Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located at the intersection of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, it is one of the five northern European countries with a land area of 103,000 square kilometers and a population of about 340,000. It is the country with the lowest population density in Europe. The capital, Reykjavik, is the largest city in Iceland, a highly developed capitalist country with a Nordic welfare system of state-provided health insurance and higher education. Iceland ranked 13th on the UN’s Human Development Index in 2014.
Free time. You can choose when your work starts and ends. It’s a very free schedule. The company will ensure that everyone meets the 40-hour total.
Salary scale: $5,000 per month before tax
Iceland’s legal minimum full-time salary is $2,600 a month before taxes and the national average is $3,200. For a skilled worker visa holder, applying for union approval requires a salary of about $5,000 before taxes. On top of that, business companies give bonuses and raises from time to time, and unions give bonuses at Christmas.
Paid vacation: 24 days per year
In addition to weekends, Iceland provides 13 days of vacation per year and 24 days of paid vacation. Leave needs to be requested in advance as well as documented.
No overtime:
Working hours are recorded on a computer system, so 40 hours are clearly counted and strictly controlled.
Uncertified sick leave: 24 days of paid sick leave per year
2 days of paid sick leave per month, no need to provide a medical certificate, usually in the morning to inform the leader. If paid sick leave is not used, it can accumulate over a year and be used in the event of serious illness.
Benefits package: social benefits and company benefits
Paid wages, usually around 60% before tax, are used to pay benefits. Even for employees with foreign passports, local pension, health insurance, union and other living benefits are included in the tax. The company itself will also give employees additional benefits, organize a trip once a year, reimburse fitness card swimming card sports equipment; Organize foreign employees to learn Icelandic native language; Reimbursement for phone CARDS and broadband Internet access at home; Free Icelandic Tours, music festival tickets, etc.
Rights protection: The union has absolute protection for the rights and interests of employees
1) The trade union shall ensure that employees do not work involuntarily beyond the working hours;
2) Ensure that employees are paid legally;
3) Employees will not be fired randomly, and even if they are fired, they will be cushioned accordingly;
4) No sexual harassment or uncomfortable bullying occurs;
5) Part of the money paid by the union each month is accumulated, such as Icelandic lessons, glasses, gym membership, driving test, which can be reimbursed and returned to the bank account;
6) Christmas bonus, feel the sky sprinkle money when receiving;
7) In disputes with the company, the union provides lawyers for employees;
8) Two paid sick days per month will not be fired by the company, etc.
2) Receive the company’s reply within the second week after sending;
3) The company’s first interview;
4) The company’s second interview;
5) Internship in the company;
6) The company confirms recruitment;
7) Check the website of immigration office to prepare materials by yourself;
8) Submit the materials to the Immigration and Labor Bureau;
9) The application from the Immigration and Labor Bureau is approved and confirmed;
10) Make an appointment for a medical examination in an Icelandic hospital;
11) Icelandic IDENTITY card number and first year work visa;
12) Annual renewal
13) Permanent resident for the fourth year.
For any non-EU foreigner, finding a job in Iceland is not easy.
Icelandic companies know that Iceland’s labor bureau and immigration bureau is strict, will not randomly recruit foreigners, and Iceland is a serious acquaintance of the society, for no intermediary as a credit guarantee of the outsider, the other side needs to provide enough strength and sincerity.
Language proficiency requirements.
Iceland has a looser language policy. First of all, at least fluency level is required in spoken and written English. As for the language ability of other countries, even The Icelandic language is only used as an advantage in the application, and does not play a decisive role.
Eu work experience preferred.
For non-EU applicants who want to improve their competitive edge, those who have worked in eu countries and have obtained work visa applications from other European countries can prepare the materials highlighted.
Objects not recommended.
The strict review system will lead to many jobs without strict technical requirements and difficulties in entry. It is suggested that applicants with certain scarcity of professional abilities should apply.
Work attitude: Every minute of the workday belongs to the company
Iceland is a country of pragmatism, because of the high prices here, artificial cost is high, the company pay high salary, and labor unions to employees backing behind, so the company set positions, especially involving foreign employees, very cautious at this moment, no waste of time and energy, and sat down to the second work will start, basic it is busy to go off work, eight hours highly focused.
Simple relationship with colleagues
Office work, most of the time very professional, except for meetings, or someone needs help, whisper conversation, basically only hear the keyboard sound.
Jiaqian (Aug 18, 2018) Working experience in Iceland & How to apply for a Work visa in Iceland. [online] Available at :https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/42144656.
