TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 19-322

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EMPLOYMENT

Agreement Between the 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

and ICELAND

Signed at Reykjavik March 22, 2019 
 NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE

 Pursuant to Public Law 89—497, approved July 8, 1966

(80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)—

“. . .the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent

evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of maritime

jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices of the

United States, and of the several States, without any further proof

or authentication thereof.”
 ICELAND 

 

 Employment

 Agreement signed at Reykjavik

 March 22, 2019;

 Entered into force March 22, 2019.

 
AGREEMENT BETWEEN 

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

AND THE GOVERNMENT OF ICELAND 

ON EMPLOYMENT OF DEPENDENTS OF OFFICIAL EMPLOYEES 

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Iceland, hereinafter 

referred to individually as "Party," or collectively as "Parties," desiring to permit dependents of 

official employees of one Party assigned to official duty in the territory of the other Party to be 

authorized to be employed on a reciprocal basis in the territory of the other Party, 

Agree as follows: 

Artide 1: Authorization of Employment 

Dependents of the official employees of the Government of the United States of America 

assigned to official duty in Iceland and dependents of the official employees of the Government 

of Iceland assigned to official duty in the United States of America are authorized to be 

employed in the territory of the receiving state after obtaining the appropriate authorization in 

accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. 

Article 2: Definitions 

For the purposes of this Agreement: 

1. A "dependent" is an individual including a child (so long as he or she is at least 16 years 

of age but under 21 years of age) whose accreditation is accepted by the receiving state 

as a member of the immediate family forming part of the household of a member of a 

diplomatic mission, including a mission to an international organization, or of a consular 

post of the sending state. A "dependent" under this Agreement shall not include a 

member ofthe immediate family of an individual who is permanently resident in the 
receiving state within the meaning ofthe Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 

(VCDR) and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR). 

2. "Official employees" shall mean diplomatic agents, consular officers, and members of 

administrative and technical staff assigned to diplomatic missions, consular offices, and 

missions to international organizations. 

Article 3: Procedure 

1. Employment authorization shall be accorded to a dependent on the basis of his or her 

status as a dependent of an official employee. Renewals of employment authorization 

documents, if necessary, shall be granted on the same basis and in accordance with the 

same procedure described below for initial employment authorization. 

2. In the case of dependents of official employees of the Government of the United States 

of America assigned to duty in the territory of Iceland, an official request shall be made 

by the United States Embassy in Iceland to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland. 

3. In the case of dependents of official employees of the Government of Iceland assigned 

to duty at the Embassy in Washington, DC, at an Icelandic consulate in the United States 

of America, or at a mission to an international organization other than the United 

Nations, an official request shall be made by the Embassy of Iceland in Washington, D.C. 

to the Office of Foreign Missions in the Department of State. 

4. In the case of dependents of official employees ofthe Government of Iceland assigned 

to the Government of Iceland's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, an official 

request shall be made to the Permanent Mission of the United States to the United 

Nations. 

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5. The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Iceland, or any 

of their respective political subdivisions, shall not charge any fee in connection with the 

issuance or renewal of employment authorization documents. 

6. Employment authorization shall be extended to a dependent without requiring evidence 

of an offer of employment in the receiving state. 

7. The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Iceland 

recognize the importance of prompt processing of requests for employment 

authorization and expect, on average, to process such requests within forty-five (45) 

days. In the event that either Government cites a significantly longer processing time 

for its dependents than for the other Government's dependents, the concerned 

Government may request consultations with the other Government with a view to 

reducing the imbalance. If no resolution is attained within thirty (30) days, the 

concerned Government may, after 30-days' notice to the other Government, suspend 

the issuance of new or renewal employment authorizations under this Agreement. 

8. In the event either Government believes that a significant imbalance exists between the 

number of work permits it has granted and the number of work permits the other 

Government has granted, the concerned Government may request consultations with 

the other Government with a view to reducing the imbalance. If no resolution is 

attained within 30 days, the concerned Government may, after 30-days' notice to the 

other Government, suspend the issuance of new or renewal employment authorizations 

under this Agreement. 

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9. The Government ofthe United States of America and the Government of Iceland, or any 

oftheir respective political subdivisions, shall not require an employer, as a condition of 

employing a dependent, to demonstrate that no national of the receiving state is 

available for such employment. 

Article 4: Privileges and Immunities 

1. The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Iceland 

confirm that neither the VCDR nor the VCCR provides dependents with either civil or 

administrative immunity in an action relating to any professional or commercial activity, 

including employment authorized pursuant to this Agreement. However, dependents 

retain all other privileges and immunities to which they are entitled under applicable 

treaties, including criminal immunity under the VCDR or other applicable treaty. 

2. Dependents are responsible for payment of income and social security taxes in the 

receiving state on any remuneration received as a result of employment in the receiving 

state, to the extent consistent with international agreements and national legislation of 

the receiving state. 

Article 5: Resolution of Disputes 

Any disputes that may arise in relation to this Agreement shall be resolved through diplomatic 

channels by way of negotiations between the Parties. 

