Iceland Approves 12-Month Specialist Residence Permit for Doctoral Graduates

• Iceland's Directorate of Immigration announced a new 12-month specialist residence permit exclusively available to certain foreign nationals
• The permit allows PhD graduates to remain in Iceland while seeking employment aligned with their area of expertise, with no separate work permit required
• The changes were passed by Iceland's Parliament on June 18 2026 and entered into force on July 8 as part of broader immigration amendments

Iceland has introduced a 12-month specialist residence permit for foreign nationals who completed doctoral degrees at Icelandic universities, the country's Directorate of Immigration announced following a set of immigration amendments that took effect on July 8, 2026.

The legislative changes were passed by Iceland's Parliament on June 18, 2026, and cover several categories of foreign nationals, though the specialist residence permit applies exclusively to PhD graduates.

Under the revised rules, doctoral graduates are entitled to renew the specialist residence permit for up to 12 months while actively looking for work in their field of expertise.

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A key feature of the permit is that holders are not required to obtain a separate work permit to qualify for or maintain their residency status, which removes a layer of administrative complexity that typically applies to other immigration routes.

The 12-month specialist permit is distinct from the post-graduation pathway available to Bachelor's and Master's degree holders, who are also permitted to remain in Iceland after completing their studies but do so under a renewed student residence permit valid for up to 18 months.

The differentiation reflects the higher degree of specialisation associated with doctoral qualifications.

Iceland's Push to Retain Highly Qualified Researchers

The introduction of the specialist permit signals Iceland's intent to keep highly trained researchers and academics within the country after they complete their studies at Icelandic institutions.

By removing the work permit requirement for this group, the government has streamlined the process and given PhD graduates greater flexibility to identify employment opportunities that match their level of expertise.

The amendments were introduced through revisions to both the Icelandic Act on Foreign Nationals and the Foreign Nationals' Right to Work Act.

The Directorate of Immigration is now responsible for processing all applications under the updated framework.

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UAE lists countries eligible for visa-on-arrival entry

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the UAE had granted visa-free access to nationals from more than 70 countries under a tiered system based on length of stay and eligibility criteria.

The policy categorises international visitors into distinct groups, each with specific conditions and permitted durations of stay.

Source: YEN.com.gh