Iceland Names 31 Countries Whose Citizens Are Allowed to Work in the Country Without a Permit
- Iceland has published a list of 31 countries whose citizens are exempt from obtaining a work permit before taking up employment in the country
- The list, published on Iceland's official website, includes several European nations across the EU, EEA, and other regional agreements
- Notable countries on the list include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and Poland, among others
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Iceland has confirmed that citizens of 31 countries can work within its borders without first securing a work permit, according to information published on the country's official government website.
The exemption covers a broad sweep of European nations, many of them members of the European Union or the European Economic Area.
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Iceland's work permit
Iceland's website states plainly: "Citizens of these states are exempt from a work permit."
The 31 countries that qualify for the exemption are:
1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Croatia
5. Cyprus
6. Czech Republic
7. Denmark
8. Estonia
9. Finland
10. France
11. Germany
12. Greece
13. Hungary
14. Ireland
15. Italy
16. Latvia
17. Liechtenstein
18. Lithuania
19. Luxembourg
20. Malta
21. Netherlands
22. Norway
23. Poland
24. Portugal
25. Romania
26. Slovakia
27. Slovenia
28. Spain
29. Sweden
30. Switzerland
31. The Faroe Islands
What this means for African workers
No African country appears on the list, meaning citizens from nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa are not covered by the exemption and would be required to obtain a valid work permit before taking up employment in Iceland.
The exemption appears tied closely to Iceland's existing treaties and agreements with European regional bodies, which explains the concentration of EU and EEA member states on the list. Iceland itself is not an EU member but participates in the EEA, which governs the free movement of workers across several of the listed countries.
For Africans exploring opportunities in Iceland as part of the broader japa wave, the absence of any African nation from the list underscores the importance of checking visa and work permit requirements well before making any relocation plans.
Canada speaks about open work permit
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that the Canadian government released the full list of people who may apply for an open work permit in 2026.
The permit allows eligible foreigners to work for almost any employer in Canada without first securing a job offer. However, most applicants must already be in the country and meet specific eligibility conditions.
Source: Legit.ng
