Applicants of international protection rights to services provided by The Directorate of Labour will be terminated in the following cases.
An applicant is granted international protection or a humanitarian leave:
When an individual’s application for international protection has been approved and the individual is either hosted as a refugee or is granted a humanitarian leave, the right to services provided by The Directorate of Labour expires no later than eight weeks from the publication of the decision.
The right to services expires three days after an individual is offered other housing options by a public agency, i.e. municipality. The Directorate of Labour can decide to postpone the termination of services when, for instance, an individual accepts an offer of such housing which is not available until after a certain amount of time. The right to services in these cases can though never be provided for more than eight weeks from the publication of the decision.
Individuals withdraw their applications:
Individuals who withdraw their applications for international protection lose their right to services three days after they withdraw their applications. The Directorate of Labour is permitted to postpone the termination of services if the person voluntarily seeks assistance in returning home.
Further information https://island.is/reglugerdir/nr/0540-2017
Applicant is issued a provisional residence and work permit:
When an individual is issued a provisional residence and work permit, the right to services from The Directorate of Labour are discontinued four weeks from the issuance of the permit. If an individual is an income provider of a family, they may have the right to continued dwelling in housing operated by The Directorate of Labour, but payment of food money and support funds for the whole family shall discontinue after four weeks have elapsed from the issuance of the permit.
An application for international protection is refused:
When the final decision is to refuse a foreign nationals’ application, they are entitled to services until they have left the country, but for a maximum of 30 days after the decision has been made. At the end of that period, entitlements expire unless the foreign national is exempt from certain provisions according to the Act in Foreign Nationals. The right to emergency health services never expires.
Furthermore, special rules on termination of entitlement apply to EES or EFTA citizens or foreign nationals who come from countries which are listed by The Directorate of Immigration as safe countries of origin and the application is assessed as clearly unfounded.
Special rules for EES/EFTA citizens, or other safe countries of origin:
When a foreign national is from a EES or EFTA country or comes from a country which is listed by The Directorate of Immigration as a safe country of origin and the application has been assessed as clearly unfounded, the entitlement will be terminated when The Directorate of Immigration has refused an application for international protection.
It is not permitted to postpone the termination of their entitlement even though the foreign national may be exempt from some other provisions according to The Foreign Nationals Act.
Termination of rights does not apply to:
- Children, parents or other caregivers and other household members who are the children’s relatives
- Pregnant women
- Seriously ill individuals
- Disabled individuals who need long term care and support
The National Commissioners Office will assess whether foreigners have the right to postpone termination of services according to the above.
The above exemption does not apply to a foreign national from an EES or EFTA country or from a country which is listed by The Directorate of Immigration as a safe country of origin, and the application has been assessed as clearly unfounded.
Termination of rights postponed:
It is permitted to postpone the termination of rights in the following cases:
- The persons have shown that they are willing to cooperate and follow the decision that they should leave the country.
- If individuals have not managed to leave the country voluntarily within the specified deadline due to reasons which they are not responsible for such as
- Due to an impossibility of obtaining travel identification.
- Due to disability
- Due to unforeseen external conditions
- When there is an agreement on suspension of judicial effect
The National Commissioners Office will assess whether foreigners have the right to postpone termination of services according to the above.
The above exemption does not apply to a foreign national from an EES or EFTA country or from a country which is listed by The Directorate of Immigration as a safe country of origin, and the application has been assessed as clearly unfounded.
