NAV and Norway's Disability Employment System: Institutions, Programmes and Incentives

Overview

Norway's disability employment system is built around a single integrated agency — Nav (Arbeids- og velferdsetaten) — that combines labour market, social insurance and social assistance functions. Nav was established on 1 July 2006, replacing the former Aetat (labour market agency) and the national insurance administration (trygdeetaten), and taking over responsibility for economic social assistance in partnership with the municipalities.

Nav has about 22,000 employees — roughly 15,500 employed by the state and 6,500 by the municipalities — and works through local Nav offices run jointly by the state and each municipality (259 offices in 2023). Nav administers about one third of the state budget.

People with disabilities are far less likely to be in work. In the 2020 Labour Force Survey figures published by Bufdir, 41% of working-age people who reported a disability were employed, compared with 74% of the working-age population as a whole.

Key Statistics

Work Assessment Allowance (AAP — Arbeidsavklaringspenger)

AAP is the primary transitional benefit for people whose work capacity is reduced due to illness or injury. It supports people while their work capacity is being assessed or while they take part in treatment or work-related measures.

Key parameters:

• Eligibility: work capacity reduced by at least 50% due to illness or injury, a need for treatment or Nav assistance to get back to work, aged 18–67
• Benefit level: 66% of prior income up to 6G (the National Insurance basic amount, G, was NOK 136,549 from 1 May 2026), giving a maximum of NOK 540,734 a year
• Duration: normally up to three years, with a possible extension of up to two more years in some cases
• Conditions: recipients follow an activity plan agreed with their Nav adviser, attend meetings and activities, and submit an employment report (meldekort) every two weeks
• Recipients: 168,600 people at the end of June 2026 — 4.7% of the population aged 18–66

AAP was introduced on 1 March 2010, replacing three earlier benefits: rehabiliteringspenger, attføringspenger and tidsbegrenset uførestønad. In 2018 the maximum duration was cut from four to three years. A Nav analysis published in March 2026 found that for people who moved onto AAP after sickness benefit, the shorter limit led to faster clarification and somewhat higher work participation — but for people who started directly on AAP, it clearly increased the risk of permanent disability benefit, and short-term gains in work did not last.

Disability Benefit (Uføretrygd)

Uføretrygd is Norway's permanent disability benefit, for people whose earning capacity is permanently reduced due to illness or injury.

Key parameters:

• Threshold: earning capacity reduced by at least 50% — 40% for people who have previously received AAP, and 30% for occupational injury
• Benefit level: 66% of average pensionable income in the best 3 of the last 5 years before the illness or injury, on income up to 6G (NOK 819,294), with a guaranteed minimum
• Recipients: about 378,500 people at the end of June 2026, or 10.6% of the population aged 18–67
• Work combination: recipients can work alongside the benefit. Income up to an allowance (fribeløp) of 0.4G is unaffected for the first 24 months, rising to 1G thereafter; above that the benefit is reduced, and it stops for the year if income exceeds 80% of pre-disability earnings

The size of the uføretrygd caseload is a central topic in Norwegian public policy debate (see: Norway Disability Policy Debate article).

Wage Subsidy (Lønnstilskudd)

Lønnstilskudd is an employer-facing incentive under which Nav covers part of an employee's wages so that more people can get or keep an ordinary job.

Two variants:

1. Midlertidig lønnstilskudd (temporary wage subsidy): normally 40% of wages for up to six months and then 30%, for a maximum of one year. For people with reduced work capacity, 60% for up to one year and then 50%, for up to two years.
2. Varig lønnstilskudd (permanent wage subsidy): for employees with permanently reduced work capacity or who receive uføretrygd. A maximum of 75% of wages in the first year and then a maximum of 67%, for as long as the employee qualifies. Nav reviews the subsidy at least every six months.

Mentor Scheme and Supported Employment

Nav can fund a mentor — a co-worker released from ordinary duties to give help and guidance to someone taking part in a Nav measure at the workplace. The grant covers the mentor's ordinary hourly wage and employer's contributions for the agreed mentoring hours.

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is offered to people with mental health or substance use problems who are receiving treatment. A job specialist who is part of the treatment team works alongside the person's clinician, with a rapid job search and a focus on ordinary paid work. Norway's national professional guidelines state that IPS probably more than doubles the likelihood that people with serious mental illness get ordinary work.

Arbeid med støtte (Supported Employment)

Arbeid med støtte (work with support) is Nav's offer for people who need support to get and keep a job. A job specialist attached to the Nav office follows the person up together with their Nav adviser. It can last up to three years depending on need.

Permanently Adapted Work (VTA — Varig tilrettelagt arbeid)

VTA is for people who receive uføretrygd and need adapted work. Participants work in a sheltered enterprise or an ordinary business with adapted tasks. They keep their uføretrygd while participating, and the employer may optionally pay a bonus. VTA is therefore distinct from ordinary employment.

Funksjonsassistanse (Functional Assistance)

Funksjonsassistanse is a workplace scheme for people with a physical disability or severely reduced vision who are in ordinary paid work. Nav covers the salary costs of an assistant who provides practical help so the employee can carry out their ordinary work tasks.

Universal Design (Universell Utforming)

Norway's Plan and Building Act (Plan- og bygningsloven) requires building projects to be universally designed within their function, including workplace buildings (§ 29-3). The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act (Likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven), in force from 1 January 2018, requires public and private enterprises serving the general public to ensure universal design of their general functions (§ 17), and gives employees and job seekers with disabilities the right to suitable individual adaptation of the hiring process, workplace and work tasks (§ 22). See the separate article on the Likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven for details.

The IA-Avtale and Employer Responsibility

Norway's Inclusive Working Life Agreement (IA-avtalen) for 2025–2028 was signed on 12 February 2025 by the government and the social partners: NHO, LO, KS, Unio, Virke, Akademikerne, Spekter, YS and the state as employer. Its overarching goal is a working life with room for everyone, by preventing sickness absence and dropout from work. Enterprises with potential to reduce sickness absence that commit to their own effort are prioritised for follow-up from Nav Arbeidslivssenter. See the separate article on the IA-Avtale for full detail.

The Inkluderingsdugnad

The Inkluderingsdugnad (Inclusion Drive) was a commitment made by the Solberg government in 2018 that 5% of new hires in the state should be people with disabilities or gaps in their CV. The current government cancelled it in 2023 after the goal was not met.

Sources

• Nav: nav.no — AAP, uføretrygd, lønnstilskudd, mentor, IPS, Arbeid med støtte, VTA and funksjonsassistanse pages; AAP and uføretrygd quarterly statistics; Arbeid og velferd 1/2026
• Store norske leksikon: Nav
• Bufdir: Statistics on disability and employment
• Helsebiblioteket: National professional guidelines for IPS and health at work (2025)
• Lovdata: Likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven; Plan- og bygningsloven
• Regjeringen: IA-avtalen 2025–2028
• Arbeidstilsynet: Inkluderende arbeidsliv
• Samfunnsbedriftene: "Avlyst inkluderingsdugnad er et skritt bakover" (2023)

Last reviewed: October 2026.