• 12 March 2025
• Press Releases

ESA approves modifications to Norway’s tax scheme for employee share options in start-ups and growth companies

Today, the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) has approved the amendments to Norway’s employee share-option tax scheme for start-ups and growth companies. These amendments have increased the number of eligible employers from around 60 000 to 70 000.

The share-option scheme aims to help start-ups and growth companies attract and retain key talent by offering favourable tax conditions. It makes share options a more attractive form of compensation while reducing employers’ social security contributions, allowing smaller companies with limited capital to compete with larger firms on employee pay.

The increase in the number of employees has been brought about through the following amendments:

• An increase in the maximum number of full-time employees that eligible employers can have from 50 to 150.
• An increase of the balance sheet cap that eligible employers cannot exceed from NOK 80 000 000 to NOK 200 000 000. 
• An increase of the age limit for eligible employers from 10 years to 12 years.

ESA has concluded that they are in line with State aid rules.

For more information, see ESA’s decision.