Working & living in Iceland
Free, plain-English guides for foreigners moving to Iceland for work — no Icelandic required to read them, or to land many of the jobs. Pick a topic below, then browse open jobs.
Start here🧭 Moving to Iceland: A Step-by-Step Checklist for Newcomers
Moving to a new country is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming when you do not yet know where to start.
Open the checklist →Finding work
Land a job here — in English.
How to get a job in Iceland without speaking Icelandic
A practical guide to finding work in Iceland in English. Which jobs need no Icelandic, where to look, and how to apply as a foreigner — step by step.
Read guide →Which Icelandic industries hire English speakers
The Icelandic industries most open to English speakers and foreigners — tourism, logistics, construction, care, cleaning and tech. Where newcomers find work.
Read guide →Construction Jobs in Iceland for Foreigners: What to Know
Construction jobs in Iceland for foreigners: which roles hire from abroad, whether you need Icelandic, safety rules, and how to find and apply for openings.
Read guide →Writing a CV that works in Iceland (European style)
How to write a CV for jobs in Iceland: European format, length, what to include and what to leave out. Practical tips for foreigners applying in English.
Read guide →Job interviews in Iceland: what to expect
How job interviews work in Iceland — informal but punctual, what employers ask foreigners, and how to prepare. A confidence-building guide in plain English.
Read guide →Learning Icelandic for Free or Cheap: A Practical Guide for Foreigners
You can find work in Iceland without speaking Icelandic, but learning some opens more doors. Here are free and low-cost ways for foreigners to start.
Read guide →Summer and Seasonal Jobs in Iceland: How to Land One
Seasonal work in Iceland explained: which industries hire for the summer, when to apply, whether accommodation is included, and your rights on a temporary contract.
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Paperwork & money
Kennitala, tax, banking — and your rights.
How to Get a Kennitala in Iceland: A Step-by-Step Guide for Newcomers
New to Iceland? Learn what a kennitala is, why you need one for work, banking and daily life, and the general steps EEA and non-EEA newcomers take to get set up.
Read guide →Kennitala & work permits: working in Iceland as a foreigner
What a kennitala is, who needs a work permit in Iceland, and the difference between EEA/EFTA and non-EEA workers. A plain-English starter guide for foreigners.
Read guide →Opening a Bank Account in Iceland as a Foreigner: A Newcomer's Guide
A clear, friendly guide to opening a bank account in Iceland as a foreigner — why you need one, getting your kennitala first, the main banks, what to bring, and using electronic ID.
Read guide →Getting a Tax Card and How Income Tax Works in Iceland: A Guide for Foreign Workers
A clear, friendly guide to the Icelandic tax card (skattkort), the personal tax credit, and how income tax works for foreign workers in Iceland.
Read guide →Your Rights as a Worker in Iceland: What Every Employee Is Entitled To
A plain-English guide to your rights as a worker in Iceland — wage agreements, contracts, holiday and sick pay, working hours, and where to turn for help. The same rights apply to foreigners.
Read guide →Trade Unions in Iceland Explained (Stéttarfélag): A Guide for Foreign Workers
What an Icelandic trade union (stéttarfélag) is and why it matters if you work in Iceland as a foreigner. Learn about dues, your rights, member benefits, and how unions help underpaid workers.
Read guide →Avoiding Job Scams and Worker Exploitation in Iceland: A Guide for Foreign Workers
Learn how to spot job scams and worker exploitation in Iceland, protect yourself with written contracts and payslips, and know who to contact for help.
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Settling in
Housing, healthcare, family and getting around.
Finding a Place to Rent in Iceland: A Newcomer's Guide
A friendly guide for foreigners on finding a rental in Iceland: where to look, what you need, deposits and leases, your tenant rights, and how to avoid scams.
Read guide →Cost of living & salaries in Reykjavík for newcomers
What newcomers should know about the cost of living and pay in Reykjavík, Iceland — housing, transport, daily costs and how wages and unions work, in plain English.
Read guide →Healthcare for Foreign Workers in Iceland: A Newcomer's Guide
How to access Iceland's health system as a foreign worker: registration with Sjúkratryggingar Íslands, your kennitala, the heilsugæsla, waiting periods, and the EHIC.
Read guide →Childcare and Schools in Iceland for Foreign Families
A warm, practical guide to childcare and schools in Iceland for foreign families: preschool (leikskóli), day parents, free compulsory school (grunnskóli), after-school care, and the first steps to get started.
Read guide →Getting Around Iceland Without a Car: A Newcomer's Transport Guide
How to get around Iceland without a car as a newcomer — Reykjavík's Strætó buses and the Klappið app, walking and cycling, airport transfers, and how transport shapes your job search.
Read guide →Your Driving Licence in Iceland: What Counts, and When to Exchange It
Can you drive in Iceland on a foreign licence? How EEA and non-EEA licences are treated, when you need to exchange yours, and which jobs a licence unlocks.
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📚 More guides
The Foreign-Worker Job Market in Iceland: 2026 Snapshot
Original data on jobs open to foreigners in Iceland: how many require no Icelandic, which sectors hire international workers, and where the jobs are. June 2026.
Read guide →How to move to Iceland: a step-by-step guide for foreigners
Thinking of moving to Iceland? A practical, step-by-step guide for foreigners — visas and the right to live here, finding a job, kennitala, housing, money and settling in.
Read guide →Immigrating to Iceland: who can move there, and how
Can you immigrate to Iceland? A clear guide to who is eligible — EEA/EFTA vs non-EEA — how the process works, whether it's easy, and how a job fits in.
Read guide →
Ask people who have done it
Guides can only take you so far — sometimes you want to ask someone who moved here last year. Find work in Iceland is an open Facebook group where people share openings, compare notes on paperwork, and answer each other’s questions in English.