In Norway, public social insurance is called the National Insurance Scheme.

To be entitled to benefits under the National Insurance Act, it is a condition that you are a member of the National Insurance.

This applies:

• all benefits from NAV
• health care benefits (treatment by a doctor, psychologist and expenditure on medicines for permanent illness).

As a general rule, everyone who lives in Norway is a member of the National Insurance Scheme. If you work legally in Norway, you will as a general rule become a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme from the first day of work, even if you are not considered a resident here. Membership occurs automatically.

As an employee, you must pay social security contributions of 8.2 per cent of gross salary. The tax is deducted together with the tax. Some employees may be exempt from Norwegian social security as they are subject to social security legislation in the country they come from. You must document this with a certificate from the social security authorities in the country you come from.

If you have questions about membership in the National Insurance Scheme, contact the NAV office where you live.

As a member of the National Insurance Scheme, you only pay a certain part of the expenses for health services from the public sector. This is called the deductible. If you have paid deductibles up to a certain amount, you can get a free card. Then you do not have to pay a deductible for the rest of the calendar year. There are two types of exemption cards. The amounts for exemption cards are determined by the Storting each year. You can follow which deductibles are registered for you, payments and exemption card decisions by logging in to helsenorge.no .

There are two types of exemption cards (called exemption cards for deductible ceilings 1 and 2):

Exemption card deductible 1: applies to approved deductibles paid to a doctor, psychologist, outpatient clinic, X-ray, travel for examination and treatment (patient travel) and for the purchase of medicines and equipment on a blue prescription. Exemption card for deductible ceiling 1 is automatically sent by post to your registered address when you are entitled to it.

Exemption card deductible ceiling 2: applies to approved deductibles paid for physiotherapist, certain forms of dental diseases, approved rehabilitation institutions and treatment trips abroad under the auspices of Oslo University Hospital – Rikshospitalet HF. Exemption card for deductible ceiling 2 is automatically sent by post to your registered address when you are entitled to it.

Exemption from paying deductible

You are exempt from paying deductibles for, among other things, pregnancy control, examination and treatment of children under 16 years of age, psychotherapeutic treatment of children and young people under 18 years of age, general dangerous infectious diseases or suspected such.