Refugees and migrants
The Icelandic Red Cross has been working with refugees since 1956. Since then, the organisation has played a key role in providing social support and advocating for refugees.
The number of people who have recently been forced to leave their homes and flee has never been greater. There are many indications that the number of refugees and migrants will continue to increase significantly in the coming years.
The responsibility for providing basic services to people on the move always lies with the government, with support from other parties. The Icelandic Red Cross has been involved in the reception and integration of refugees in one way or another since 1956 and still provides extensive services to refugees and applicants for international protection to this day, partly on the basis of agreements with the government. With its supporting role and strong human resources throughout the country, the Icelandic Red Cross can support people on the move to the best of its ability.
It is important to care for the group of refugees, as they are ordinary people who have had to flee great distress, violence and hardship. It is no less important to help those who have come from other parts of the world to find their feet in Icelandic society and to promote their opportunities to become active members of the community. The Icelandic Red Cross's priorities in matters concerning people on the move relate to assistance in mutual integration and social support, and the Red Cross emphasises that people should live in safety, health and humane conditions, as well as have the opportunity to thrive.
The Red Cross provides services to refugees in the form of social support, as well as offering various social activities where the purpose is to reduce social isolation, increase people's activity and promote participation in Icelandic society.
Support Hubs
The Red Cross runs support hubs for people on the move. The purpose is to create a forum to discuss issues that are on people's minds, whether they relate to social factors, mental well-being or contact with family in their country of origin.
The project's volunteers speak many languages, but in some cases, a telephone interpreting service is offered so that everyone can express themselves freely and the service is provided on the people's own terms.
Opening Hours
Reykjavík
Efstaleiti 9, 103 Reykjavík
Wednesdays 13:00-15:00
Reykjanesbær
Smiðjuvellir 8, 230 Reykjanesbær
Thursdays 13.00-15.00
Email: refugees@redcross.is
Social Activities
Social activities for people on the move offer clients and volunteers a platform to organise events and projects with empowerment and active participation as guiding principles. The aim of social support for applicants for international protection is to serve clients and offer them social solutions, activity and connection to the local community, but no less to raise public awareness and encourage participation.
The work is varied and many groups meet every week, including a women's group and a youth group, . In addition, there is both Icelandic and English practice. The social activities take place in Árskógar, at Vitatorg and Smiðjuvellir in Reykjanesbær.
The programme in the capital area can be seen advertised on our Facebook page Social Activities
For information about events elsewhere in the country, please contact refugees@redcross.is
Icelandic Practice - Let's Talk
Most individuals who receive international protection here want to improve their Icelandic skills because it enables them to build strong and lasting relationships with Icelanders.
Proficiency gives them better access to the Icelandic system, to the Icelandic labour market and paves the way for people to seek further education. Getting the opportunity to practise the language with people who speak it can be crucial in this learning process.
The Red Cross organises a variety of Icelandic language practice sessions for refugees throughout the country. In the capital area, the emphasis is on group work where various methods are used to help people get a better grasp of the language, for both beginners and more advanced learners. It is possible to use informal conversation, go over textbooks or picture books, play games that teach vocabulary or other exercises that are suitable at any given time. For example, the focus can be on vocabulary belonging to a specific trade or education, or vocabulary that facilitates communication between parents and the school system. These are just ideas for the many ways you can go about practising Icelandic.
The volunteers do not need to be teachers or experts in Icelandic. They come from diverse backgrounds but have in common that they are ordinary Icelandic-speaking people, who are interested in sharing the vocabulary of the Icelandic language with others. Similar groups operate under the auspices of the Red Cross in Reykjanesbær, Selfoss, Akranes and elsewhere.
In Akureyri, Icelandic language practice is also available for everyone who wants to practise Icelandic.
Individual Icelandic assistance is offered, based on conversation or homework assistance in Icelandic and social interaction. An attempt is made to meet the needs and wishes of users as much as possible, in consultation with volunteers. Meetings take place at home, a café, a library or in other places once a week, for an hour at a time. The timing is a matter of agreement between the user and the volunteer.
