Work Permits

Table of Contents

Information for Ukrainian citizens

Interview appointments with the Directorate of Labour’s consultants

Refugees can make an appointment for an interview with a consultant at the Directorate of Labor to get help with making a CV, applying for a job and other things related to the job search. Employers have registered jobs with the Directorate of Labor in which counselors mediate to refugees. You can request an interview at flottamenn@vmst.is

Work permits

Refugees from Ukraine need to be issued a work permit to be allowed to work in Iceland, as they are issued a residence permit on humanitarian grounds. An employer who intends to employ a refugee from Ukraine must therefore apply for a work permit and have the permit approved before an employee can start work.

Necessary documents with the application for a new work permit for an employee from Ukraine:

  1. Original copy of the application for a temporary work permit regarding special circumstances.
  2. A contract of employment between the employee and employer.
  3. The opinion of the relevant labour union should be obtained before it is submitted (section IV.on the application form) unless the labour union in question is Efling labour union. The DoL obtains reviews from Efling labour union directly.
  4. The opinion is obtained by contacting the relevant trade union and submitting an application for a work permit and a copy of the employment contract.
  5. The application and contract must be signed by both the foreign national and the employer.

Where should the application for a work permit be submitted?

Applications must be submitted to the nearest service office of the Directorate of Labor or to the Directorate of Immigration. If employment takes place through the services of the Directorate of Labor, it is desirable that the application is submitted there. More information can be found here.

Icelandic and community education courses

Counselors also provide information on Icelandic language courses and / or courses in community education. If you want to enroll in a community education course, you can do so at https://www.landneminn.is/is/hafa-samband

Refugees in the capital area can register for an Icelandic course with one of the schools below, registration is directly with the school. It is important to inform the school that you are in service with the Directorate of Labour as a refugee.

Refugees in rural areas can attend distance learning courses or register for courses at an educational center in their area in consultation with the area’s service offices.

Refugees are not expected to pay for the courses themselves.

Selected schools:

General Applications

An employer who intends to hire a foreign national from a country outside of the EEA or EFTA must apply for and already have received a work permit before the foreign national can start working. Note that it is the prospective employer who must submit the application and not the prospective employee. Also, note that a work permit alone does not include the right to reside in Iceland. In most cases, a separate residence permit must also be obtained from the Directorate of Immigration. See the Application Process below.

Application Process

Applications for work permits must be submitted by the prospective employer, including the necessary supporting documentation, to the Directorate of Immigration. If the Directorate of Immigration finds that the conditions for issuing the foreign national a residence permit are met, then the application is forwarded to the Directorate of Labor to process the work permit.

Foreign Nationals from the EEA/EFTA

If a foreign national is from a country within the EEA/EFTA then it is not necessary to apply for a work permit. Depending on the amount of time you spend in Iceland, however, you might need to register your stay with Registers Iceland and obtain a national ID number, which is also accomplished at Registers Iceland. Note that rules for registering your stay vary between Nordic nationals and other EEA/EFTA foreign nationals. See more on this at Registers Iceland.

Directorate of Immigration

  • Dalvegi 18, 201 Kópavogur
  • Tel: (+354) 444-0900

Directorate of Labour

  • Kringlunni 1, 150 Reykjavík
  • Tel.: (+354) 515-4800
  • Fax: (+354) 511-2520

Registers Iceland

  • Borgartúni 21, 105 Reykjavík
  • Hafnarstræti 107, 600 Akureyri
  • Tel.: (+354) 515 5300
  • Fax: (+354) 515 5300
  • skra@skra.is

Links at the Multicultural Information Center

Links of Interest

Laws & Regulations