According to a new poll among the managers of companies in the Icelandic tourism industry expects 40% of all new hires in 2016 and 2017 in the industry will have to come from abroad. It is estimated that the tourism industry employs on average 22,000 people this year. This represents roughly 10% of the total workforce. Almost a fourth of the total workforce in the tourism industry, or 6,000 workers, already come from abroad.
The tourism sector has been expanding rapidly in recent years with the growth in the number of foreign visitors and the lengthening of the tourism season. With historically low unemployment rates and an already high labour participation rate the Icelandic labour market will have trouble meeting the needs of the industry.
The poll, which was conducted by the government’s Tourism Taskforce also found that the jobs which companies in the tourism industry have most trouble filling are in cleaning, manning reception desks, kitchen staff and waiters as well as sales representatives. Trained chefs and other trained culinary staff are in greatest demand and hardest to find, according to the poll.
According to a new poll among the managers of companies in the Icelandic tourism industry expects 40% of all new hires in 2016 and 2017 in the industry will have to come from abroad. It is estimated that the tourism industry employs on average 22,000 people this year. This represents roughly 10% of the total workforce. Almost a fourth of the total workforce in the tourism industry, or 6,000 workers, already come from abroad.
The tourism sector has been expanding rapidly in recent years with the growth in the number of foreign visitors and the lengthening of the tourism season. With historically low unemployment rates and an already high labour participation rate the Icelandic labour market will have trouble meeting the needs of the industry.
The poll, which was conducted by the government’s Tourism Taskforce also found that the jobs which companies in the tourism industry have most trouble filling are in cleaning, manning reception desks, kitchen staff and waiters as well as sales representatives. Trained chefs and other trained culinary staff are in greatest demand and hardest to find, according to the poll.
