Reference year 2026
Version 2026
Drafted based on Cedefop sources and input from Skúli Leifsson, Senior advisor at Rannís, the Icelandic centre for research, and ReferNet coordinator for Iceland
Apprenticeships are regulated by the Upper Secondary School Act 92/2008, the Regulation on Workplace Training 840/2011, the Regulation of Occupational Councils no. 711/2009 and (for remuneration) the collective agreements between the social partners.
Apprenticeships are broadly defined as a form of “workplace training” by the Regulation on Workplace Training 840/2011. The regulation does not provide a clear definition, and vernacular use of the term “workplace training” and related terms are often unclear. Sometimes the term refers to apprenticeship as defined by Cedefop, but sometimes used to refer to short-term work placement within course modules where students receive credit for participation (unpaid).
When discussing apprenticeships (starfsmenntun) in the context of vocational education and training (VET), the schemes are numerous and organized within particular sectors (builders, hairdressers, electricians etc.) but all at upper secondary level.
There is long tradition within some higher education (tertiary level) professions of work-based training periods, as in health care (doctors, nurses, teachers, etc.). These are never referred to as apprenticeships in the same way as when discussing VET but are a form of apprenticeships.
In this fiche the discussion focuses on apprenticeships at the upper secondary level.
Cedefop’s VET in Europe database provides additional information on the national VET system and the position of apprenticeships within it: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/vet-in-europe/systems/
Due to its historical association, Iceland took over the Danish apprenticeship system when a VET system was set up. The first legislation regulating apprenticeship learning was introduced in 1893. About half of all learners in initial vocational education and training (IVET) train as apprentices.