Unemployment benefits
Qualifying for unemployment benefit:
Employees and self-employed individuals aged 18-70 are entitled to receive unemployment benefit providing that they have earned insurance cover and meet the conditions of the Unemployment Insurance Act and the Labour Market Measures Act; these include the following:
- Being unemployed.
- Being domiciled in Iceland, and being in the country.
- Actively seeking employment.
- Being fit for work.
- Prepared to take any job.
- Unemployment Insurance Act
Conditions to maintain the right to unemployment benefits
- Actively seeking employment and be capable of doing most types of general work.
- Inform Directorate of labour once a month Every month, in the period 20-25 of the month, you must confirm that you are still seeking employment. This is done through “My pages” Mínar síður".
Documents needed to support your application:
After applying for unemployment benefit online, you have two weeks in which to submit the following documents, as appropriate:
- A certificate from your last employer
- Reasons why you lost your job / Notice of termination – This is needed unless you lost your job because of cutbacks/structural changes at the company, or you were only on a temporary employment contract.
- A certificate of your working capacity (stating what types of work you can do) if you do not have full working capacity.
- A certificate from your school/university/college stating that you have finished your studies, or when your study periods begin and end.
- A certificate from your school/university/college stating what proportion of full-time studies you are taking, with your time-table.
- A certificate from the Maternity/Paternity Leave Fund.
- Copies of your two last pay-slips (if your job proportion has been reduced).
- An U1 certificate if you have been working abroad and want to have this work counted in the assessment of your right to receive unemployment benefit.
