Reader Question: When am I eligible for a Norwegian pension?
How long do you need to work in Norway before you qualify for a state pension, and when can you draw it out? Here's what you need to know.
Norway's pension system can be confusing at the best of times, as there are many different schemes, and you may be enrolled in more than one at a time.
Essentially, they boil down to three types. These are the state pension, which is part of the National Insurance Scheme in Norway. After that are employer pensions for both private and public sector employees.
These must either be contribution-based or benefit-based. It will be up to the employer to decide which pension they enrol you in.
And finally, there is the private pension. This comes in the form of private savings invested into a pension fund.
You can read about Norway's different types of pensions in more detail here.
When it comes to state pensions, you must have had pensionable income and/or have been a member of the National Insurance Scheme in Norway for a minimum of 5 years.
While the retirement age in Norway is 67, you have the right to draw a retirement pension from the month after you turn 62 – if you have sufficient earnings.
It is up to the individual to decide if they want to continue working while receiving their retirement pension. Furthermore, you have the discretion of choosing when and how you would like to draw your state pension.
You need to contribute to the National Insurance Scheme for 40 years or more to get the full minimum pension level in the country.
If you haven't worked for 40 years, the pension level will be reduced accordingly. In most cases, you can take your Norwegian state pension abroad with you.
Generally, a pension from employers is paid out from age 67; however, in some cases – especially in the public sector – employees may have the right to early retirement.
Remember that your occupational pension payments depend on multiple factors, including the period over which the pension will be paid out and the amount saved for you. In addition, whether you are eligible to take the pension to another country will depend on your employer's selected pension provider.
When you are able to start drawing a private pension in Norway will depend on the agreement you have set up with the bank or financial institution you are saving with.
READ MORE: Can you claim your Norwegian pension from another country?
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Norway's pension system can be confusing at the best of times, as there are many different schemes, and you may be enrolled in more than one at a time.
Essentially, they boil down to three types. These are the state pension, which is part of the National Insurance Scheme in Norway. After that are employer pensions for both private and public sector employees.
These must either be contribution-based or benefit-based. It will be up to the employer to decide which pension they enrol you in.
And finally, there is the private pension. This comes in the form of private savings invested into a pension fund.
You can read about Norway's different types of pensions in more detail here.
When it comes to state pensions, you must have had pensionable income and/or have been a member of the National Insurance Scheme in Norway for a minimum of 5 years.
While the retirement age in Norway is 67, you have the right to draw a retirement pension from the month after you turn 62 – if you have sufficient earnings.
It is up to the individual to decide if they want to continue working while receiving their retirement pension. Furthermore, you have the discretion of choosing when and how you would like to draw your state pension.
You need to contribute to the National Insurance Scheme for 40 years or more to get the full minimum pension level in the country.
If you haven't worked for 40 years, the pension level will be reduced accordingly. In most cases, you can take your Norwegian state pension abroad with you.
Generally, a pension from employers is paid out from age 67; however, in some cases – especially in the public sector – employees may have the right to early retirement.
Remember that your occupational pension payments depend on multiple factors, including the period over which the pension will be paid out and the amount saved for you. In addition, whether you are eligible to take the pension to another country will depend on your employer's selected pension provider.
When you are able to start drawing a private pension in Norway will depend on the agreement you have set up with the bank or financial institution you are saving with.
READ MORE: Can you claim your Norwegian pension from another country?
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