. Most employees are entitled to unemployment benefit. The amount of the unemployment benefit depends on your previous income.
To be eligible for dagpenger

• you must have worked for a certain period of time and earned a certain amount during the previous year or the three previous years - see www.nav.no for more information in Norwegian.
• you must be a genuine job seeker, i.e. you cannot be a student or attend courses that prevents you from working.
• you must be able to work (not occupationally disabled)
• your present employment must be reduced with at least 50%
• you must register as seeking employment with NAV and you are obliged to send in your meldekort (employment status form) every two weeks.

The rules regulating the payment of dagpenger in 2006, state that you must have earned minimum 121 398 kroner or more in the previous year, or on average in the last three years. Dagpenger is paid for a maximum period of 104 weeks. If you have earned less than 121 398 kroner, but more than the minimum wage of 91 049 kroner, the period in which you can receive dagpenger is 52 weeks. You pay tax and acquire rights to pension scheme points[?].

You are eligible for unemployment benefit only for a certain period of time. You do not receive unemployment benefit for the five first days of unemployment. If you have resigned from a job, or if you were given notice for reasons you are responsible for, you must usually wait 8 weeks before receiving any benefits (after you have applied for unemployment benefit).

The rules regulating dagpenger are quite complicated. The employment office/Aetat can explain in more detail, or you can read more (only in Norwegian) on NAV's website. General information on NAV and various labour market schemes in English can be found here.

Occupational rehabilitation - arbeidsavklaring
Some people have to change jobs, learn new tasks or sometimes even a new profession, due to illness, injuries or other problems. NAV can pay rehabilitation benefits to persons who requalify or try new tasks. The occupational rehabilitation program is a cooperation between doctor, the National Insurance office (Trygdekontoret), the employment office and the employee. Rehabilitation benefits involve the same rights and duties as regular wages, and are paid for a limited period only.

NAV Intro
NAV Intro has a special advisory service. Contact your local NAV office and ask to have a test and an interview at NAV Intro.

Which NAV-office?
NAV recommends that you use the local employment office for your bydel/district. For an overview, see www.nav.no. You can find the office here.

Last modified 22/6/2007