New Rules Regarding Residence & Work Permit in Denmark
On 23 March 2023, the Danish Parliament passed a number of amendments to the Danish Aliens Act which affect different schemes handled by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).
THE PAY LIMIT SCHEME
- Currently, it is possible to apply for a work and residence permit based on the Pay Limit Scheme, if the offered salary is above DKK 465,000 per year (2023 level).
- If the changes to the work schemes, a new supplementary Pay Limit scheme will be available. The scheme can be used by third-country nationals who are employed in Denmark with a yearly salary of at least DKK 375,000 (lower than that the minimum salary for the current pay Limit Scheme).
THE FAST-TRACK SCHEME
- The Fast-track scheme allows companies to recruit foreign employees with special qualifications to work in Denmark, if the Danish employer has been certified by SIRI.
- Moreover, the Fast Track scheme will include a supplementary pay limit track with the same minimum yearly salary.
Currently, a company must have at least 20 full-time employees in Denmark to apply for Fast-track certification, which will be lowered to 10 full-time employees in Denmark allowing more companies to apply for certification.
- The pay limit track
- The short-term track
- The researcher track
- The educational track
THE POSITIVE LIST
The Positive List can be used for the categories of workers that are particularly in short supply in Denmark. It has two tracks:
- The Positive List for People with a Higher Education
- The Positive List for Skilled Work
Additionally, the Positive List for People with a degree and the Start-up Denmark scheme will expand to a broader range of applicants.
Third-country nationals who complete a Danish professional bachelor’s, master’s or PhD programme will automatically be granted a job-seeking period of three years with the right to work for three years after having completed their educational programme.
The Establishment card scheme will be abolished. However, third-country nationals with a residence permit under this scheme will still be able to apply for an extension of their establishment card after 1 April 2023.
The New Rules Come Into Effect On 1 April 2023
