Norway Jobless Rate Rises to 15-Month High

Norway's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.0% in September 2026 from 4.6% in the previous month, marking the highest level since June 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased to a fifteen-month high of 156 thousand from 141 thousand in August. The youth unemployment rate, which covers those aged 15 to 24, climbed to 16.7% from 14.2%. Meanwhile, the employment rate remained unchanged at 69.8% in September, while the number of employed persons edged higher to 2.930 million from 2.925 million. The labor force participation rate rose to 73.5% from 73.1%, with the labor force increasing by 21 thousand from a month earlier to 3.086 million. Total man-weeks worked, adjusted to a 37.5-hour workweek, decreased to 2.187 million from 2.239 million in the previous period. Compared with September last year, the jobless rate was 0.3 percentage points lower at 4.7%.

Norway's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.5% in August 2026 from an eighteen-month low of 4.2% in the previous month. The number of unemployed persons increased to 138 thousand from 128 thousand in July. The youth unemployment rate, which covers those aged 15 to 24, was up to 13.6% from 12.0%. Meanwhile, the employment rate edged down to 69.8% in August from 70.2% in the previous month, with the number of employed persons decreasing to 2.926 million from 2.943 million. The labor force participation rate inched lower to 73.1% from 73.3%, with the labor force reducing by 7 thousand from a month earlier to 3.064 million. Total man-weeks worked, adjusted to a 37.5-hour workweek, advanced to 2.232 million from 2.199 million in the prior period. Compared with August last year, the jobless rate was 0.4 percentage point higher at 4.9%.

Norway’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.2% in July from an upwardly revised 4.6% in the previous month. This marked the lowest rate since February 2025, as the number of unemployed persons decreased to 130 thousand from 140 thousand in June, with unemployed males falling by 4.5% to 73 thousand, while the number of unemployed women decreased by 3.9% to 57 thousand. The youth unemployment rate, which covers those aged 15 to 24, dropped to 12.1% from 14.0%. Meanwhile, the employment rate rose to 70.2% from 69.7% a month earlier, with the number of employed persons increasing to 2.944 million from 2.918 million. The labour force participation rate increased to 73.3% from 73.0%, with the labour force expanding by 16 thousand to 3.074 million. Total man-weeks worked, adjusted to a 37.5-hour workweek, grew to 2.196 million from 2.175 million in the prior period. Compared with July last year, the unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher, at 4.4%.