Residence And Work Permit In Denmark
Do you want to be employed by a company within the field of work for which you have been trained? Or do you want to establish your own business in Denmark? If so, you may need a residence and work permit. At the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration we can help you with processing your application.
Every year an estimate of 20,000 job opportunities become available in Denmark. The qualified candidates should have the residence and work permit certification prior to their arrival. It is the responsibility of a foreign candidate to ensure that all necessary steps are followed for seeking residence and a work permit.
Applying for a residence permit in Denmark can be a overwhelming step for many non-EU citizens. Here I will guide you through the entire process, from finding the relevant documents to writing your application.
There are many perks to living and working in Denmark. Danish people enjoy high living standards and a very good social network. However, for non-EU citizens, the first step is finding a job. A residence permit and work permit are vital to start working legally in Denmark. This article explains how to apply for both permits, where you can find information related to them, what documents you need and what qualifications you should have.
Residence And Work Permit In Denmark
People who wish to work in Denmark must apply for a work visa and residence permit.
To qualify for a Danish work visa, you need to find a job and receive an official employment letter from a Danish employer. The visa application process itself is relatively quick and easy.
Do I Need a Visa to Work in Denmark?
Everyone, except citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland needs a visa to work in Denmark. A work visa is required even if you will be doing unpaid work or seeking sideline employment.
Citizens of the EU wishing to work in Denmark have to register with SIRI (the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration), even though they do not need a visa. This process is done in person at one of SIRI’s branches by submitting the following documents:
- A passport or national ID
- Passport-size photo
- A completed application
- Documentation on grounds for residence as a worker (like a work contract)
Application Process for Denmark Work Visa
You must apply for a Danish work visa online via SIRI (Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration). You may apply yourself or grant Power of Attorney to your employer to submit the application on your behalf. Here is the step-by-step work visa application process:
- Choose a Denmark work visa scheme.
- Create a case order ID.
- Pay the Denmark work visa fee.
- Compile the Denmark work visa document checklist.
- Submit the application.
- Take your biometrics.
- Wait for a response.
Step 1. Choose a Denmark Work Visa Scheme
On the SIRI website, you have to select which visa scheme best suits your work situation. The available visa schemes are:
| The Pay Limit Scheme | Designed for high-income individuals who earn DKK 448,000 (appx. €60,180) per year or higher. |
| The positive list | For individuals who have a job offer for professions experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals in Denmark (engineers, doctors and medical consultants, auditors, etc.) The list is updated twice a year, January 1st and July 1st. |
| Fast track scheme | For individuals who have a offer from a company certified by SIRI. This scheme offers faster and easier recruitment for foreign employees with special qualifications, a quick job start, and flexible permit. |
| Trainee | For individuals who have been offered employment at a company in Denmark for a short time as a trainee. |
| Herdsmen and farm managers | For individuals with a job offer as a herdsman or farm manager in agriculture. |
| Sideline employment | For individuals who hold a residence permit based on a job with a specific employer and want to take a sideline job. |
| Employment for adaptation and training purposes | For individuals who obtained Danish authorization as a doctor or dentist applying for a work permit with the purpose of adaption and training purposes. |
| Work permit for accompanying family members | For accompanying family members applying with a person who is or will be working in Denmark. |
| Special individual qualifications | For performers, artists, professional athletes or coaches, or specialized chefs. |
| Labor market attachment | For individuals who have held a residence permit as a refugee, a reunified family member, or an accompanying family member to a foreign national with a residence permit. |
Step 2. Create a Case order ID
After choosing the visa type you have to apply for, you continue to create a case order ID. It is similar to creating an account, where you provide your personal information, passport number, and email.
Step 3. Pay the Denmark Work Visa Fee
After creating your Case Order ID, you must pay the fee and submit your application. You must do both in the same calendar year otherwise, the application may be rejected. The fee for most work visas is DKK 4,405 (appx. €590).
If you pay a fee that is not required, you will be refunded.
Step 4. Compile the Denmark Work Visa Document Checklist
The required documents for your Denmark visa application are:
- Passport. Make sure your passport is valid and has at least two blank pages.
