Twice as many women as men work part-time in Norway

In 2020, 37% of female employees in Norway between the ages of 20 and 66 worked part-time. That is more than twice as much as men, with 17%.

Large gender differences in education contribute to reproducing differences in working life, Statistics Norway (SSB) writes. 

A larger proportion of women than men have higher education, and since 2008 the differences have become greater – in contrast to other gender equality indicators.

In 2008, 24% of men and 31% of women had higher education. In 2020, this figure was 27% and 40%, respectively.

The central-eastern region and the northern part of Norway have higher levels of equality than other regions in many areas. Southern and Western Norway have largely had lower scores on many of the gender equality indicators. It is especially here that there is the least gender equality in part-time work as well.

In Møre og Romsdal, 43% of women and 15% of men work part-time. Oslo and Viken have the lowest proportion of women in part-time work, with 27% and 35% respectively.

One of the explanations that Statistics Norway points out for the fact that many women work part-time is a lesser degree of occupational spread among women. More than a quarter of all female employees work in the three most female-dominated occupations, especially in health and care, where part-time work is widespread. Only one in ten men works in the three most male-dominated occupations.

However, it is not necessarily the case that most part-time employees want to work more. The labor force survey has shown that a minority of part-time employees are underemployed.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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