It is a migration story that defies expectations. More than 10,000km separate the lush, tropical islands of the Philippines from Iceland, a nation of glaciers, geysers, and volcanic landscapes. Yet this North Atlantic nation has become an unlikely beacon of opportunity for Filipinos seeking higher wages, stability – and a gateway to Europe.
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Government figures show that as of last year, 2,631 Filipinos called Iceland home, making them the largest Asian community and fifth-largest among all foreign nationalities in a country of roughly 393,000 people. Their growing presence is most visible in Iceland’s healthcare system, where they are helping to fill critical staffing gaps, and in family homes, where they work as au pairs.
At Landspitali in Reykjavik, Iceland’s only university hospital, Filipino nurses now make up a staggering 70 per cent of the foreign nursing workforce. Their arrival has been a lifeline for Iceland’s overstretched healthcare system, which has one of the lowest nurse-to-patient ratios in Europe.
“Most recruitment agencies would say that though Filipino nurses experience challenges with language, they still remain in Nordic countries,” said Floro Cubelo, 34, president of the Filipino Nurses Association in the Nordic Region.
His association estimates that by 2030, there will be 10,000 Filipino nurses working across Iceland and its Nordic neighbours, including Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
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For these nurses, Iceland offers more than just higher salaries – around 650,000 krona (US$4,600) per month compared to just US$490 in the Philippines. It’s also about respect and professional autonomy.