The Storting has already adopted a government proposal on new employment rules in employment agencies, which was presented in June this year.

The Ministry of Labor and Integration also introduces a regulation on a geographically limited ban on employment by employment agencies for the construction industry.

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“With these changes, the situation will become serious and working life will be strengthened,” says Minister for Employment and Integration Marte Mjøs Persen.

The goal of the government is to reduce the amount of wage labor while giving those who are wage workers more rights.

– When full, permanent and direct positions are the guiding principle of Norwegian working life, it will create a more productive and competitive society. Thanks to permanent jobs companies will also invest more in employee skills. They will also make it easier to recruit more young people into certain industries, says the Minister of Employment and Integration.

The new regulations will come into force on April 1, 2023, subject to transitional provisions in certain areas.

More about the new rules

The new regulations lead to changes, among others: in the Act on the working environment, the Act on state employees and regulations regarding employment companies temporary.

This will be new from April 1, 2023:

  • The right to employ "in case of temporary work" is abolished. Special rules will apply in some areas, see bottom point.
  • It will no longer be possible to work for employment agencies on construction sites in Oslo, Viken and formerly Vestfold. The ban on employment will apply to all professions on construction sites, as long as they are covered by activities that the regulations include "construction work".
  • The temporary worker's right to permanent employment with the temporary employment agency will be strengthened by the fact that, according to the agreement with the trade union, the temporary worker must also be granted the right to permanent employment after a certain period of time.
  • The new provision in the Working Environment Act clarifies and clarifies the legal boundary between the tenant and the contractor.

Two exceptions to the general tightening:

  • The only exception concerns the employment of medical personnel in order to ensure the proper functioning of health and care services. Such employment will be allowed when the work is of a temporary nature. The employer must discuss the need for temporary accommodation with trade union representatives.
  • The exception will also apply to the employment of employees with special skills, providing advisory and consulting services. Such employment must be for a clearly defined project within the employing company.

The changes will come into force on 1 April, and there are three-month transitional rules in some areas. In the case of temporary substitutions in agriculture, the amendment to the Working Environment Act § 14-12, first paragraph, has been postponed until further notice.