Greek Workers Build a Small Community in Iceland

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW

Hundreds of Greeks are seeking better living and working conditions in Iceland, with the country now home to a small but growing Greek community spread across its towns and cities.

Around 1,100 Greeks work in Iceland during the summer tourist season, mainly in bars, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses. The number falls to around 400-500 during the winter.

Their experiences vary widely. Some praise the high wages, respectful working conditions and quality of life, while others say Iceland’s high living costs, limited career opportunities and workplace culture can challenge the image of an ideal destination.

Greeks find work in Iceland’s tourism industry

In Höfn, a small fishing town in southeastern Iceland, 26-year-old Katerina Karaiskou arrived in June last year after wanting to experience life and work abroad.

“I always wanted to see what life and work abroad were like. I also wanted stability and financial security,” she told Ta Nea.

She learned about Iceland through a friend of her boyfriend who had previously moved there for work. Finding a job, however, proved difficult.

“It requires a lot of patience and persistence. After months of trying and sending many emails, we finally received the answer we had been waiting for,” she said.

Most Greek migrants work in tourism, particularly after Iceland’s tourism industry began expanding rapidly from 2022 and businesses needed additional workers.

Karaiskou describes her experience positively. She found work in a local business despite having no previous experience in service.

“The environment is healthy, there is respect, politeness and education. You have your rights, breaks to rest and eat, free meals and quite a few days off. The financial rewards are very high,” she said.

Life in Höfn, however, can become quiet.

“It is a small place and there aren’t many new things for someone to do, so it can become boring,” she said. At the same time, she appreciates having enough free time to explore nature, exercise, walk and learn the language.

“You are given the time, and therefore the opportunity, to do things for yourself. This is how you calm down, mature and develop,” she said.

Personal time matters more than money

Among the Greeks enjoying a day off at a nearby table was Karaiskou’s 27-year-old boyfriend, Stelios-Athanasios Trimis.

He currently works at a local tavern after previously working at a petrol station, where he had less free time.

“I believe personal time is more valuable than money,” he said.

Supermarkets represent one of Iceland’s biggest expenses, although he noted that some basic foods can cost roughly the same as in Greece.

He also described generally positive working conditions.

“In most cases, the employee works without shouting and without stress. Employers respect your rights. In general, they don’t like tensions,” he said.

The couple plan to remain in Iceland for several years while returning to Greece for holidays.

Karaiskou encourages others considering a move abroad to take the opportunity.

“I wanted to tell those thinking about going abroad to take the leap. Otherwise, the thought ‘what if…?’ will always trouble them,” she said.

Greek workers appear across Iceland

The Greek presence extends beyond Höfn.

In Húsavík, another fishing town, visitors encountered two Greek women, Kleio and Margarita, working at a fish-and-chips shop on the waterfront.

In Akureyri, Iceland’s fourth-largest city, Greeks have also brought a distinctly Greek business to the local scene.

George Charakopoulos and his 23-year-old son, 23-year-old Alexandros, run a food truck decorated with images of the Parthenon and the Icelandic flag and carrying the slogan “Icelandic meat the Greek way”.

The business first operated last summer. Alongside its permanent location in Akureyri, the father and son take their food truck to festivals around Iceland, including a major Christmas festival in Reykjavik planned for December.

Their souvlaki, which they prepare themselves using local ingredients, has proved popular with Icelanders.

“We are the first in the city to do something Greek,” Alexandros said. “They have loved it. They come back again and again. We have received a lot of positive feedback.”

High wages come with a high cost of living

In Reykjavik, Greek filmmaker Nikos Skoulidas offers a more critical perspective.

Skoulidas has lived in Iceland for almost five years. Although he works in hotel service, his profession is filmmaking.

He moved to Iceland after previously living in Germany, believing Iceland would offer a more open-minded society and greater opportunities to work.

“Eventually, it turned out that it isn’t exactly like that,” he said.

Skoulidas estimates that around 80% of the young Greeks who arrive for seasonal work have university degrees. However, he says they generally do not work in the fields they studied and often struggle to find opportunities to do so.

He also points to the country’s high cost of living.

“The money they earn here is, say, three times what they would earn in Greece. But the cost of living is 3.5 times higher,” he said.

Many seasonal workers manage their expenses by sharing accommodation, rarely going out and limiting their shopping. During the 15 or 16 days they typically work each month, they often eat at the restaurant or bar where they work.

Skoulidas also challenges some perceptions about Iceland’s workplace culture and organisation.

He argues that the country is “very overrated” in terms of organisation and says workers may face indirect rather than openly confrontational management.

He also questions claims that Iceland offers widespread four-day working weeks, saying such arrangements do not exist in the way some people believe.

Greek community regains momentum

Despite the mixed experiences, the Greek community in Iceland has become more active again over the past two years and has been doing substantial work to connect Greeks living on the island.

The community’s presence can even appear in unexpected places.

At Keflavík Airport, a young ground-handling employee surprised departing passengers by wishing them “Have a good trip” in fluent Greek.

For the hundreds of Greeks who live and work across Iceland, such encounters reflect a community that has established itself far from Greece while continuing to maintain a strong connection with home.

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.