Employees and self-employed individuals aged 18-70 are entitled to receive unemployment benefits 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
To apply for unemployment benefits, you should register on the first day that you are without a job (full employment or part-time) and you are starting to look for new work. You will be paid unemployment benefits from the date when you first register. You apply for unemployment benefits on the internet, on the website of the Directorate of Labour (Vinnumálastofnun; VMS).
Find exact numbers and regulations regarding basic unemployment benefit payments as well as income-related benefit amounts on the Questions and answers section of the Directorate of Labour website.