Keep Icelandic social security while working abroad

When a person moves his residence from Iceland for work, the principle is that he is covered by the social insurance of the country to which he moves.

You have the possibility to keep Icelandic social security when you work abroad.

Then you collect rights in Iceland while you live and work abroad.

General information

You can get:

• A1 certificate is when you work within the European Economic Area (EEA), in an EFTA country, the Faroe Islands or Greenland

• an insurance statement when you work outside the EEA

The certificate and declaration confirm membership in Icelandic social security and prevent double payment of insurance premiums. With a certificate and declaration, insurance premium is only paid in Iceland, and not in the country in which you work.

You and your employer must meet different requirements depending on the country in which the work takes place.

Social security

The social security system includes, for example:

• unemployment insurance fund,

• pension rights, such as old-age and disability pensions

• maternity and paternity leave,

• child support.

Special rules apply to health insurance and living abroad.

Application process

• The employer applies for a certificate for seconded employees who work temporarily in another EEA country.

• Self-employed people apply for the certificate themselves.

• Employees who work in more than one EEA country apply for the certificate themselves.

• Foreign workers in Iceland apply in their home country and send a copy to TR.

Collection of the insurance fee

The collection of the insurance fee is managed by the Tax authority. In most cases, the employer is responsible for paying the insurance premium. An employee can do it himself, for example if he works for a foreign temporary agency.