Norwegian Labor law is constantly evolving, and this year is no exception. As of 1 January 2026, several legislative changes came into force that affect Norwegian labor law. The changes include new requirements for HSE cards in the goods transport industry, changes to the age limits for retirement, clearer requirements for the psychosocial working environment, and an extension of the Working Environment Act to apply to offshore wind and other renewable energy at sea. In this article, we provide an overview of the most important changes.
HSE card requirements for the goods transport industry
From 1 January 2026, HSE cards will be mandatory for companies that transport goods by road. The HSE card will show who works in the goods transport industry, and the aim is to contribute to better working conditions and make it easier to distinguish between serious and unserious businesses.
The requirement applies to drivers and assistants who transport other people's goods by car and includes transport by vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of up to 3.5 tons for fossil fuel cars and 4.25 tons for electric cars. There is no lower weight limit, so passenger cars are also included. The new requirement applies both to companies with employed drivers and to sole proprietorships where the owner themselves carries out transport assignments. Important exceptions apply to office staff, drivers who transport the company's own goods, transport for voluntary organizations and bicycle couriers.
To be issued with an HSE card, the company must be registered in the Register of Business Enterprises and meet any registration requirements for the Register of Business Enterprises, the Register of Employees and Employers.
From 1 January 2026, new requirements for a national goods vehicle license will also apply to companies that transport goods for remuneration by goods vehicle in Norway. This applies to vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of between 2.5 and 3.5 tons.
New rules on internal company age limits
From 1 January 2026, companies' previous right to establish internal age limits for retirement will be removed. All companies must now follow the general retirement age of 72, with very few exceptions.
Until now, companies have been allowed to set a lower age limit, provided that the limit was made known to employees and applied consistently, employees were entitled to a satisfactory occupational pension scheme, and the employer had discussed the lower age limit with employee representatives. This option has now been removed, on the grounds that the general retirement age has been increased to 72.
A narrow exception will still apply; whereby internal company age limits are only permitted in occupations where it is strictly necessary for health or safety reasons in the workplace. The exception is intended to cover occupations with particularly high physical or mental demands, where documented health or safety risks warrant a lower age limit.
Companies that already have collective agreements with a lower retirement age will be given a transition period of up to three years.
Clarification of requirements for the psychosocial working environment
Section 4-3 of the Working Environment Act regulates the psychosocial working environment, which regulates how work is organized, planned and carried out.
With effect from 1 January 2026, Section 4-3 of the Working Environment Act on requirements for the psychosocial working environment has been revised. The changes do not entail any material change in the law but are intended to clarify the requirements already in force.
The amendment introduces a new first paragraph in Section 4-3, which stipulates that work must be organized, planned and carried out in such a way that the psychosocial working environment factors in the enterprise are fully acceptable regarding the health, safety and welfare of employees. Furthermore, a new second paragraph has been added, specifying key psychosocial working environment factors that employers must assess: unclear or conflicting requirements and expectations, emotional demands and stress associated with working with people, workload and time pressure that lead to an imbalance between the work to be performed and the time available, as well as access to support and assistance at work.
It is recommended that employers assess whether their business faces challenges related to the specific factors now highlighted in section 4-3.
Extension of the Working Environment Act to employees in the offshore wind industry and other renewable energy at sea
From 1 January 2026, the Working Environment Act is extended to apply to the offshore wind industry and other renewable sectors at sea. The amendment applies to Section 1-3 of the Working Environment Act, which previously covered only petroleum activities. The new wording makes it clear that the Act also applies to activities related to renewable energy production and the conversion and transmission of electrical energy at sea.
This change gives employees in the offshore wind industry the same rights and protection that workers in the petroleum sector have enjoyed for years. Companies planning the development and operation of offshore renewable energy projects must now comply with the same working environment requirements that already apply to petroleum activities, with stricter requirements for HSE, labor law issues and ensuring a safe working environment.
Conclusion
The legislative amendments that came into force on 1 January 2026 bring about significant changes to Norwegian labor law. Employers should be aware of these changes and implement relevant measures to ensure compliance with the regulations.
Do you have any questions about these changes or Norwegian labor law in general? Feel free to contact us for a no-obligation chat.
