Norway provides high-quality healthcare to expats and has one of the best healthcare systems globally.5
Norway’s healthcare system is subsidised, which means that services come with a small fee. These co-payments cover most health services. However, there’s a maximum limit for these payments.
Once you’ve reached the maximum, you’ll be given an exemption card, which gives you free access to all health services throughout the rest of the year.1
Norway’s healthcare system is considered one of the top-ranked in the world.5 As a registered expat family in Norway, you have access to the country’s state-funded healthcare system, called the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
While services such as emergency and pediatric care are prioritised, there are limitations to Norway’s healthcare system. For example, elective surgeries and alternative therapies, including physiotherapy and chiropractic care, can be difficult to access due to long wait times.
Whatever visa you have, your family may have to apply for a Family Immigration Permit to gain residency if they’re non-EU/EEA citizens.
However, if they’re members of the EU/EAA, they won’t need this permit, but they’ll have to register with the Norwegian police if they plan to stay for longer than three months.18
Paying national insurance via salary deductions grants you and your family access to Norway’s subsidised healthcare system. This includes access to:
If you work for a Norwegian-based company, your employer will register you so you can start paying into the NIS.6
If you’re self-employed, then you have to register your business. You can then sign up to the NIS and set up your monthly salary contributions. This will be around 11% of your annual earnings.7
You and your family can access the NIS if you’re a digital nomad living in Norway.
Once you all have residency status, you’ll all need to be registered to gain access to the public healthcare system.
However, you must have the right visa. You can apply for a Digital Nomad Visa, which will allow you to work and live in Norway for up to two years. This can be renewed at your local police station.16
A requirement for obtaining this visa is that you must have health insurance. Opting for global health insurance will allow you to apply for your visa and make sure you and your family have instant access to healthcare as soon as you arrive in the country.
This is beneficial as it could take at least two months for you to receive your visa,17 which means that your family wouldn’t have instant access to the public healthcare system.
While all registered residents are covered by the Norwegian healthcare system, having global health insurance can mean you have access to high-quality healthcare, quickly.2
As the healthcare in Norway is subsidised, you must pay a small fee to see your doctor. However, with global health insurance, you can usually claim this back providing you’ve used a registered and recognised medical professional.6
If you or your children need specialist treatment or elective surgery, then having global health insurance can also significantly reduce wait times for these specialist services.2
For adults, you usually have to pay for regular dental care, but there are some exceptions for emergencies or ongoing health problems. A private health policy can help cover dental costs, so check if dental coverage is included in your plan before you go.8
Another benefit of having global health insurance in Norway includes access to private facilities, which can be useful if you live in more rural areas.
While cities usually have better hospitals and more specialised doctors, rural areas often have fewer resources and longer travel times. This difference can make it harder for people living outside cities to get the healthcare they need when using the public system.2
Yes – one of the main benefits of international health insurance is that you and your family can use it worldwide. You’ll have access to private medical providers and specialists globally.
Unlike local private health insurance, which is country-restricted, global cover allows you and your family to access private healthcare worldwide. This is particularly beneficial if you spend a lot of time travelling and working abroad.
One of the best ways to ensure your policy fits yours and your family’s needs is to speak to your insurance provider to make sure you get answers to your questions before buying.
Free healthcare services for children in Norway include:
Children under 16 receive free dental and medical care. And if your children are under 18, they can also access free mental health support.
To access these services, they must be registered with the Norwegian National Population Registry. Once registered, they’ll receive their personal ID number, which they can then use to register with a local GP for access to these free healthcare services.3
Accessing Norway’s healthcare system is simple. Follow these three steps to get you and your family registered.
1. Become a Norwegian resident.
Firstly, you must register yourself and your family members as residents on the Norwegian National Population Registry, called the Folkeregisteret.
