The number of people immigrating to Iceland reached a new high in 2022 when more than 17,000 people immigrated to the country. The number of immigrants dropped to 10,400 in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Immigrants from Poland

The most common country of origin for people immigrating to Iceland was Poland, followed by Ukraine and Romania. Of immigrants from outside of Europe, the United States had the highest number. There were more men than women immigrating to Iceland over the last 15 years.

A growing population due to migration

Migration to Iceland in recent years is one of the reasons why the population is increasing steadily, despite the fact that the increase number of people between zero and 19 years has been increasing slowly during the last 10 years.

In 2022, more than 17,000 individuals immigrated to Iceland. Of these, people immigrating from Poland made up the largest group with nearly 4,000 immigrants. People from Ukraine made up the second largest group, which must be seen in relation with the Russia-Ukraine war that broke out in February 2022.

Most of the immigrants to Iceland between 2010 and 2022 were between ** and 64 years of age. There were also more children aged 14 and under migrating to Iceland than people older than **. Furthermore, the number of immigrants between ** and ** doubled from 2015 to 2017, partly due to the influx of migrants coming to Europe in 2015 and 2016, particularly from Syria. There was a new record number of immigrants in Iceland in 2022, partly explained by the Russian invasion of Ukraine that year.

Iceland Number of Immigrants: China data was reported at 95.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 79.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Number of Immigrants: China data is updated yearly, averaging 45.000 Person from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 432.000 Person in 2005 and a record low of 2.000 Person in 1986. Iceland Number of Immigrants: China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G006: Number of Immigrants.

Of the foreign inhabitants residing in Iceland in 2023, the highest number had a Polish origin. Over 23,000 people with a Polish origin lived in Iceland. Danes, who made up the second largest group of foreign-born citizens, only counted 3,900 people. People from Poland also made up the largest group of people immigrating to Iceland in 2022.

Poles in Iceland

The number of immigrants from Poland started to increase after the country joined the European Union in 2004. Even though Iceland is not a member of the EU, it is a part of the European Economic Area (EEA), meaning that people from Poland do not need a residence or work permit when moving to Iceland. Traditionally, many Poles have been working in Iceland's important fishing industry, but in recent years, tourism, health care, and construction have also become important industries for Polish immigrants. In 2022, the tourism industry was the third largest employer in the country.

Employment in Iceland

The Nordic country is known for its high employment rates and high living standards. In 2022, more than 83 percent of the country's working age population was employed. This was the highest of the OECD countries that year.

Netherlands Number of Immigrants: Iceland data was reported at 125.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 133.000 Person for 2016. Netherlands Number of Immigrants: Iceland data is updated yearly, averaging 81.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2017, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 133.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 42.000 Person in 2005. Netherlands Number of Immigrants: Iceland data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Netherlands. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Netherlands – Table NL.G005: Number of Immigrants: by Country.

From 2005 to 2022, more men than women immigrated to Iceland. The biggest difference between the genders was registered in 2017. That year, more than 62 percent of the immigrants were men. In 2022, more than 10,000 men and 7,400 women immigrated to Iceland. In total, 17,487 people immigrated to Iceland in 2022.

Iceland IS: Net Migration data was reported at 1,900.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of -2,163.000 Person for 2012. Iceland IS: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging -236.000 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12,007.000 Person in 2007 and a record low of -3,929.000 Person in 1977. Iceland IS: Net Migration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

Iceland Number of Immigrants: Argentina data was reported at 9.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Argentina data is updated yearly, averaging 2.000 Person from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.000 Person in 2005 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 2004. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Argentina data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G006: Number of Immigrants.

In Iceland, the employment rates among foreign-born citizens were at their lowest in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the employment rate for male migrants dropped from nearly ** percent to below ** percent. However, while the rate among men rose again in 2021, that of foreign-born women continued to drop, falling to **** percent.

The number of registered immigrants from EU countries to Iceland fluctuated and increased through the documented time period. In 2023, there were ***** immigrants to Iceland, an increase of ***** since 2013.

The most common line of work for immigrants in Iceland was in the tourism industry. More than 10,000 of the total ****** immigrants employed in the country worked in tourism. The manufacturing industry is the second most common industry for immigrants, closely followed by the accommodation and food industry. The industry with the lowest number of migrant workers was the mining and quarrying industry. Employment rates tend to be over ** percent among the foreign-born population in Iceland.

Iceland Number of Immigrants: Ecuador data was reported at 2.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Ecuador data is updated yearly, averaging 2.000 Person from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.000 Person in 2007 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 2008. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Ecuador data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G006: Number of Immigrants.

The population of Iceland grew steadily within the last 10 years. Even so, the inhabitants with an Icelandic citizenship grew slower than the inhabitants with a foreign citizenship in recent years. In conclusion, the population growth was to a big extent due to immigration. To be specific, several of the immigrants who moved to Iceland in 2022 came from Poland and Denmark.

In 2020, the number of immigrants to Iceland from non-EU, EFTA, and candidate countries who held a citizenship from a country with a high or very high Human Development Index (HDI) level increased sharply. On the other hand, the number of people from countries with a medium HDI level dropped from over *** to less than ***. From 2015 to 2018, the number of immigrants from these countries more than doubled due to the influx of immigrants to Europe in 2015 and 2016. Citizens of countries with a low HDI level was the smallest group of immigrants to Iceland, with only *** in 2021.

Iceland Number of Immigrants: Lebanon data was reported at 4.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Lebanon data is updated yearly, averaging 1.000 Person from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.000 Person in 2000 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 2011. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Lebanon data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G006: Number of Immigrants.

Iceland Number of Immigrants: Italy data was reported at 151.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 106.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Italy data is updated yearly, averaging 39.500 Person from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 189.000 Person in 2004 and a record low of 9.000 Person in 1991. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Italy data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G006: Number of Immigrants.

Iceland Number of Immigrants: Croatia data was reported at 173.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 102.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Croatia data is updated yearly, averaging 5.000 Person from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 173.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 1992. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Croatia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G006: Number of Immigrants.

After having decreased by 0.5 percent due to increasing emigration after the financial crisis in 2009, the annual population growth in Iceland has been positive since 2010. In 2022, the country's population increased by around three percent. At the beginning of 2022, the population of Iceland was 387,758 inhabitants.

Migration

One reason behind Iceland's growing population is immigration to Iceland. The number peaked in 2017, when nearly 15,000 people immigrated to Iceland. A high number of the immigrants who arrived in Iceland in 2021 came from other European countries, the largest group coming from Poland.

Decreasing fertility rate

While the number of births in Iceland increased slightly over recent years after having fallen until 2016, the fertility rate decreased over the last decade. In 2021, the fertility rate in Iceland was 1.82 children per woman. Despite this, Iceland's birth rate is roughly double its death rate, which results in natural population growth.

Iceland Number of Immigrants: Lithuania data was reported at 1,270.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 658.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Lithuania data is updated yearly, averaging 78.000 Person from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,270.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 1991. Iceland Number of Immigrants: Lithuania data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G006: Number of Immigrants.