Several apartment buildings inside the former US Naval Base in Keflavík will soon be get new inhabitants. The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports that 4-5 apartment buildings will be used to hire foreign airport employees working at the Keflavík International Airport.
A rule of thumb is that one employee is needed for every 1,000 travellers who pass through an airport each year. Last year 4.8 million passengers passed through Keflavík airport, which employed 5,000 people. This year the number of passenger is expected to rise by 1.5 million, which means some 1,500 new employees be added.
Read more: Labour shortage looming in the tourism and construction industries in Iceland
This increase poses several challenges. Finding employees in Iceland has become tricky. With unemployment currently below 3% a labour shortage looms in several industries. A large number of the new workers will therefore have to be hired from abroad. More than 200 foreign workers have already been hired, most from Poland, RÚV reports.
Housing the large numbers foreign workers is another problem. Fortunately there are several unoccupied apartment buildings in the former US Naval Base.
RÚV reports that Airport Associates, which has already hired some 70 Polish workers and plans to hire more than 200 additional workers in the coming weeks and months, has already purchased one apartment building and plans on purchasing a second. Icelandair Group or Icelandair Ground Services are similarly preparing the purchase of two apartment buildings which housed US Marines prior to the base being shut down in 2006.
Read more: US Navy set to return to its former base at Keflavík International Airport
The US Naval base was one of the largest villages in Iceland, with thousands of US military personnel and their families. In September 2006 the base was deactivated and turned over to Icelandic authorities who established development corporation whose purpose was to converting the base into civilian use.
Several apartment buildings inside the former US Naval Base in Keflavík will soon be get new inhabitants. The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports that 4-5 apartment buildings will be used to hire foreign airport employees working at the Keflavík International Airport.
A rule of thumb is that one employee is needed for every 1,000 travellers who pass through an airport each year. Last year 4.8 million passengers passed through Keflavík airport, which employed 5,000 people. This year the number of passenger is expected to rise by 1.5 million, which means some 1,500 new employees be added.
Read more: Labour shortage looming in the tourism and construction industries in Iceland
This increase poses several challenges. Finding employees in Iceland has become tricky. With unemployment currently below 3% a labour shortage looms in several industries. A large number of the new workers will therefore have to be hired from abroad. More than 200 foreign workers have already been hired, most from Poland, RÚV reports.
Housing the large numbers foreign workers is another problem. Fortunately there are several unoccupied apartment buildings in the former US Naval Base.
RÚV reports that Airport Associates, which has already hired some 70 Polish workers and plans to hire more than 200 additional workers in the coming weeks and months, has already purchased one apartment building and plans on purchasing a second. Icelandair Group or Icelandair Ground Services are similarly preparing the purchase of two apartment buildings which housed US Marines prior to the base being shut down in 2006.
Read more: US Navy set to return to its former base at Keflavík International Airport
The US Naval base was one of the largest villages in Iceland, with thousands of US military personnel and their families. In September 2006 the base was deactivated and turned over to Icelandic authorities who established development corporation whose purpose was to converting the base into civilian use.
