Iceland is not a member of the EU, but belongs to the Schengen zone, therefore, to visit it, you must have a Schengen visa or belong to a country for which visa-free entry to the Schengen territory is valid, for work and long-term visits, you must open a working long-term visa, category D. 

If your country is a member of the European Economic Area or the European Free Trade Association, you do not need a work permit in Iceland. But depending on the length of your stay in the country, you will need to register your stay with the Icelandic Registration Service and get a national identification number. If you are planning to move to Iceland, we advise you to familiarize yourself with our checklist. 

Iceland Digital Nomad Visa

A new visa for remote workers came into effect in October 2020 and helped the country recover from the effects of Covid. This digital visa helps you live in Iceland for 6 months. You are not allowed to look for a job with an Icelandic company or an Icelandic employer. You are eligible for this visa. If: 

● you are not a citizen of an EU/EEA/EFTA country 

● you are a citizen of a country that has visa-free access to Iceland 

● you do not have a long-term visa to Iсeland in the past year 

● you have a remote job 

● you must prove that you are not going to the countries for a long-term stay

● your monthly income is $7,700. 

You are not eligible to extend this visa. Only resubmit the documents after 12 months, after their expiration. 

What needs to be done to come to the country to get a job 

To come to work in Iceland, you have to find a job at a company or organization registered in Iceland, send them your resume, and wait for confirmation that they are ready to hire you. The employer must submit information to the Migration Department that they want to hire you if the Department confirms that you can live in the country. Then the documents are submitted to the Labour Department and a work permit is obtained. Only after receiving this permission, you can apply for a visa. 

Please note that Icelanders do everything in advance, if you plan to go to work in June-July, then you should start looking for vacancies in December-January.

What conditions 

After submitting all the documents, you must pass an interview with the visa officer and convince him that you intend to return to your country, for this it is better to provide data on the availability of real estate, and family. The application review period is 90 days from the moment of receipt of all documents, therefore, if you intend to travel, you should take care in advance. Issuing a work visa is a paid procedure, you can find out the cost here.

After receiving your residence permit and arriving in Iceland, you must visit the offices of the Migration Board or the District Commissioners if you are outside Reykjavík within a week of your arrival. But to pass identification there, stating your place of residence and passing a medical examination. 

Necessary documents 

● passport 

● payment of the visa fee 

● completed questionnaire 

● 2-4 photos 

● a copy and the original of the permit for the agreed work 

● a letter from the employer with a job offer 

● health insurance is valid in Iceland. Buy here. 

● financial statements of the applicant, availability of capital 

● sometimes they require a medical certificate with a conclusion on mental behaviour

● certified original of a certificate of criminal record abroad. 

● certified copy or original translation by an authorized translator of the criminal record certificate. Consult legal counsel. 

Taxes 

Only 75% of your income as a foreign expert is taxed for the first three years of work in Iceland, provided that you apply within 3 months of the start date to the Icelandic Research Centre.