You’ll then receive your ID number, which is what you’ll use to access healthcare system.6
2. Start paying salary contributions to the NIS.
Your employer should register you so you can start paying salary contributions to the NIS.6
Once you start paying your taxes, you and your family will then have access to the healthcare system. This will cost around 8% of your annual income, which will be automatically deducted from your monthly salary.7
If you’re self-employed, then you must register your business. You can then sign up to the NIS and set up your monthly salary contributions. This will be around 11% of your annual earnings.7
3. Start using the eHealth platform to access services.
The majority of Norway’s health system can be navigated through the online platform Helsenorge. Here, you can see your:
There’s generally no waiting period to gain access to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) in Norway.
Your membership will begin from your first day of employment. However, you must remember to register you and your family to the National Population Register.
When registering, you must show a valid ID and proof of residency in Norway, such as a residence permit or relevant immigration documents.10
If you’ve applied for a Digital Nomad Visa, then there may be a wait for you and your family to join the NIS.
These visa applications can take at least two months,17 so having international health insurance for when you arrive in Norway will give you and your family instant access to healthcare while you wait for your visa to be accepted.
If your child gets sick and they’re under 16, then they’re entitled to free medical care.4
Your first point of contact will be your registered GP (Fastlege) for non-emergency treatment.
For any urgent or emergency care, you can take your child to a local emergency clinic called a Legevakt. For life-threatening emergencies, call 113 for an ambulance.6
With Norway’s maternity services outperforming other European countries,11 expat families have free access to comprehensive services that will support both parents and children.
Throughout pregnancy and the fourth trimester, you can take advantage of multiple areas of support, all at no cost.4
These benefits include:
There’s a lot to consider when moving to Norway. But with our international health insurance, you’ll have one less thing to worry about. We’ll help you settle into your new life with the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ve got your healthcare covered.
Whether you’re traveling the world or working abroad for a few months, consider using our short-term cover. We can insure you for under 12 months with the same level of cover as our Foundation and Standard international insurance plan, just for less time.
All our plans include ambulance transport.
Included as standard and available 24/7, 365.*
Book a doctor’s appointment 24/7.14
Access six sessions of support from a qualified psychologist.13
Get reassurance from another medical expert.
We aim to settle your claim within 48 hours.15
Here’s a summary of the benefits included in each of the five cover levels.
As with most health insurance, there are some exclusions and limits, no matter which cover level you choose:
Our international health insurance plans also don't cover:
Getting a quote online takes just two minutes. Follow these simple steps to find your tailored cover.
You and your family are unique. And we want to make sure your health cover is tailored to what you need.
That’s why we encourage you to speak to our team before taking out cover. It’s important that your cover meets your expectations and needs, and that can be made easier by speaking to us.
Once you’ve received your online quote, simply request a callback and we’ll be in touch at a time that suits you.
If you have any questions or simply want to speak to us before going ahead with your global health insurance plan, feel free to call us on +44 (0)1892 596 418.**
Our team’s ready to answer any questions you have.
All Information in this article was correct at the time of publishing.
2 Do you need private health insurance in Norway?
3 Healthcare for children in Norway: what to expect
4 What are the healthcare costs if you relocate to Norway?
5 Care systems: ranking countries worldwide
13 The Mind Health service is provided by Teladoc Health and is part of the Virtual Care from AXA offering. The service provides up to six sessions with a psychologist per non-emergency mind health concern, per year. For further information about the Mind Health service, including consultation availability, please click here.
14 The Virtual Doctor service is provided by Teladoc Health and is part of the Virtual Care from AXA offering. Telephone appointments can be booked 24/7, 365. Callbacks are typically within 24 hours. Operating hours vary according to region. For availability in your local market and further information on the Virtual Doctor service, please click here.
15 83.2% of eligible claims submitted online between Jan 25- Dec 25, were paid within two days.
*T&Cs apply for using AXA Global Healthcare's evacuation and repatriation service.
**Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We may record and/or monitor calls for quality assurance, training and as a record of our conversation.