Article 6: Entry into Force and Termination 

1. This Agreement shall enter into force upon signature. 

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2. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by notification in writing to the other Party. 

Such termination shall take effect 90 (ninety) days following the date of ~he written 

notification of termination. 

3. In the event that this Agreement is terminated, individuals who have been granted work 

permits may continue to work under those permits, in accordance with their terms, until 

their expiration. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their respective 

governments, have signed this Agreement. 

Done at·~~.\k on this ... ~~- day of .r\w&, two thousand .J~...,in duplicate, in 

the English ancl Icelandic languages. 

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FOR THE GOVERNMENT 

OF ICElAND: 

u~~~: 

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SAMNINGUR MILLI 

RIKISSTJ6RNAR BANDARIKJA NORE>UR-AMERiKU 

OG RfKISSTJ6RNAR ISLANDS 

UM ATVINNURETTINDI AE>STANDENDA SENDIRAE>SSTARFSMANNA 

Rrkisstjorn Bandarikja Noraur-Amerrku og rikisstjorn Islands, sem her eftir kann aa vera visa~ til 

hvor i sinu lagi eda sameiginlega sem ,,adila", sem vilja veita adstandendum 

sendiradsstarfsmanna annars adilans, sem skipadir hafa verid til opinberra starfa a 

yfirraaasv.edi hins adilans, atvinnuleyfi a gagnkv.emum grunni a yfirraclasv.edi hins adilans, 

koma ser her med saman um eftirfarandi: 

1. gr.: Atvinnuleyfi 

Adstandendum sendiradsstarfsmanna rikisstjornar Bandarrkja Nordur-Ameriku sem skipaclir 

hafa verid til opinberra starfa a lslandi og adstandendum sendiradsstarfsmanna rikisstjornar 

Islands sem skipa8ir hafa verid til opinberra starfa i Bandarikjunum er heimilad ad stunda 

atvinnu a yfirradasv.eai m6ttokurfkisins eftir ad hafa fengid videigandi leyfi i samr.emi vid 

akvcedi ~essa samnings. 

2. gr.: Skilgreiningar 

f samningi t,essum er merking eftirfarandi hugtaka sem her segir: 

1. ,,Adstandandi" er einstaklingur (t,.m.t. barn svo fremi sem t,aa se a.m.k. 16 ara gamalt 

en yngra en 21 ars gamalt) hvers skraning er vidurkennd af m6ttokuriki sem hluti af 

nanustu fjolskyldu og byr aheimili starfsmanns asendiskrifstofu, t,.m.t. fastanefndir hja 

ali)j6dastofnunum eda rcedisskrifstofur sendirikis. ,,Adstandandi" samkv.emt t,essum 

samningi ncer ekki til nanustu fjolskyldumedlima einstaklings sem hefur fasta busetu r 
m6ttokurikinu i skilningi Vinarsamningsins um stj6rnmalasamband eaa 

Vinarsamningsins um raeaissamband. 

2. ,,Sendira6sstarfsma6ur" merkir sendierindreki, raeBiserindreki og skrifstofu- og 

treknistarfsf61k sem skipaa hefur veria til starfa a sendiskrifstofu, raeBisskrifstofu og hja 

fastanefndum hja alpj66astofnunum. 

3. gr.: Malsme8fera 

1. Atvinnuleyfi skal veitt aastandanda a grundvelli stMu hans eaa hennar sem 

aastandanda sendiraasstarfsmanns. l:>egar porf er a skal endurnyja atvinnuleyfi a sama 

grundvelli i samraemi via somu malsmeafera og lyst er her aa neaan vegna upphaflegs 

atvinnuleyfis. 

2. l:>egar um er aa rreaa aastandendur sendiraasstarfsmanna rikisstj6rnar Bandarikja 

Norour-Ameriku sem skipaair eru til starfa a yfirraoasvaeoi rstands, skal sendiracl 

Bandarikjanna a rstandi senda inn formlega beioni til utanrikisra6uneytis rslands. 

3. l:>egar um er aa rreaa sendiraosstarfsmenn rikisstj6rnar Islands sem skipa6ir eru til starfa 

rsendiradinu i Washington D.C., islenskri rre6isskrifstofu i Bandarikjum Nordur-Ameriku 

eoa i sendinefnd til alpj6dastofnunar, annarrar en Sameinuau pj6danna, skal sendirM 

Islands i Washington D.C. senda inn formlega bei6ni til skrifstofu erlendra sendinefnda i 

bandariska utanrikisraouneytinu. 

4. r.>egar um er ad rreaa a6standendur sendirciasstarfsmanna rikisstj6rnar Islands sem 

skipa6ir eru rfastanefnd rikisstj6rnar Islands hja Sameinuau pj66unum skal senda inn 

formlega beioni til fastanefndar Bandarikjanna hja Sameinudu pj6dunum. 

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5. Rikisstj6rn Bandarfkja Noraur-Ameriku og rikisstj6rn Islands, eaa einhver stofnun eaa 

skrifstofa a t>eirra vegum, skal ekki innheimta nokkurt gjald i tengslum via utgafu eaa 

endurnyjun atvinnuleyfis. 

