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.

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  - staðfesting á atvinnuleit.

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 E301 certificate if you have been working abroad and want to have this work counted in the assessment of your right to receive unemployment benefit.