Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Iceland
Iceland: Over-qualification rates by citizenship was 18.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Iceland, 1999–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
In 2025, over-qualification rates by citizenship in Iceland stood at 18.3%. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
The figure is up 15.8% on the previous year and up 43.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, over-qualification rates by citizenship in Iceland peaked at 18.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 8.6%, in 2008.
That places Iceland 30th out of 45 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 12.7% | — |
| 2000 | 12.9% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 9.5% | -26.4% |
| 2002 | 10.5% | +10.5% |
| 2003 | 12.6% | +20.0% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 12.6% | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 12.1% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 11.0% | -9.1% |
| 2008 | 8.6% | -21.8% |
| 2009 | 9.2% | +7.0% |
| 2010 | 9.0% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | +8.9% |
| 2012 | 11.5% | +17.3% |
| 2013 | 12.1% | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 12.4% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 12.8% | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 15.3% | +14.2% |
| 2019 | 13.7% | -10.5% |
| 2020 | 13.4% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 15.7% | +17.2% |
| 2022 | 16.4% | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 16.5% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 15.8% | -4.2% |
| 2025 | 18.3% | +15.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 18.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 20.1%, 91% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 18.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 20.0%, 92% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.7% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 11.1% | 8.6% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.3% | 9.0% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.0% | 13.4% | 18.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More reference data data for Iceland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0288 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0708 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0964 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.062 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2576 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.7664 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0005 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is over-qualification rates by citizenship in Iceland?
- Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Iceland was 18.3% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest over-qualification rates by citizenship recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 18.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest over-qualification rates by citizenship recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.6% in 2008.
- How does Iceland rank for over-qualification rates by citizenship?
- Iceland ranks 30th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
- Is over-qualification rates by citizenship rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Over-qualification rates by citizenship. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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