Keys to Icelandic Society
The Keys to Society project is intended to support applicants for international protection and those who have received protection in starting a new life in Iceland. The project offers introductory sessions, practical guidance on the labour market and psychological first aid. The aim is to promote early integration, increase participants' understanding of Icelandic society and support their path to employment and self-sufficiency. The project has two main objectives: firstly, the early integration of those who are in the protection process, and secondly, more detailed integration for those who have received international protection.
The first phase is intended for individuals who have recently arrived in the country and whose protection cases are still in process. The course focuses on providing basic knowledge about life in Iceland, including daily life, values and cultural norms, systems and institutions, and practical information as well as rights and obligations during the case processing period.
The second phase supports individuals who have received protection and are ready to participate in the labour market. The course focuses on understanding the Icelandic labour market, the roles of trade unions and the rights and obligations of employees, ways to improve one's skills for further education, job search methods, creating a CV, as well as an analysis of goals that helps participants gain a sense of security and feel they have control over their situation.
The courses are held by specially trained Red Cross staff in English, Arabic, Spanish or Ukrainian.
Contact us refugees@redcross.is
The project is sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
InterACT
In InterACT, volunteers who have received international protection take part in a variety of projects with organisations, institutions and companies so they can get to know Iceland in an active way.
People who have received international protection have various skills, knowledge and abilities that they very often want to use to strengthen their community. InterACT has created a volunteer group led by refugees where these abilities are at the forefront, while at the same time bringing different communities together so they can get to know each other while benefiting society.
We try to reduce the marginalisation of people who have international protection in Iceland while fighting prejudice against refugees and introducing them to Icelandic society from different perspectives.
We have worked with various organisations, institutions and companies, such as environmental organisations and those that work with various vulnerable groups.
Do you have an organisation, institution or company that wants to take part? Through this project, it is possible to create connections with people with refugee status, which allows them to get to know you, your goals and, at the same time, Iceland itself. Get in touch via refugees@redcross.is
Refugee Children’s Leisure Activity Fund
The Refugee Children’s Leisure Activity Fund is intended to support children of refugees residing in Iceland in participating in leisure activities for which funding is not available from other sources.
Funding may be granted for:
- Children who arrive in Iceland without accompanying guardians.
- Children of refugees who have been offered resettlement in Iceland (quota refugees).
- Children of refugees who are granted refugee status following the asylum process.
- Children of refugees who are granted humanitarian protection.
Support may be provided until the child has obtained a residence permit in Iceland, or for up to four years after being granted refugee status or humanitarian protection.
Applications may be submitted twice per year for each child. Grants of up to ISK 30,000 per child per year may be awarded.
If a child receives the maximum grant amount in a single allocation, no additional grant will be awarded during the same year.
Eligible Leisure Activities
Grants may be awarded for any type of leisure activity for children, as it is up to the children and their families to choose which activities they wish to pursue. Funding may therefore be used for courses, music lessons, sports participation, dance classes, other recreational activities, and travel related to such activities.
Application Process
1. Submit an application using the form below.
2. Send receipts to tomstundasjodur@redcross.is.
Grants are either paid directly into the bank account of the parent or guardian of the child, provided that receipts or invoices are submitted, or the invoices may be paid directly by the fund. If you have any questions about the fund or the application process, please contact us at tomstundasjodur@redcross.is or by telephone at +354 570 4000.
Grant Allocation Rules for the Leisure Activity Fund
Glossary of Refugee-Related Terms
Einstaklingur sem óskar eftir viðurkenningu á stöðu sinni sem flóttamaður eða ríkisfangslaus einstaklingur hér á landi. Hugtakið „flóttamaður” er skilgreint í íslenskum lögum og Flóttamannasamningi Sameinuðu þjóðanna, sem Ísland er aðili að.
Vernd sem stjórnvöld veita einstaklingi sem hingað leitar og viðurkenndur hefur verið sem flóttamaður samkvæmt skilgreiningu Flóttamannasamnings Sameinuðu þjóðanna. Hugtakið „flóttamaður” skal því eiga við hvern þann mann sem er utan heimalands síns af ástæðuríkum ótta við að verða ofsóttur vegna kynþáttar, trúarbragða, þjóðernis, aðildar í sérstökum félagsmálaflokkum (einnig oft talað um aðild að sérstökum þjóðfélagshópum) eða stjórnmálaskoðana, og getur ekki eða vill ekki, vegna slíks ótta, færa sér í nyt vernd þess lands. Hugtakið á einnig við um þann sem er ríkisfangslaus og utan þess lands þar sem hann áður hafði reglulegt aðsetur vegna slíkra atburða og getur ekki eða vill ekki, vegna slíks ótta, hverfa aftur þangað.