6. Veita skal atvinnuleyfi til aastandanda an t>ess aa fara tram a sonnur a atvinnutilbo8i i 

m6ttokurikinu. 

7. Rikisstj6rn Bandarikja Noraur-Ameriku og rikisstj6rn Islands viaurkenna mikilvregi 

skj6trar afgreidslu ums6kna um atvinnuleyfi og gera raa fyrir aa afgreiaa, aa medaltali, 

slikar ums6knir a innan via fjortiu og fimm (45) dogum. Ef onnur hvor rikisstj6rnin gefur 

upp umtalsvert lengri malsme6ferdartima fyrir adstandendur sina en fyrir aastandendur 

hinnar rikisstj6rnarinnar, getur hlutadeigandi rikisstj6rn 6ska6 eftir l:>vi aa fram fari 

samraa milli rikisstj6rnanna mea t>ad fyrir augum ad draga ur 6jafnvreginu. Ef engin 

lausn frest innan prjatiu {30) daga, getur hlutadeigandi rikisstj6rn, eftir aa hafa veitt 

hinni rikisstj6rninni tilkynningu mea 30 daga fyrirvara, hrett timabundicl aa gefa ut eaa 

endurnyja atvinnuleyfi a grundvelli t>essa samnings. 

8. Telji onnur rikisstj6rnin ad verulegt 6jafnvcegi se til stadar milli fjolda atvinnuleyfa sem 

hun hefur veitt og fjolda t,eirra sem hin rikisstj6rnin hefur veitt, getur hluta6eigandi 

rikisstj6rn 6skad eftir t>vi ad fram fari samrad via hina rikisstj6rnina med paa fyrir augum 

ad draga ur t>essu 6jafnvcegi. Ef engin lausn fcest innan 30 daga, getur hlutadeigandi 

rikisstj6rn, eftir aa hafa veitt hinni rikisstj6rninni tilkynningu meo 30 daga fyrirvara, hrett 

trmabundio ad gefa ut eda endurnyja atvinnuleyfi a grundvelli t>essa samnings. 

9. Rikisstj6rn Bandarikja Nordur-Ameriku og rikisstj6rn fslands, eda einhver stofnun eaa 

skrifstofa a t>eirra vegum, skulu ekki fara fram aa6 atvinnurekandi syni fram aaa enginn 

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rikisborgari m6ttokurikisins se tiltcekur til starfsins, sem skilyroi fyrir ra6ningu 

aostandanda. 

4. gr.: Forrettindi og frilJhelgi 

1. Rikisstj6rn Bandarikja Norour-Ameriku og rikisstj6rn Islands staofesta aa hvorki 

Vfnarsamningurinn um stj6rnmalasamband ne Vfnarsamningurinn um rae8issamband 

veiti aostandendum friohelgi aa pvi er varoar logsogu i einka- etla stj6rnsyslumalum ef 

hofoaa er mal sem varoar fag- eaa vioskiptastarfsemi, p.m.t. varoandi atvinnu sem leyfi 

er veitt fyrir samkvcemt l:>essum samningi. Hins vegar halda aostandendur ollum oarum 

forrettindum og friohelgi sem peim er veitt samkvcemt gildandi samningum p.m.t. 

fri6helgi gegn saks6kn samkvcemt Vinarsamningnum um stj6rnmalasamband eaa oarum 

gildandi samningum. 

2. Aostandendur skulu standa skil a tekju- og almannatryggingaskottum i m6ttokurikinu af 

ollum grei6slum fyrir atvinnu i m6ttokurikinu, ao pvi marki sem paa samrymist 

alpj66asamningum og innlendri loggjof m6ttokurikisins. 

5. gr.: Lausn deilumala 

Leysa skaIur deilum sem kunna aa risa i tengslum vio samning pen nan eftir dipl6matiskum leioum 

meo samningavic:JrcEoum milli aoilanna. 

6. gr.: Gildistaka og uppsogn 

1. Samningur pessi Mlast gildi via undirritun. 

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2. Hvor samningsadili um sig getur sagt samningi pessum upp med skriflegri tilkynningu til 

hins samningsadilans. Slik uppsogn skal taka gildi 90 (niutfu) dogum eftir dagsetningu 

skriflegu tilkynningarinnar. 

3. Komi til uppsagnar a samningi pessum geta einstaklingar sem fengio hafa atvinnuleyfi 

haldio afram storfum agrundvelli og f samr.emi vid skilmala atvinnuleyfa sinna, par til 

pau iraa undir lok. 

S>ESSU TIL STAOFESTU hafa undirritaclir, sem til pess hafa fullt umbotl rikisstj6rna sinna, 

undirritad samning pennan. 

Gjort i~~n.:::?bdag ~~~Usund....l'\..,itvirlti, aensku og fslensku. 

FYRIR RfK1SSTJ6RN BANDAR(KJA FYRIR R(K1SSTJ6RN NO~it~ (SLANDS

~ 

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