What life is like for migrants in Iceland

Meet Dan and Joy, two queer migrants who arrived in Iceland under very different circumstances. Joy left Turkey to escape queerphobia and pursue graduate studies. Dan came from Venezuela through a job offer. Both faced similar challenges: bureaucratic delays, high living costs, and social exclusion. Joy is one of 2,358 foreign students at the University of Reykjavík, a number that has doubled in five years. Like many, she relied on dumpster diving and part-time jobs. Dan changed careers entirely, from graphic design to teaching. As of January 2024, immigrants make up 18.2% of Iceland’s population, compared to 2% in 1996. And Iceland has some good deals to offer, ranking among the top three countries on ILGA Rainbow Map in 2025, scoring 84,06%, more than double the European average of 41,6%. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:33 Joy moving to Iceland 00:59 Dans' first memories of Iceland 01:24 Joy first impression 01:33 Why they moved 02:40 The Icelandic language 03:38 The history of immigration in Iceland 04:32 Being able to afford to stay 06:01 Anti-immigrant sentiment 08:01 Performing Identity 08:58 Belonging #immigration #iceland #queerstories #languagebarriers #belonging #language #icelandic #travel #europe -------------------------------------------- CREDITS Report: Ingunn Lára Kristjánsdóttir, Zeynep Disbudak Produced by: RÚV Newsroom Head of News: Heiðar Örn Sigurfinnsson Thumbnail photo: Shutterstock -------------------------------------------- Want more news about Iceland? •Website: www.ruv.is/english •Social media:   / ruvenglish