Working abroad while resident in the Faroe Islands

Arbejde udenlands, men bosiddende på Færøerne
Here you can find a description of how to handle your social rights and obligations if you work abroad, but are resident in the Faroe Islands.

If you travel from the Faroe Islands to another Nordic country outside the Danish Commonwealth in order to work, and without changing your registered address, you must as a rule pay contributions to the social welfare systems in the country in which you work.     However, you can avoid having to pay these contributions if you are socially insured in your home country.

If you wish to be exempt from foreign contributions while working abroad, you should contact Almannaverkið (Faroe Islands Social Services) to obtain a questionnaire, which you fill in and return to the institution. Almannaverkið will then send a form called N 101 FO to the relevant authority abroad. This form is also proof that you are covered by the legislation in the Faroe Islands.

When Almannaverkið receives a response from the foreign authority on your N 101 FO, the relevant institutions in the Faroe Islands are informed, so that they can claim the statutory contributions.

Faroese employers who have work tasks abroad that are carried out by workers resident in the Faroe Islands, should clarify this before going abroad.

If you choose to be insured under the social regulations of the country in which you work you will have certain rights there, but if you choose to apply for an exemption from paying contributions under the social regulations of the country of work, you will at the same time renounce these rights.  

If you change your employer, but continue to work abroad and be resident in the Faroe Islands, you must contact the Almannaverk and apply again, if you wish to be covered by Faroese legislation.

The questionnaire for working abroad may be found on the Almannaverkið website.

If you change your residence and address to another Nordic country while working there, you are obliged to pay contributions under the social regulations in force in the country to which you are moving.

The above-mentioned rights are in accordance with the Nordic Convention on Social Security/EEA Regulation 1408/71, and apply to all of the Nordic countries except the countries within the Commonwealth of the Faroe Islands, Denmark and Greenland. 

Working in Denmark while resident in the Faroe Islands

If you work in Denmark and reside in the Faroe Islands, the main rule still applies that you must pay contributions to the unemployment insurance fund in the country in which you work, which in this case means contributions to the Danish unemployment fund. This is also true for Faroe Islanders who sail with DIS.

If you become unemployed, you must apply for unemployment benefit in the country in which you live.   If you are resident in the Faroe Islands, this means that you apply for unemployment benefit from ALS. In this case you must ask your Danish unemployment insurance fund for a so-called N/E 301 (PdU1) form, which you then submit to ALS in the Faroe Islands.

Working in Greenland while resident in the Faroe Islands

There are no unemployment funds in Greenland.

However, Faroe Islanders who work in Greenland and reside in the Faroe Islands can take out voluntary unemployment insurance.  The right to receive payments is achieved one year after the entry into force of the voluntary insurance. 

Ask ALS about contributions and payments, and for further information.

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Info Norden is the information service of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Here you can find info and tips if you wish to move, work, study, seek support or start a business in the Nordic region.