Right here on the website of The Multicultural Information Centre (MCC), you find a lot of information about how the system works here. Also you find wealth of information about practical things like the healthcare system, education, employment, how to get permits and much more.

We also have a FAQs section that is constantly growing.

Here is a list of links that might be helpful to you:

island.is (public information site)

Website of The Directorate of Immigration

Website of Registers Iceland

Website of the Directorate of Labour

112 – Emergency

Interactive health service map

Website of the Icelandic Police

Official website of the Government of Iceland

To find the most current information from the Icelandic authorities you should visit it´s information page on island.is website. Here is a direct link to that section.

An Icelandic Identification number is the key to utilizing various systems in Iceland.  When an identification number has been issued you will have access to most all the same rights and obligations as any other resident in Iceland.

• You can open a bank account and apply for an electronic access ID by providing your passport.
• You will have the same right as other residents here in Iceland to social welfare advisory and social financial assistance in the municipality you reside in.
• If you are offered work, you can apply for a work permit at the Directorate of Immigration. More information here: Residence permit on humanitarian grounds (utl.is). You will need to provide them with a signed contract for work.
• Minimum wage in Iceland for adults with 100% work is 368.000 kr. a month.
• Social financial assistance varies between municipalities and is dependent upon if you are a single individual or a couple, and if you have a rental agreement for your housing. Social financial assistance usually ranges between 150.000 and 348.000 kr. a month.
• If you find rental housing you can apply for housing benefits, a loan for initial prepayment/insurance and home furnishings.
• If you are unable to find housing it is possible to utilize temporary housing through the Multicultural Information Centre.
• You will have health insurance meaning you have the same rights as other residents in Iceland to utilize healthcare services. Healthcare in Iceland isn´t free but the Icelandic Health Insurance agency pays for a portion of your healthcare costs.

Important things to know:

• Emergency assistance number in Iceland is 112
• Ja.is is a digital phone book in Iceland
• Bus.is is the website of the bus system in the capital area
• The Multicultural Information Centre website mcc.is has practical information in various languages about systems in Iceland. Also, you will find information about the first steps after receiving statutory protection on humanitarian grounds in Iceland.
• Detailed information about registering in different systems here.
• Detailed information about the labour market here.
• Detailed information here about health and security here.
• Detailed information about healthcare services here.
• Detailed information about children and youth here.
• Detailed information about housing here.

Checklist for first steps after receiving statutory protection on humanitarian grounds here.

We have received questions like this from Ukrainians with temporary protection on humanitarian grounds currently in Iceland. In some instances, people would like to return shortly to Ukraine and then come back to Iceland, for example to pick up personal items, visit relatives or something else. Naturally people need to know what happens to their current protection status and existing rights they have here in Iceland. There are also questions from people who might decide to move away from Iceland and to another European country, regarding the loss of benefits and rights or if they will receive the same rights and benefits again in the other country.

Regarding leaving Iceland and coming back, the standard rule of a maximum of 90 days applies. Meaning people can travel to Ukraine, or any other country for that matter, return in 90 days or less and nothing should have changed. It is however important to inform social services if you are leaving so they can contact you if needed.

Regarding moving completely from Iceland to another country, things are less certain. There is a mandate between European countries to make it possible for Ukrainians to apply for temporary protection in all of the countries and not necessarily to be sent back to the country they initially received protection in. This said, it´s only a mandate, so it is difficult for Icelandic authorities to give any guarantee that people will not be sent back. The other country might possibly decide to send people back siting the Dublin agreement that normally applies.

Yes they can.

For general information about school enrollment of children from Ukraine please visit this government information site:  Ukrainian  –  English  –  Icelandic

If you are 16-20 years old and want to attend upper secondary school in Iceland (or if you are taking care of 16-20 years old individuals), please read this information brochure:  Ukrainian  –  English

Yes, they can. The municipals usually offer courses in Icelandic. It´s also possible to attend courses arranged by the Red Cross which has a group on Facebook called  “Information for Asylum Seekers in Iceland” where their program can be found.

Please visit our webpage about options regarding studying Icelandic in general, libraries and more.

It’s possible to make an appointment for an interview with a consultant at the Directorate of Labour to get help with making a CV, applying for a job and other things related to the job search.

Refugees from Ukraine need to be issued a work permit to be allowed to work in Iceland, as they are issued a residence permit on humanitarian grounds.

Employers have registered jobs with the Directorate of Labour in which counselors mediate to refugees. You can request an interview at flottamenn@vmst.is

For detailed information about this issue, please have a look at this document from the Directorate of Labour (In English and Icelandic).

There are many things to do and see in Reykjavík. There are for example social houses, libraries and swimming pools. Take a look at the PDFs here to find out about some of the things you can start with: Ukrainian / Icelandic

Here you can find a rental lease agreement in Ukrainian.

Download rental lease agreement (PDF).

The Red Cross in Iceland runs clothing stores where people can get very reasonably priced clothes. It also distributes “clothes cards” that can be used to pay for clothes in the stores.

You can read more about this in the two PDF documents below:

Clothes Distribution (PDF)

Social Support for Asylum seekers (PDF)

Here below you find information about what you need to do if you like to import pets (dogs and cats) to Iceland from Ukraine:

(For information in Ukrainian and Russian, download this document.)

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From MONDAY 30 MAY 2022, MAST will start accepting applications to import pets (dogs and cats) for Ukrainian refugees living in Iceland

• To apply for the import permit for your pet, send an email to petimport@mast.is and you will be sent a DCU application form to complete
• The completed DCU application form and documents on the pet´s identity,  photo of the pet and pet´s health must be emailed to petimport@mast.is
• Applications are processed in the order in which they are received by MAST
• MAST determines the length of time the pet must stay in quarantine, taking into account what health requirements the pet has fulfilled prior to arrival to Iceland
• If information or supporting documents are missing, the permit will not be processed until all the requested documents/information is provided
• MAST will aim to answer emails/applications within 5 working days

For more information, visit this page by MAST.

If you have more enquiries about this, you can contact MAST directly here.