May 28, 2026

Do Foreign Companies Need Norwegian Occupational Injury Insurance?

This is one of the most common questions asked by foreign companies entering the Norwegian market. Occupational injury insurance is standard practice in most countries. However, the form of insurance coverage varies depending on the employment model, the national social security system, EU regulations, and bilateral social security agreements.
Norway has particularly strict regulations regarding employee protection in cases of workplace accidents and occupational diseases. The legal basis is the Occupational Injury Insurance Act (Lov om yrkesskadeforsikring).

What is Yrkesskadeforsikring?

Yrkesskadeforsikring is a mandatory employer insurance covering occupational injuries and occupational diseases.
In practice, it may provide compensation for:

Permanent injury or disability
Loss of earning capacity
Medical expenses
Loss of income
Death resulting from a workplace accident

Norwegian employers are legally required to obtain this insurance for their employees.

What Is Considered an Occupational Disease in Norway?

Norway also has detailed regulations governing occupational diseases (yrkessykdom). These are regulated, among others, by the Regulation on Occupational Diseases (Forskrift om yrkessykdommer).
The regulations cover, for example:

Diseases caused by exposure to chemicals
Pneumoconiosis and other dust-related illnesses
Hearing damage
Certain respiratory diseases
Medical conditions linked to industrial exposure

What About Posted Workers from the EU?

Employees who are employed and insured in an EU country should hold an A1 certificate. This document is issued by the competent social security institution in the employee's home country.
If the employee remains covered by the social security system of the sending country while temporarily working in Norway, that coverage generally continues to apply. In Poland, occupational injury insurance forms part of the employer's social security contributions. Therefore, an A1 certificate confirms that occupational injury coverage exists for the individual employee.

Is Foreign Insurance Recognised in Norway?

Norway participates in the EEA/EU social security coordination system.
This means that EU and EEA countries mutually recognise each other's social security systems for posted workers, provided that the employee holds a valid A1 certificate.
This applies, among others, to:

Poland
Germany
Lithuania
Latvia
Estonia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Romania
The Nordic countries

Norway also maintains social security agreements with a number of countries outside the EU.

Examples include:

The United Kingdom
The United States
Canada
Australia
India (to a limited extent)
Other countries covered by bilateral agreements
However, every case should be assessed individually.

Important Exception – Third-Country Nationals

Citizens of countries that do not have a social security agreement with Norway may represent a special case, even if they are employed and insured in another EU country.

For example, a Chilean employee working in Lithuania cannot obtain a valid A1 certificate for work in Norway solely on the basis of Lithuanian social security coverage.

Similarly,

A Ukrainian employee working in France and posted to Norway may not be entitled to rely on French social security coverage in Norway.

In such situations, the employer may be required to register the employee within the Norwegian social security system and pay Norwegian social security contributions.

Insurance as a Requirement for Registration

While Norway follows EU and EEA rules, it also applies additional national regulations.
In recent years, Norwegian authorities have significantly strengthened compliance requirements for foreign businesses, particularly within the staffing and temporary work sector.
Documentation proving occupational injury and occupational disease coverage is a mandatory requirement when registering a company or branch in the Norwegian Temporary Work Agencies Register (Bemanningsforetaksregisteret), maintained by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority.
Following registration, the Labour Inspection Authority assesses the validity and scope of the insurance documentation submitted by each company on an individual basis. Read more about the registration of stafing agencies here.

Is an A1 Certificate Always Sufficient?

An A1 certificate confirms that an employee remains subject to the social security system of a particular country.
However, it does not automatically mean that:

the scope of coverage corresponds to Norwegian standards
A client will accept the insurance arrangement
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority will consider the documentation sufficient for specific business activities

In practice, companies often require:

Additional insurance policies
Extended coverage
Confirmation of liability coverage
Certified translations of policy documents
Broker opinions
Compliance assessments against Norwegian requirements

Summary – Occupational Injury Insurance for Employees Working in Norway

Yrkesskadeforsikring is one of the most important compliance requirements for companies operating in Norway.
For posted workers, each situation should be assessed individually, taking into account:

The type of business activity
The employment model
The sending country
The applicable social security system
Client requirements
Industry-specific risks

FAQ

Does Polish occupational injury insurance apply in Norway?

Yes, provided that the employee holds a valid A1 certificate and remains covered by the Polish social security system. However, this does not automatically guarantee acceptance by Norwegian authorities or clients.

Is a Norwegian employer required to have yrkesskadeforsikring?

Yes. Occupational injury insurance is mandatory under Norwegian law.

Are occupational diseases covered?

Yes. Norwegian legislation provides detailed protection regarding occupational diseases.

Does the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority verify insurance coverage?

Yes. This is particularly relevant during registration in the Temporary Work Agencies Register (Bemanningsforetaksregisteret) and within industries considered high-risk.

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