Residence and work permit in Denmark
Despite being a small Nordic country, Denmark has consistently ranked high in terms of happiness, quality of life, higher education and work-life balance. Although the reasons for moving here may vary from one person to another, everyone must fulfill specific requirements to stay in the country for more than 90 days. Obtaining a permanent residence or work permit is relatively straightforward, but keep in mind it may take some time to process.
Residence and work permit for EU/EEA and Nordic citizens
If you intend to stay in the country for longer than 90 days and apply for a job, you must follow certain procedures to obtain the right to reside and work. Nordic citizens are free to enter, whereas EU and EEA citizens must apply and submit all required documents to be registered as Danish residents.
The application for residence and work permit is handled by the Danish Immigration Service and the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). Depending on your situation, you can apply for different types of permits, such as short visit, family reunification, studying, working, etc. The processing times for ecah case varies, but the average waiting period ranges from 0 to 30 days, with some cases (education) allowing you to get the permit on the same day.
In general, the process for obtaining the right of residence is as follows:
- Gather and fill out the necessary documents before applying for a residence permit - ID, passport size photo, OD1 form, address in Denmark
- Book an appointment in person at one of SIRI’s branch offices in Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg or Bornholm
- Get an approval
For a complete checklist of the documents you need, check Nyidanmark.dk.
Visa, residence and work permit for non-EU/EEA and non-Nordic citizens
The procedure for obtaining a work visa for non-EU/EEA is quite similar, however, there are some additional steps. You must first create an online case order ID, pay the fee to the Danish Immigration Service and prepare the needed documentation. The waiting time varies, but most cases are handled within 30-90 days. There are several different schemes you can apply for, but the main ones are listed below:
- Fast-track scheme for pre-certified companies by SIRI for quick job start
- Pay Limit scheme for job offers with a high salary
- Positive list for professions where there is currently a skill shortage- engineers, medical consultants, teachers, etc.
- For educational purposes - obtaining a degree or being employed as a PhD, researcher, trainee etc.
- Herdsmen and farm managers
- Others
For more information regarding work permits and documents, check the Work section under Nyidanmark.dk
Next steps towards living and working in Denmark
To settle in Denmark, you need to get a health card with your Civil Registration Number(CPR). The health card, otherwise referred to as the yellow card, consists of your name, address, CPR and GP details. It grants you access to all public services. All Danish residents get free education, healthcare services, welfare and child benefits.
To get online access to these public services, you will need an e-ID called NemID/ MitID. You can request it either from the Citizen Service or when you open a Danish bank account. Your NemID/MitID gives you access to both public and many private institutions in Denmark such as your digital post, banks, utility companies and much more.
The next step is to set up your taxes, create a NemKonto with your bank and start your journey in Denmark.
Here are some important platforms you should know about:
- Nyidenmark.dk - portal about the rules for entering and residing in Denmark
- Borger.dk - citizen portal with more than 2,000 services
- Lifeindenmark.dk - English version of Borger.dk for foreigners who come to Denmark
- Skat.dk - national taxation portal
- Eboks.dk - digital post
- Talentedindenmark.dk - search engine for jobs
