The Ministry of Trade, Fisheries and Food Security proposes amendments to maritime labour law and the NIS law to give workers clearer and more predictable terms of employment. The changes implement EU Directive 2019/1152 on working conditions and satisfy the ILO convention on seafarers' working and living conditions. The Standing Committee on Business and Industry recommends the Storting adopt the proposal, though Progress Party members have tabled a separate bill allowing broader exceptions in the NIS law.
AI-generated summary · Model: Claude Haiku 4.5 · Generated: 14 May 2026
These are the proposals in the document, not decisions. See the votes for the outcome.
Section 3-1, first paragraph would require a written employment contract between employer and employee containing information on all material aspects of the employment relationship. If the contract does not state the employment is temporary under section 3-4, permanent employment is presumed unless proven otherwise. If hours of work are not specified in the contract, the employee's statement about their hours would be accepted unless disproven.
Section 3-2 would allow a probationary period of up to six months by written agreement. For temporary employment, probation cannot exceed half the contract duration. If the employee is absent during probation and this is not the employer's fault, probation may be extended by the length of the absence, but only if the employer gave written notice of this option at hiring and confirms extension before probation ends. No new probationary period may be agreed if the employee continues in the same or substantially similar position within the same company. For permanent roles, a new probation period is permitted only if the combined previous service and new probation do not exceed six months.
New section 4-5a would preserve the employment contract if the employee is held captive on or off the ship due to piracy or armed robbery. The employee is entitled to wages and other employment rights as long as the contract subsists under section 5-9a.
New section 5-9a would keep the employment relationship in force if the employee is held captive on or off the ship due to piracy or armed robbery. The contract cannot be terminated until the employee is released and has received free passage home, even if the contract period has expired or notice was given before or during captivity.
NIS law section 8, first paragraph (committee recommendation) would allow the following maritime labour law provisions to be waived by collective agreement: sections 3-3 to 3-8, section 4-2 third paragraph, section 4-6 first paragraph (a), section 5-2 first paragraph second sentence and second and third paragraphs, section 5-3 second and third paragraphs (a) to (d), section 5-4, section 5-6 second paragraph, section 5-7, section 5-9, section 5-10, section 5-12, section 5A-2, sections 6-1 to 6-3, section 7-2, section 7-3, sections 7-5 to 7-12, section 8-4, and section 11-2.
NIS law section 8, first paragraph (Progress Party proposal) would allow the following maritime labour law provisions to be waived by collective agreement: section 3-2 first paragraph second sentence and third paragraph, sections 3-3 to 3-8, section 4-2 third paragraph, section 4-6 first paragraph (a), section 5-2 first paragraph second sentence and second and third paragraphs, section 5-3 second and third paragraphs (a) to (d), section 5-4, section 5-6 second paragraph, section 5-7, section 5-9, section 5-10, section 5-12, section 5A-2, sections 6-1 to 6-3, section 7-2, section 7-3, sections 7-5 to 7-12, section 8-4, and section 11-2.