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Regulations

Pension rights for employees who have worked at sea

If you have worked on Norwegian vessels or mobile rigs, you may be entitled to an early retirement pension for workers at sea when you are aged between 60 and 67.

To qualify for a pension, you must have accrued a minimum of 150 months of seagoing service. Seagoing service on vessels in other EEA countries, fishing vessels and state-owned vessels also count towards your seagoing service. You may be entitled to a pension from your 60th birthday if you have accrued a minimum of 120 months of seagoing service after the age of 40 and are no longer working at sea. If you do not meet the requirement for 150 months of seagoing service, you may be entitled to a refund of your pension contributions. This is a one-off payment.

 

Payment of premiums

Both you and your employer pay pension premiums/contributions. Both parts constitute contributions to your pension. The size of your pension premium/contribution depends on the position/salary level you have and on how many days you work a month. Contribution rates change every year as a result of adjustment of the National Insurance scheme basic amount.

Your employer pays a contribution which is equivalent to 3.3% of your gross monthly income. Your employer is responsible for deducting your pension contribution from your salary and pay in the pension contribution.

 

Calculation of your seagoing service

To qualify for a pension, you must usually have a minimum of 150 months of seagoing service. If you have accrued between 12 and 149 months of seagoing service, you may be able to add certain types of external seagoing service to reach the minimum requirement:

  • Seagoing service from the Norwegian Guarantee Fund for Fishermen
  • Service under another public service pension scheme (e.g. the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund) applicable to accrual of service on maritime vessels
  • National service completed before 1981 if your service commenced within six months of the expiry of pensionable service or maritime training
  • Service on other EU/EEA-country vessels according to the provisions of the Agreement on the European Economic Area

Your external seagoing service is not included in the basis for calculation of the size of your pension.

 

Calculation of your seaman’s pension

Your annual pension payment is calculated by multiplying the number of months of your seagoing service with the pension rates applicable on the date that payment of your pension commences. Different pension rates apply for service accrued as primary or secondary service. Your pension will be calculated on the basis of a maximum of 360 months of seagoing service.