Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway
Norway: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway stood at 4.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.9% on the previous year and up 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway peaked at 6.3% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 2007.
That places Norway 109th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.4% | — |
| 1992 | 5.9% | +9.3% |
| 1993 | 6.0% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 5.3% | -10.3% |
| 1995 | 6.3% | +17.9% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | -20.2% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | -6.9% |
| 1998 | 3.7% | -20.3% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -13.1% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 4.3% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 4.4% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | -22.5% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | -26.6% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 3.1% | +23.0% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | +13.8% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | +9.5% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 4.3% | +23.2% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | +8.9% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | -11.0% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | -8.7% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 4.4% | +20.1% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | -25.9% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +10.6% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | +11.9% |
| 2025 | 4.6% | +15.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.1% | 3.2% | 6.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 2.5% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.2% | 4.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 106 Paraguay 4.8% compare
- 107 Kazakhstan 4.8% compare
- 108 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4.7% compare
- 110 Ireland 4.6% compare
- 111 Uzbekistan 4.6% compare
- 112 China 4.6% compare
More education data for Norway
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 80,636 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 469,508 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 434,422 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.7841 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.078 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 434,422 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.7841 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway was 4.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 1995.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 2007.
- How does Norway rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Norway ranks 109th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Norway data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.