Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The background of the index Gross wages and salaries is the need for more timeliness in the measurement of changes in Gross wages and salaries. The purpose is therefore to show changes in Gross wages and salaries through the year.
The index was published for the first time for the third quarter of 2004, with back indices to the first quarter of 1998.
The statistics is based on data from a-meldingen. At the web-page of the Tax Authorities there are more information about the "a-meldingen".
The activities covered are industry, construction, retail trade and services in accordance to NACE Rev. 2. The statistics covers enterprises in private sector
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The index Gross wages and salaries measures changes in total Gross wages and salaries. Total Gross wages and salaries are the sum of wages and salaries, remuneration and other cash payments like paid annual leave, sickness pay, representation allowances.
3.5. Statistical unit
Reporting unit: Enterprise.
Observation unit(s): Local kind of activity unit.
3.6. Statistical population
The indices cover changes in wages and salaries for employees in sectors industry, construction, retail trade and services, in accordance with the new version of Norwegian industry classification (SIC2007).
There are about 300 000 number of persons employed in the sections covered.
3.7. Reference area
Inludes activities in Norway. Activities outside of Norway are not included in the data.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The index Gross wages and salaries was produced for the first time with figures for the third quarter of 2004 and is comparable back to 1998 for all the economic activities covered.
3.9. Base period
Base year: 2021=100
Index.
Quarter.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Legal basis:
Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation)
Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistic (General Implementing Act)
Information about how the statistics are produced is given as "About the statistics" at the website of Statistics Norway, see for labour costs and for Labour Cost Index at labour cost index. Also see information about Privacy.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
There are no confidential data on the aggregated level.
Statistics Norway releases statistics at its website at 08.00, in both Norwegian and English. No other governmental or non-governmental bodies have prior access to data before its release. Data are sent to Eurostat simultaneously with the national release via SDMX. The statistics are used in Statistics Norway's national accounts and in more general monitoring of the economy. The wage indices are furthermore used by business and industry to adjust contracts and in wage negotiations. Other major users or applications are employee and employer organisations and the media. The indices are furthermore used in the building cost index, lorry cost index and consumer price index at Statistics Norway.
Quarterly.
The statistics are published within 60 days after the end of each quarter. At the day of national publication the statistics are sent to Eurostat.
The index Gross wages and salaries is a Laspeyres index with fixed weights. The index Gross wages and salaries is constructed as a sum of sub-indices for cost components constituting total Gross wages and salaries. Changes in Gross wages and salaries are estimated and then weighted together to obtain an index Gross wages and salaries.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Quality control and editing of the statistics takes place in several stages, with most of the operations automatic both with respect to the actual control and consequent correction. When the reported data are received essential variables are controlled. Quality control of the data continues before and after registration.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The quarterly Index Gross wages and salaries is primarily used by the Technical Reporting Committee on Income Settlement, research institutes, employees and employer organizations, Eurostat, the media, business and industry.
The index Gross wages and salaries is compiled every quarter, and is published no later than 60 days after the end of each quarter.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The feedback from main users indicates satisfaction. The index Gross wages and salaries is in use by many enterprises, mainly for contract price adjustments
12.3. Completeness
Statistics Norway has delivered the incices for all relevant NACE sections for the years 1998-2024.
The index is delivered both unadjusted and seasonally adjusted. This means that changes in labour costs per hour and variations in the number of working hours or days between the quarters is shown both where there have and do not have affect the index in the present quarter.
The sources the data, A-ordningen, is classified according to the former standard for industrial classification. For some sections the changes in the classification have been insignificant and the variables have been calculated directly according to NACE 2007.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The statistics is based on data from a-meldingen. At the web-page of the Tax Authorities there are more information about the a-meldingen.
Hours paid are not given in the data source. There is some uncertainty in these calculations.
13.2. Sampling error
The statistics is based on administrative data from a-meldingen, which covers the whole population. The observations can be discarded due to missing variables and/or incorrect values for the variables.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The statistics is based on administrative data from a-meldingen. The observations can be discarded due to missing information and/or incorrect values for the variables.
14.1. Timeliness
The index is published no longer than 70 days after the end of the reference quarter.
The statistics are produced according to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation) and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistic (General Implementing Act).
