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Having visited Iceland previously, I'd love to work there over the summer.

> you can show a foreign income of ISK 1,000,000 per month or ISK 1,300,000 if you also apply for a spouse or cohabiting partner.

> you do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area

Unfortunately this ^ disqualifies me, despite meeting the income requirements, since I need a visa to enter the Schengen region. This seems to be an odd requirement, they are already issuing a visa, why require people to have powerful passports as well ?



I think it's because Iceland can't issue long-term visas due to the Schengen-agreement, only short term tourist visa or full residency.

Contrary to popular belief, at least within the Schengen-area, it's hard to immigrate into the Schengen-area from the outside.


No third world countries.


I'm from Honduras and don't need a Schengen visa. Many other poor countries can also get in without one


Probably the reason is more political and cultural than economic.

FWIW, the origin of "third world" is political, being the NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries the first and second. The poverty implication came later.

Is a visa needed to enter Spain from any Spanish-speaking country? (Spain is in Schengen)


Yeah, Finland and Switzerland are 3rd world countries, in the Schengen, but not developing countries.


Did ya’ll get your daily well actually out of the system?


Iceland is expensive, it would be very unkind to let someone live there for an extended time yet not be able to enjoy a good quality of life.


Also discussed in this subthread https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35344437. My take (having been there two weeks and done all the tours and seen all the things) is that you'd need (less than?) half of that income requirement for a normal comfort level that I also have in my home country (currently Germany).

It's not a cheap country but 7k/month as "minimum income" is not a requirement out of necessity or kindness.


They already have an income requirement. How does this contribute to better enjoying a good quality of life?


Guess I'm the exception to this rule, then. Although I don't live in my home country anymore, my third world country passport is allowed.


You are misinformed, the list is mixed:

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/who-needs-schengen-visa/


Because Iceland is a member of the Schengen zone. It's possible to travel between countries in the Schengen area without going through border control (although I don't know about the specifics of travelling to/from Iceland).


That was part of my earlier point, they are already issuing a visa, and a visa to Iceland is a Schengen Visa. This seems to imply that they only want nationals from certain countries.

Contrast this with Spain's digital nomad program, where they don't require someone to have a powerful passport, all they seem to care about is having a job outside spain.

https://prie.comercio.gob.es/en-us/paginas/teletrabajadores-...


I traveled from US to Iceland to France without knowing this and honestly thought I somehow bypassed customs when I got to France. So, this is correct you can go from Iceland to other Schengen zone countries without any checks (I didn't show my passport or do customs at all)


This is essentially just a way for people from the Americas to legally work from Iceland for a few months.


Or Australians... or Malaysians... or Japanese...


Or Brits, presumably just the 75% that did not vote to reduce their right to live and work in dozens of countries


I voted to remain, but where does the 75% in your argument come from? I don't see it.


I'm guessing the 75% figure is a proportion of the entire population, not taking into account those who actually voted or were even eligible to vote.


17.4 million voted to remove their own rights

16.1 million voted to keep them

12.9 million didn't vote either way

19.1 million couldn't vote (including 6.5 million who can vote today)


Iceland is not in the EU either.


Iceland is in the EEA meaning EU citizens can work there without a permit for upto 3 months


No, being in EEA means EU citizens can _live_ there without working for up to 3 months, but after 3 months they need to be employed. It's the same rule as in the rest of EU countries.


Brits, Americans, and various other citizens can live there for 3 months fine.

For working though EU citizens can just rock up and get a job

"If you are a citizen from a state outside the European Economic Area (EEA), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), or the Faroe Islands, you must obtain a residence and a work permit before working in Iceland. "

https://work.iceland.is/working/residence-permit/

"Who does not need a work permit

Certain foreign nationals are exempt from obtaining a temporary work permit. This includes citizens from countries within the European Economic Area, countries within the European Free Trade Agreement or from the Faroe Islands."

https://www.vinnumalastofnun.is/en/employer/work-permits/gen...

"Citizens of the following countries are exempt from applying for a work permit:"

https://www.vinnumalastofnun.is/en/employer/work-permits/lon...

"EU/EEA citizens do not need a residence and a work permit in Iceland and may stay in Iceland for up to three months without registering and moving domicile to Iceland. The relocation to Iceland is quite simple in terms of bureaucratic related issues for EU/EEA citizens.

EU/EEA citizen staying longer than three months an Icelandic ID number is needed and change of domicile is required."

Which I believe is the same as moving to an EU country. Certainly my parents had to register for things like EKA and some other things when they moved to Greece back in 2001. I suspect moving State in the US is similar (otherwise how would you know to pay state income tax?)

I could work fine in a bar in Greece during the summer without any of that as I was only there for a couple of months, and this was before my rights had been removed.

Compare the process with the UK

" All non-EU/EEA citizens require a residence- and a work permit in Iceland and need to apply through Iceland Directorate of Immigration (DOI). .... The Immigration Process

    Employment confirmed
    Welcome Center contacts the newly recruited employee.
    Employee accumulates required documents for immigration purposes and keeps the Welcome Center updated on the process.
    Employee sends all the required documents to Iceland, to the Welcome Center.
    Welcome Center submits the documents to the Directorate of Immigration and keeps the applicant updated on any developments.
    Welcome Center notifies the applicant of the accepted application and the preliminary issued permit.
    Employee applies for a D-visa to Iceland at a relevant embassy - if applicable, depends on citizenship.
    Welcome meeting upon arrival at the University of Iceland, Welcome Center.
    Employee registers formally into Iceland through Directorate of Immigration - appointment and a photoshoot.
    Employee undergoes a medical checkup - if applicable, depending on citizenship.
"

But at least Brits get to enjoy those brexit freedoms.

https://english.hi.is/university/entry_conditions_for_icelan...


that's CAD 10k per month, not pocket changes indeed.




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