Care allowance for parents in the neonatal intensive care unit

Right to care allowance

You may be entitled to care allowance if:

you are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. If you live in Norway, you are usually covered (nav.no)
you have custody of the child during the period you are applying for
the child has received treatment or assessment in a hospital or other specialist health service
you are with the child during hospital admission, or you stay at home because the child requires full-time care
you have been employed for at least 4 weeks immediately before the care allowance period starts (sick leave, unemployment benefits, parental benefits, pregnancy benefits, care allowance and training allowance are considered equivalent to employment)
you have at least 20 % absence from work during the weeks you receive care allowance
your income is pensionable, meaning income from paid work on which tax is paid
your income is at least half of the National Insurance basic amount (G) (nav.no)
you are admitted to the hospital or are receiving follow-up from NAST

Two caregivers can receive care allowance at the same time

When a child is admitted to hospital, both parents are generally entitled to care allowance. In that case, both must be present with the child at the hospital.

The same applies if the child receives follow-up care from the neonatal outreach nursing service (NAST) at home. The doctor will assess whether one or two caregivers are needed during the hospital stay or home follow-up period.

To be eligible for care allowance, you must have care responsibility for the child, meaning the child lives with you. Other caregivers may also be entitled if they have full or partial care responsibility, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, or other close relatives.

What can you receive?

Care allowance is calculated in the same way as sick pay (nav.no). The calculation is based on documented income at the time you apply.

Income up to 6 times the National Insurance basic amount (G) is included in the calculation (nav.no).

You receive care allowance for 5 days per week, not for Saturdays and Sundays.

Your employer may pay care allowance in advance and then claim reimbursement from NAV.

How to apply

A doctor at the hospital will issue a medical certificate for you. You must apply to NAV yourself.

If you have BankID, you can apply online at nav.no.
The doctor provides a QR code that takes you directly to the application.
You upload the medical certificate with your application.

NAV also needs information about your income:

You inform your employer that you have applied.
Your employer submits income information to NAV.
You will receive confirmation that can be shared with your employer.

If you do not have BankID, you can submit a paper application by mail.

For extensions, new income information is usually not required if the care allowance periods are continuous. If there is a break between periods, your employer must submit a new income report.

Self-employed persons and freelancers must submit income information (NAV form 09-35.01) together with the application. Temporarily unemployed persons use NAV form 08-47.05.

Application deadline

NAV can grant care allowance retroactively for up to three months.

Example: If you apply for June, NAV must receive your application by the end of September. Read more at nav.no or call NAV at +47 55 55 33 33.

Newborns admitted to hospital

When a newborn is admitted to hospital, both parents are generally entitled to care allowance for the entire period of admission, regardless of the severity of the condition.

However, the person applying must be present at the hospital.

A child receiving treatment and follow-up through NAST is also considered admitted. The medical certificate must be issued by a hospital doctor.

Last updated 6/29/2026