U1 - Coming from abroad
Entitlement to Unemployment benefits
U1 - Coming to Iceland from abroad
Unemployment insurance from other EEA states – U1
If you intend to seek employment in Iceland and apply for unemployment benefits, you can obtain a confirmation that you have been insured for unemployment in another EEA state with a U1 certificate and thus increase your right to unemployment benefits in Iceland. To qualify to receive the confirmation, you must have been an employee or self-employed and taxes and insurance fees have been paid from your salary.
In order for The Directorate of Labour to be able to calculate insurance and employment periods in another EEA state, the jobseeker must have worked in Iceland after arriving in Iceland and accrued at least a 25% unemployment benefit entitlement. If you have not worked in Iceland since you arrived in the country and before you apply for unemployment benefits, The Directorate of Labour cannot take into consideration your employment period according to a U1 certificate to increase your right to unemployment benefits in Iceland.
Please note that jobseekers are not required to apply for a U1 certificate unless they have become unemployed and intend to remain in Iceland and receive unemployment benefits while seeking employment.
Employment history in another Nordic country used to accrue unemployment benefits in Iceland - U1
If you intend to seek employment in Iceland, you can obtain a confirmation that you have been insured for unemployment in another Nordic country (Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway or Sweden) with a U1 certificate and thus increase your right to unemployment benefits in Iceland. To qualify to receive the confirmation, you must have been an employee or self-employed and taxes and insurance fees have been paid from your salary.
In order for the Directorate of Labour to be able to calculate insurance and employment periods in another Nordic country, the jobseeker must have worked in Iceland for at least three months in a 25% employment ratio at some point in the last five years before applying for unemployment benefits.
Please note that jobseekers are not required to apply for a U1 certificate unless they have become unemployed and intend to remain in Iceland and receive unemployment benefits while seeking employment.
