The Directorate of Immigration is now reviewing whether or not its rule that foreigners need to earn a minimum wage to live in Iceland is justified.
As Grapevine reported last week, a woman from Thailand was recently denied a permanent residence permit by the Directorate of Immigration on the grounds that she does not demonstrate an ability to support herself. The woman in question works full time at the state hospital’s laundry, on top of a part-time job elsewhere.
Numerous sources that Vísir spoke to pointed out that the unfairness of the practice, especially with regards to today’s economy, as many Icelanders are living off of wages at this level, albeit with great difficulty.
While the director of the Directorate of Immigration said she was too busy to talk to reporters about the matter, Hreiðar Eiríksson, who handles permits specifically at the directorate, told Vísir that the rule is being reviewed. He was not able to say how many people were denied residence permits based on making not enough money.