15.2. Comparability - over time
The statistics are comparable back to first quarter 1998.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Other statistics that could be used to measure direct labour costs include the wage index and the wage-cost statistics from the National Accounts. There are some significant differences between the direct LCI and these statistics. The wage index does not include hours and overtime pay and it measures the development of wages per month. The LCI measures cost per hour, and it includes payments for overtime. The statistics from the National Accounts covers aggregate wage costs and annual changes in average yearly salaries.
Comparability over NACE sections
15.4. Coherence - internal
There are coherense between Nace divisions.
The labour cost statistics make use of data from «A-ordningen». A-ordningen is a collaborative between The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), Statistics Norway and the Norwegian Tax Administration.
The aim of a-ordningen is to coordinate the authorities' requirements concerning the reporting of information on employees' income and employment etc. in order for the enforcement of a-ordningen to be as smooth as possible.
From 1st January 2015, the way in which employers and others with a reporting obligation declare employment- and income information to the Norwegian authorities will change. The same information will no longer need to be submitted several times to several national agencies.
The new way of reporting mandatory information is useful to the Norwegian society in general, as the monthly a-melding report provides a more correct foundation for NAV benefits, tax returns and social statistics. A-ordningen is one of the first steps on the road to modernisation and reforms.
Hence, there are no estimates on cost and burden for the enterprises concerning the labour cost statistics on its own.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The most significant revision of the LCI was made after the publication of the Labour Cost Surveys (LCS) for 2012, 2016 and 2020. This survey gives an overview over the costs of having an employee. The LCI is supposed to measure the quarterly growth in the same costs. If the four year growth in the LCI does not match the growth between the former and the current LCS, it has to be revised. By adjusting the growth for each quarter in the LCI by the same factor we can keep the quarterly variations and at the same time have the LCI reflect the development between the Labour Cost Surveys.
In addition to the adjustment caused by the LCS, there have been some revisions in connection with the new standard of industrial classification and some minor corrections caused by delayed updating of our regular source data. Reports on overtime and overtime hours have been of fluctuating quality, and data for part-time workers have also shown variation that often seems unreasonable.
There was no revision in the LCI in 2021-2024.
17.2. Data revision - practice
There are no scheduled revisions. However if the results of the Labour Cost Survey (LCS), which is produced every fourth year (most recent for the year 2020), measure growth 2016-2020 that do not match the growth in the same period of the indices the index for 2021-2023 will be revised. From experience there is expected to be none or minor revisions.
18.1. Source data
The population covers all the establishments in private sector in Statistics Norway's Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises, all sectors industry, construction, retail trade and services.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Quarterly.
18.3. Data collection
Data from register
18.4. Data validation
The index Gross wages and salaries has no data survey of its own.
The indices are checked against historical series and are compared with the published statistics from other data sources.
18.5. Data compilation
The index Gross wages and salaries is carried out within the frame work set by the data sources.
18.6. Adjustment
The index Gross wages and salaries is required in unadjusted and seasjonal adjusted series
Not available
The background of the index Gross wages and salaries is the need for more timeliness in the measurement of changes in Gross wages and salaries. The purpose is therefore to show changes in Gross wages and salaries through the year.
The index was published for the first time for the third quarter of 2004, with back indices to the first quarter of 1998.
The statistics is based on data from a-meldingen. At the web-page of the Tax Authorities there are more information about the "a-meldingen".
15 June 2025
The index Gross wages and salaries measures changes in total Gross wages and salaries. Total Gross wages and salaries are the sum of wages and salaries, remuneration and other cash payments like paid annual leave, sickness pay, representation allowances.
Reporting unit: Enterprise.
Observation unit(s): Local kind of activity unit.
The indices cover changes in wages and salaries for employees in sectors industry, construction, retail trade and services, in accordance with the new version of Norwegian industry classification (SIC2007).
There are about 300 000 number of persons employed in the sections covered.
Inludes activities in Norway. Activities outside of Norway are not included in the data.
Quarter.
The statistics is based on data from a-meldingen. At the web-page of the Tax Authorities there are more information about the a-meldingen.
Hours paid are not given in the data source. There is some uncertainty in these calculations.
Index.
The index Gross wages and salaries is carried out within the frame work set by the data sources.
The population covers all the establishments in private sector in Statistics Norway's Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises, all sectors industry, construction, retail trade and services.
Quarterly.
The statistics are published within 60 days after the end of each quarter. At the day of national publication the statistics are sent to Eurostat.
The index is published no longer than 70 days after the end of the reference quarter.
The statistics are produced according to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation) and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistic (General Implementing Act).
The statistics are comparable back to first quarter 1998.
