Foreign workers keep Faroese restaurants open through summer, employer says

Restaurants and other service businesses in the Faroe Islands would struggle to stay open during the summer without foreign workers, according to Kringvarp Føroya.

Many people have encountered foreign employees behind the counters at restaurants or petrol stations who do not speak Faroese. Although politicians and private individuals have criticised English-speaking staff online, the situation also shows the pressure facing the service industry.

“If we did not have foreign workers, we would not be open during the summer,” said Mimmy Vágsheyg, manager of Cafe Fríðu, a café in Klaksvík.

She said it had become increasingly difficult to recruit Faroese workers during the peak summer season, when festivals and other events are held in large numbers.

Foreign workers step in during this period, allowing restaurants and other businesses to remain open when many Faroese workers prefer to take time off.