- Til fólks sem hefur flúið til Íslands frá Úkraínu og sótt hér um vernd.
- Við efnislega meðferð þegar umsækjandi um alþjóðlega vernd telst ekki flóttamaður en getur þó sýnt fram á ríka þörf fyrir vernd, t.d. af heilbrigðisástæðum eða vegna erfiðra félagslegra aðstæðna eða erfiðra almennra aðstæðna í heimaríki eða í landi sem honum yrði annars vísað til.
- Þegar umsækjandi um alþjóðlega vernd hefur ekki fengið niðurstöðu í máli sínu á stjórnsýslustigi innan 18 mánaða frá því að hann lagði fyrst fram umsókn um alþjóðlega vernd hér á landi.
Mannúðarleyfi er veitt til eins árs en ólíkar reglur gilda um endurnýjun eða framlengingu dvalarleyfisins eftir því á hvaða grundvelli leyfið var veitt.
Mannúðarleyfinu fylgir ekki óbundið atvinnuleyfi, sem þýðir að sækja þarf um atvinnuleyfi fyrir hvern atvinnurekanda sem aðili gerir ráðningarsamning við, hjá Vinnumálastofnun.
Ef umsækjandi um alþjóðlega vernd hefur þegar hlotið vernd í öðru ríki innan Evrópu eða ef hann hefur haft viðkomu annars staðar innan Schengen-svæðisins eru aðstæður í viðkomandi Evrópuríki skoðaðar með tilliti til einstaklingsbundinna aðstæðna umsækjanda. Ef aðstæðum er þannig háttað að ekki teljist öruggt að senda umsækjanda aftur til viðkomandi Evrópuríkis ber íslenskum stjórnvöldum að taka málið til efnislegrar meðferðar hér á landi.
Umsóknir geta því fengið efnislega meðferð á síðari stigum máls, s.s.
- ef íslensk stjórnvöld ákveða með tilliti til einstaklingsbundinna aðstæðna umsækjanda að umsókn hans skuli tekin til efnislegrar meðferðar þrátt fyrir að falla undir ákvæði Dyflinnarreglugerðarinnar eða umsækjandi hefur þegar hlotið vernd í öðru ríki Evrópu,
- ef mál fellur á þeim tímafresti sem kveðið er á um í lögum um útlendinga eða
- ef fyrri ákvörðun er afturkölluð. Við efnislega meðferð þurfa stjórnvöld að skoða það sérstaklega hvort umsækjandi uppfylli skilyrði þess að hljóta hér alþjóðlega vernd, viðbótarvernd eða dvalarleyfi af mannúðarástæðum.
Ísland er aðili að hinu svokallaða Dyflinnarsamstarfi, sem byggir á Dyflinnarreglugerðinni. Í Dyflinnarreglugerðinni eru sett fram viðmið og fyrirkomulag sem aðildarríki skulu fylgja við ákvarðanatöku um það hvaða aðildarríki samstarfsins beri ábyrgð á því að taka umsókn um alþjóðlega vernd til efnislegrar meðferðar.
Hinni svokölluðu Dyflinnarmeðferð er m.a. beitt þegar umsækjandi hefur haft viðkomu í öðru ríki innan Schengen-svæðisins á leið sinni til Íslands, hann hefur fengið útgefna vegabréfsáritun af hálfu annars Schengen-ríkis eða hann hefur þegar lagt fram umsókn um alþjóðlega vernd í öðru ríki. Er íslenskum stjórnvöldum þá heimilt að vísa umsækjanda aftur til þess ríkis.
Dyflinnarreglugerðin kveður því á um að það Schengen-ríki sem umsækjandi um alþjóðlega vernd kemur fyrst til beri ábyrgð á efnislegri meðferð umsóknar hans. Íslensk stjórnvöld beita ekki Dyflinnarreglugerðinni gagnvart einstaklingum sem koma hingað til lands frá Grikklandi og Ungverjalandi og ekki hafa þegar hlotið þar alþjóðlega vernd.