According to information published by the Ministry of Justice and the National Commissioner of Police, 675 people applied for international protection in Iceland in the first 6 months of 2026. 74% of applications were submitted by Ukrainian nationals, 11% by Venezuelans and 6% by Palestinians.
The statistics remain similar to the previous year but applications for international protection have significantly decreased compared with 2024.
Iceland has recently adopted several immigration law reforms, including changes to the withdrawal of protection, departure procedures, Schengen border management, and stricter residence permit rules, aligning the framework more closely with Nordic and EU-related migration standards.
Source(s)
- Ministry of Justice | Dómsmálaráðuneytið (13 July, 2026), Langflestar umsóknir um alþjóðlega vernd frá Úkraínu [The vast majority of applications for international protection from Ukraine],