A record 24,340 foreign nationals were employed or looking for work in Iceland in 2017, data from the Directorate of Labour reveals. This is an increase of 18% over the previous year. In 2016 the number of foreign nationals who were employed in Iceland was 20,605.
The unemployment rate, according to the Directorate, was 2.2% in December. Unemployment among foreign nationals was significantly higher than among Icelanders. 28% of those without work in December were foreign nationals.
The Directorate of Labour reports that foreign nationals made up 12.4% of the Icelandic labour market in 2017, up from 10.6% in 2016. The single largest group came from Poland: 10,766 Polish nationals were either employed or searching for work in Iceland last year.
The number of foreign nationals working in Iceland now far exceeds the pre-crash peak of 18,167 in 2008. During the economic boom which preceded the 2008 financial crash Icelandic companies increasingly looked abroad to fill vacancies, especially in construction and the service industries. Just prior to the crash foreign nationals made up 9.9% of the labour market. Many of these left Iceland during the 2009-12 recession.
A record 24,340 foreign nationals were employed or looking for work in Iceland in 2017, data from the Directorate of Labour reveals. This is an increase of 18% over the previous year. In 2016 the number of foreign nationals who were employed in Iceland was 20,605.
The unemployment rate, according to the Directorate, was 2.2% in December. Unemployment among foreign nationals was significantly higher than among Icelanders. 28% of those without work in December were foreign nationals.
The Directorate of Labour reports that foreign nationals made up 12.4% of the Icelandic labour market in 2017, up from 10.6% in 2016. The single largest group came from Poland: 10,766 Polish nationals were either employed or searching for work in Iceland last year.
The number of foreign nationals working in Iceland now far exceeds the pre-crash peak of 18,167 in 2008. During the economic boom which preceded the 2008 financial crash Icelandic companies increasingly looked abroad to fill vacancies, especially in construction and the service industries. Just prior to the crash foreign nationals made up 9.9% of the labour market. Many of these left Iceland during the 2009-12 recession.
