Do you want to work in Denmark?

– It’s easier than you think. Guidance for workers/job seekers from countries outside the EU

Why work in Denmark?

There are many good reasons for seeking work in Denmark. First and foremost, Denmark has an attractive working environment with relaxed and development-oriented working conditions. Danish corporate culture is characterised by a flat structure and an open dialogue between management and employees.

Denmark’s most important competition parameter is know-how, which is reflected in both the work facilities and views on employee development. Workplaces attach considerable priority to competence development, and most offer ongoing supplementary training to their employees.

And it doesn’t just make sense to come to Denmark as a worker. Your family will also be offered good conditions here; it is a secure and safe country in which to live, and many foreigners also find there is a good balance between family life and work when they come to Denmark. This is largely because the working week is only 37 hours, and because Danish employers generally respect family life.

In Denmark you are able to spend a relatively large amount of time with your family, and there are good possibilities for being professionally challenged at work.

As a worker, how do I come to Denmark?

As a worker, you can come to Denmark either with or without a specific job offer in your hand. If you have a concrete job offer, you can obtain a work and residence permit if you meet one of the following three conditions:

• The job which you have been offered is included on the so-called Positive List.
• The salary you are being paid is min. DKK 375,000 p.a.
• You have been offered a job for which you are specially qualified.

In certain cases, you may be required to first obtain Danish authorisation, for example if you are employed as a nurse or doctor.

The Positive List

If you have found work in one of the areas that is currently experiencing a shortage of qualified labour, e.g. as a doctor, IT specialist, engineer, lab technician etc., you will be granted a Danish residence and work permit immediately.

It is a requirement that your pay and contract of employment correspond to Danish standards, and that you have a concrete job offer.
Read more about The Positive List

The Pay Limit scheme

If you have agreed or been offered employment with an annual salary of min. DKK 375,000, you will also be granted a residence and work permit in Denmark. Read more about The Pay Limit scheme

The Green Card scheme

Even though you do not have a concrete job offer, it is still possible to come to Denmark to seek work.

Here, you can be granted a residence permit solely on the basis of your qualifications. The residence permit is granted following an individual evaluation based on a point system.

The points are awarded according to four criteria: Educational level, language skills, work experience and age. Bonus points are granted if you come from an acknowledged university, and if you have trained/qualified within one of the fields/professions included in the Positive list.

The residence and work permit is valid for three years and assumes you can support yourself throughout the entire period of your stay. The residence permit entitles you to both look for and accept work.
Read more about The Green Card scheme

Can I bring my family?

If you have been granted a residence permit on the basis of the Positive List, Pay limit, or Green Card scheme or, your family can normally accompany you to Denmark. It is a requirement that your family can support itself throughout the entire period, and that you must all live at the same address.

Further information

You can find more information about how you apply for a residence permit as a worker here.

You can find available jobs in Denmark at www.workindenmark.dk. From 1 October 2008, you can produce a CV which Danish employers can then use to match available jobs with your profile.

You can read more about authorisation for health professionals at the National Board of Health’s website www.sundhedsstyrelsen.dk.

You can find contact information for the relevant offices at the Immigration Service here.