Hoax Alert: Icelandic government will not pay foreign men $5,000 a month to marry local women due to gender imbalance

Icelandic Men — A man pushes a baby pram in a park in Reykjavik October 12, 2010. Nordic countries Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden continue to demonstrate the greatest equality between men and women according to the World Economic Forum's 2010 Global Gender Gap Report. Reuters/Chris Helgren

If in Japan, the gender imbalance is felt most in shortage of male porn stars in the adult film industry, in Iceland, it is allegedly felt in lack of men to marry Icelandic women. However, it has led to a hoax article that Iceland would pay foreign men US$5,000 (A$6,634) a month to marry Icelandic women.

Because of the hoax article, a number of Icelandic women report being spammed on Facebook with friend requests from foreign men who are unknown to them. Grapevine reports the source of the hoax is an article in The Spirit Whispers which says the priority would be North Africans.

In debunking the article, Grapevine points out that latest population data says there are actually 1,007 men for every 1,000 women. However, male shortage is felt in capital city Reykjavik where there are 985 men for every 1,000 women, although in the rural areas, men outnumber women 1,129 for every 1,000.

It add that Iceland does not have a grant for immigrants who marry local women or men. There are no restrictions on Icelanders marrying foreigners, but they should not expect any payout.

Iceland’s Foreign Ministry confirms receiving a surge of enquiries from foreign men who want to know if the offer is real. Icelandmonitor reports that all enquiries were personally answered by the ministry, informing them the article is just a hoax.

VIDEO: Iceland paying immigrants $5,000 per month to marry their women