Apply for a work permit

Conditions

A person to be employed is the holder of one of the following licences:

• a temporary residence permit,

• residence permit for a possible victim of human trafficking,

• residence permits for victims of human trafficking,

• residence permit for parents

• residence permit on grounds of legitimate purpose.

Required data

Original application

Application for a temporary work permit due to special circumstances

The application should contain sufficient information about both parties. Includes the address of the person to be hired for work, both in Iceland and in the home country. The e-mail address of both applicants must be specified.

A union statement

A union's opinion must be obtained on the application before it is submitted. Field 4, IV. Unless the union is Efling. In those cases, the Directorate of Labour obtains the opinion.

Employment contract

The employment contract is made between the individual and the employer. What needs to be stated is among other things:

• Information about the planned work of the person concerned at the employer and the working arrangements.

• Information on the pension funds to be paid for the work of the person concerned.

• The wages of foreigners must be in accordance with the applicable collective agreements. All wage figures must be stated in the contract.

It is not necessary to use a standard form of employment contract from the website of the Directorate of Labour but it is necessary to take care that the material requirements for a contract are the same.

Signs

Both the person who is to be hired and the employer must sign the application and the employment contract.

Responsibilities of applicants

It is the applicants responsibility to submit the necessary documents with an application for a temporary work permit. If necessary documents are missing, the application may be delayed or rejected. The Directorate of Labour requests additional documents if they are considered necessary.

Submit an application

The application is submitted to:

Directorate of Immigration

Dalvegur 18

201 Kópavogur

Outside the capital area

The application is submitted to the relevant office of the District Commissioner.

Revalidation of the work permit

With an application for an extension of a work permit on grounds of special reasons, the same documents must be submitted as with a new application, i.e. the application form and the employment contract. Care must be taken to ensure that the necessary information is included in the documents. If an application for an extension of a permit from the same employer is submitted before the previous permit expires, an employee may continue to work while the application for an extension is being processed.

It is the responsibility of both applicants to submit the data contained in the list. If all data is not submitted with the application or if information on it is incomplete, this will lead to delays in processing or the application being rejected. The Directorate of Labour may request additional data if the Directorate deems it necessary.

New employer

With an application for a new work permit from a new employer, the same documents must be submitted as with a new application, i.e. the application form and the employment contract. Care must be taken to ensure that the necessary information is included in the documents and obtain the opinion of the union before submitting the application for processing.

Employee retires

If an employee leaves before the work permit expires, applicants are obliged to inform the Directorate of Labour. It is sufficient to send an e-mail notification to the

General rules of the relevant collective agreement apply to the termination of an employee, as employees who work on the basis of a work permit shall enjoy the same rights as domestic employees.

Laws and regulations

Article 11 of Act No. 97 of 2002 on the Right of Foreigners to Work