From cheaper dental care to immigration restrictions and more Metro construction, here are the changes you can expect to see in Norway throughout 2026.
Cheaper transport and dental care in the 2026 budget
The 2026 budget, was passed after intense negotiations at the beginning of December and includes measures to reduce the cost of public transport for frequent users.
It also provides funding to reduce the cost of dental care for patients, lower childcare costs and provides more staff at kindergartens.
Income tax gets a slight cut for most earners, meaning most people will see a tax reduction of between 200 and 2,000 kroner per year.
For those with savings, a raised threshold for paying Wealth Tax (Formuesskatt) means you will now only pay wealth tax on net assets exceeding 1.9 million kroner (up from 1.76 million kroner).
Additionally, the “Norgespris” electricity subsidy scheme remains in place throughout 2026 to help with power bills.
The budget also sets out a phased reduction of tax breaks on EVs (this is detailed further below).
READ ALSO: What Norway’s final 2026 budget means for you
‘Plan for Norway’ policies could begin to take effect
December saw a major announcement from the government in the form of the ‘Plan for Norway’, a major new political platform for implementation from 2026.
The new plan was launched by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and detailed on the government website, where it is described as a main priority “for the current period of government,” thereby representing the key strategies Støre wants the Labour minority government to implement following its victory in September’s election.
The Plan for Norway is focused on five key areas in which the government said it wants to provide “security”: the economy, work and business, children and young people, health, and national security.
This includes a number of new measures aimed at restricting immigration and a policy increasing the use of private hospitals to provide services in the public health service, in a bid to reduce waiting times.
However, opposition parties have criticised the plan for not being specific enough with doubts also cast on its environmental credentials.
READ ALSO: ‘Plan for Norway’: What are Norwegian PM Støre’s new headline policies?
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Stricter immigration rules promised
As part of the Plan for Norway, the government will seek to introduce a series of restrictions on immigration which Støre has described as “controlled, sustainable, and fair.”
These include faster deportation, stricter rules on family reunification and reductions to the number of refugees the country accepts.
READ ALSO: ‘In line with the times’: Norway announces stricter immigration rules
Full calendar of events in Oslo and across Norway
If you are in Oslo in 2026, there’s a good chance there’ll be events you’ll want in your calendar.
These include World Cup Cross Country and Ski jumping, the Biathlon World Cup Final, Oslo Pride, Oslo Jazz Festival and a long list of summer music festivals.
If you’re in the country on Norway’s beloved national day, May 17th, it’ll be hard to miss the traditional celebrations.
READ ALSO: The biggest and best events in Oslo in 2026
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Oslo’s Metro Upgrade
Commuters in the capital should also prepare for a mix of disruption and improvement, however.
The city’s metro system is getting a major upgrade with a new signaling system called CBTC (Communication-Based Train Control), which uses wireless communication between trains and infrastructure. This will replace the old physical traffic lights.
The first section, Lambertseterbanen, has already switched to the new system, but all 115 metro trains still need to be rebuilt. The whole project will cost 6 billion kroner, with almost 1 billion going to the train upgrades. Once finished, the changes will mean more frequent trains, better punctuality, fewer errors, and greater capacity. The train upgrades should be done by 2027, but the new system will be introduced across the network in stages until 2030.
During this time, passengers can expect some testing periods and replacement buses when trains are out of service.
READ ALSO: All the driving and transport changes to expect in Norway in 2026
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Reduction of EV tax exemptions
Tax breaks that helped boost EV sales are being scaled back. The 2026 budget sets a firm plan for the next three years, so buyers know what to expect, even though it will be more costly.
The immediate change in 2026 is that buying a new EV will cost more because the government is keeping its plan to lower the VAT exemption threshold.
Starting January 1st, 2026, you will pay VAT on the part of a car’s price above 300,000 kroner, instead of the current 500,000 kroner limit.
For example, if you buy a car for 400,000 kroner today, you pay no VAT. In 2026, you will pay 25 percent VAT on the 100,000 kroner above the threshold, which adds up to 25,000 kroner.
Ban on sale of energy drinks to youngsters
The sale of energy drinks to anyone under the age of 16 will be prohibited in Norway from January 1st.
“Excessive consumption of energy drinks leads to restlessness, sleep problems and difficulty concentrating. It can also cause damage to the cardiovascular and central nervous systems,” Minister of Health Jan Christian Vestre said in August.
Norway’s government announced its intention to crackdown on energy drink sales in the spring and held a period of consultation to get expert views.
Most agreed with the move, including the country’s Directorate of Health. However the country’s national medical and dental associations has called for the drinks ban to apply for all under 18s rather than under 16s.
READ ALSO: Norway announces ban on sale of energy drinks to youngsters
Ban on importing nicotine products
A ban on purchasing tobacco and nicotine products from abroad comes into effect on January 1st.
The rules will mean you will not be able to order the products from abroad to be sent to Norway.
“The purpose of the new rules is to prevent illegal tobacco and nicotine products from entering the Norwegian market and to protect the health of children and young people,” Erlend Bø, department director at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, said in a statement earlier in December.
“We know that availability is an important factor in whether young people start using cigarettes, snus or vapes. These products have been easy to obtain from abroad via the internet, often marketed illegally on social media,” he added.
The rules apply to all goods crossing the border after January 1st. It will still be legal to bring tobacco with you from abroad when you travel, provided you stay within the duty-free allowance.