Iceland

1
Iceland

• 103.000 square km.
• 313.000 inhabitants
• 63 living in the capital area (Reykjavik6
  connected towns / municipalities)
• 74 living on the South-west part of Iceland
  (capital area 3 towns and few more
  municipalities)
• Akureyri is the biggest town outside the
  South-west area

Akureyri
Capital area
South-west area
2
Iceland

• The weather is mild costal weather, never hot and
  never really cold. Avarage temperature in
  Reykjavík is 10,6C in July, 0C in January
• Iceland is not as far away as many think, 2,5-3
  hours flights to cities like London, Copenhagen
  and Amsterdam.

3
Labour Market

• Unemployment ca. 1.1 in average 2007. May 2008
  1
• Economic growth 3,8 in 2007
• Foreign citizens living Iceland constituted 6 of
  the total population and around 10 of the labour
  force 2007. Have increased fast since 2004, have
  mostly come from the new memberstates.
• Largest groups of immigrants in Iceland are from
  Poland, Lithunia and Germany.

4
Job oppertunities

• Workers in agri- and horticulture all year
  around
• Chefs, waiters and general hotel workers (summer
  season)
• Meat industry during the slaughter season, Sept.
  Okt.
• Nurses, auxilary nurses and care attendants
• Pre school and kindergarten teachers

5
Job oppertunities

• Drivers and operators
• Physiotherapists
• Engineers
• Wharehouse workers
• Div. service attendants
• Postworkers sorting and delivering
• Factoryworkers

6
Language

• Fair knowledge of English or a scandi-navian
  language is usually a precondition for an
  unskilled job
• Learning Icelandic gives you a great advantage
  and enhances your chances in finding a more
  interesting and better paid job.

7
Finding a job in Iceland

• www.eures.europa.eu   www.eures.is
• Fill out and submit EURES application form
  www.vinnumalastofnun.is/eures
• Then you can contact EURES IS and hear about your
  possibilities. Also if you know what kind of
  business you want to work for EURES can help you
  find suitable enterprises. EURES IS, e-mail
  eures_at_svm.is / phone [phone]

8
Finding a job in Iceland

• Advertisments from newspapers  www.mbl.is ,
  www.visir.is  The employment section Atvinna
  comes out every Sunday.
• Private Job Agencies www.radning.is ,
  www.vinna.is for a complete list of agencies
  www.vinnumalastofnun.is gt Tenglar

9
What should you bring with you?

• Documents for transferring your health and social
  security rights. E-104/European health insurance
  card.
• The E-301 form in case you happen to get
  unemployed after working for some time in Iceland

10
Integration politics

• Housing 75-85 privately owned. Average price
  per square meter for rented flat/room 14 - 17
  minus rent subsidies
• Language courses many and increasing options and
  are subsidized by the authorities
• Family No special schedule to help mobile
  workers bring their families with them, but after
  a certain time same right as nationals.
• Wages (levels) min. for unskilled worker 1.515
  
• Substantial difference between union rates and
  market salaries gt increase awareness

11
Integration politics
Union rates Market wages
Labourers 1.129 1.557
Tradesmen 1.701 2.644
Nurses 1.762 2.954
Engineers 1.710 4.316

• 1 122 ISK 13 May 2007
• Wages include regular overtime and shift
  differential.
• Engineers with masters degree and five years of
  work experience.

12
Income tax

• Salary for 1 month 150.000
• 4 deduction for pension 6.000
• Taxable income 144.000
• Tax rate 35,72x144.000 51.432
• Personal tax credit 34.034
• Witholding tax 17.403
• Salary after taxes 126.597
• In average 27 of your salary goes to tax