- Copy of your passport. Do not include blank pages.
- Health insurance. You need a health insurance policy covering you for the entire period of stay in Denmark
- Passport-size pictures, following Schengen photo guidelines.
- Proof of visa fee payment.
- Completed form of power of attorney. This is only required in the event that you authorize your employer or someone else to submit the application on your behalf.
- An employment contract or job offer. The contract/offer must not be older than 30 days.
- Diploma or academic qualifications. You need these documents to prove you are qualified for the position.
- Danish authorization for the job (if required).
Step 5. Submit the Application
There are three ways you can submit your application for a Denmark work visa:
- Online. You can complete the application entirely online through the SIRI website. Please note that this option may not be available for everyone.
- Abroad. You can also submit a visa application to a Danish diplomatic mission or an application center in your country of residence. If your country does not have a Danish diplomatic mission, you may be referred to a Norwegian mission or a Danish diplomatic mission in the region.
- In Denmark. You can submit a work visa application in Denmark if you are already living there as a legal resident (not as a tourist). Make sure to book an appointment with a SIRI branch before submitting the application.
Remember, even if you submit the documents at an embassy or a SIRI branch, you must still complete the initial online application (first four steps).
Step 6. Take Your Biometrics
You must take your photo and fingerprints recorded at a Danish diplomatic mission abroad within 14 days of applying. Biometric documents are stored in the Immigration authorities database. You have to submit your biometrics at a Danish diplomatic mission even if you apply online.
Step 7. Wait for a Response
The processing time for a Denmark work visa is 30 days. For some types of visas like Fast- Track visas, it usually takes ten days to get an answer.
You will receive an email when the application center you applied to has reached a decision. The application center can also update you about the visa application status via SMS.
Note: Because of the pandemic, the processing time is extended and can take 1-4 months.
After Your Danish Work Visa Application is Approved
After the work visa application is approved, you can travel to Denmark. One of your first steps toward settling is to register your Danish address at the local municipality where you will be living. After registering, you will get your Danish CPR number (personal registration number).
Denmark Work Visa Fees
You must pay the fee to the embassy or consulate where you submit your application online at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website. Your employer can apply for a Danish residence and work permit on your behalf via the Fast-track scheme. The normal processing time can take up to one month.
| Visa Type | Fee |
| Positive List | DKK 4,405 (€ 591.92) |
| Pay Limit Scheme | |
| Trainee | |
| Fast-track Scheme | |
| Special individual qualifications | |
| Herdsmen and farm managers | |
| Labour Market Attachment | |
| Work permit for accompanying family members | No Fee |
| Sideline employment | |
| Employment for adaption and training purposes |
Duration of a Denmark Work Visa
The duration of a work permit can be up to 4 years for an indefinite job contract. For limited or temporary job contracts, the duration of the work permit is the same as the contract duration plus an extra six months. If you wish to continue to work in Denmark after the first four years, you must apply for a residence and work permit extension.
Extending a Denmark Work Visa
You can apply for an extension to your residence and work permit if the validity period of your current permit is about to expire. Keep in mind that you can extend your residence permit only if you continue to hold the same job. This means that you must be employed in the same position, at the same employer, and under the same terms of employment. The processing time for your extension application is three months.
If you are no longer employed by the same employer, you must apply for a new work permit, not for an extension.
Family Members of The Main Applicant
If you are the spouse, civil partner, cohabiting partner, or the child (under 18) of a person residing in Denmark for work, you can be granted a residence permit as an accompanying family member.
A residence and work permit based on a job allows your family to come with you to Denmark. The processing time for this application lasts two months, and you have to pay a fee of DKK 1,615 (€210).
The documents required for accompanying family members include:
- Proof of paid fee. Attach the receipt.
- Copy of all pages of your passport, including the cover.
- Copy of your marriage or partnership certificate (if you are a spouse or registered partner).
- Proof of cohabitation (if you are a cohabiting partner), such as:
- Lease contracts
- Insurance policies
- Bank statements
- Joint payments or similar
- Copy of birth certificate (for children). You also need a consent from the second parent – if the parent is not coming to Denmark.