Iceland Usually Works from Home Rate (2023)
Iceland's Usually Works from Home Rate: 7.6 % of employed persons in 2023, +0.5pp YoY. Eurostat (LFSA_EHOMP), 2002–2023.
Iceland (2023)
7.6
% of employed persons
+0.5pp YoY
YoY Change
+0.5pp
percentage points
Trend
up
Series length
21
years of data
Data
| Year | % of employed persons | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7.6 | +0.5pp |
| 2022 | 7.1 | -2pp |
| 2020 | 9.1 | +3.2pp |
| 2019 | 5.9 | -0.9pp |
| 2018 | 6.8 | -0.7pp |
| 2017 | 7.5 | -0.2pp |
| 2016 | 7.7 | -0.5pp |
| 2015 | 8.2 | +0.9pp |
| 2014 | 7.3 | -0.5pp |
| 2013 | 7.8 | +0.3pp |
| 2012 | 7.5 | -1.2pp |
| 2011 | 8.7 | -0.2pp |
| 2010 | 8.9 | +0.9pp |
| 2009 | 8 | -0.5pp |
| 2008 | 8.5 | -2.8pp |
| 2007 | 11.3 | +1.1pp |
| 2006 | 10.2 | +1pp |
| 2005 | 9.2 | +1.4pp |
| 2004 | 7.8 | +0.2pp |
| 2003 | 7.6 | n/a |
About this Dataset
Iceland recorded 7.6% of employed persons usually working from home in 2023, 1.4pp below the EU-27 average of 9%. Before the pandemic, the rate stood at 5.9% (2019). It peaked at 11.3% in 2007 during COVID-19 remote-work mandates, and has partially normalised since.
Data sourced from Eurostat Labour Force Survey via SDMX REST API (LFSA_EHOMP, frequenc=USU). Values use harmonised LFS methodology ensuring cross-country comparability.
The chart shows the full trend from 2002; the table lists annual values with year-on-year changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
In 2023, **7.6%** of employed persons in Iceland usually worked from home, 1.4pp below the EU-27 average of 9%. The indicator measures persons for whom home is the primary work location on the majority of their working days, as defined by Eurostat's EU Labour Force Survey.
Iceland's usually-from-home rate was 5.9% in 2019. It peaked at **11.3%** in 2007 as pandemic restrictions prompted widespread shifts to remote work. By 2023 the rate had partially retreated to 7.6%, settling 1.7pp above the pre-COVID baseline — suggesting a lasting structural change in Iceland's working patterns.
At 7.6% in 2023, Iceland ranks around the EU median for home working penetration, 1.4pp below the EU-27 benchmark. For context, the highest EU rate is approximately 21% (Finland) and the lowest around 1.3% (Romania). Iceland's position reflects its mix of knowledge-economy and in-person employment.
The series spans 2002 to 2023. The rate hovered near 5.9% in 2019 — its lowest recorded level — before the pandemic-driven surge to a peak of 11.3% in 2007. Since then, the rate has partially normalised, with the 2023 reading of 7.6% indicating that a meaningful share of the pandemic-era shift has been retained.