If you want to work or study in Denmark

Can I study in Denmark?

Denmark is very keen to attract foreign students to the country.
If you would like to study at a college of further education etc. in Denmark, you must have been granted a residence permit before your arrival in Denmark. To be granted a residence permit, you must be able to document:
• That you have been enrolled on a course of further education which is approved by a state authority or which is offered by a state-approved educational institution.
• That you can support yourself during your stay, or that you have paid tuition fees.
• That you can speak and understand the language used to teach the course, and that you can speak and understand either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German at a reasonable level.
Basically, as a foreign student, you can obtain a residence permit while you complete your studies/training in Denmark and for participating in part of the education/training as a guest student.
If you complete a higher educational program in Denmark, you can also remain in the country for six months after you have finished your education/training in order to look for work. You will also be granted a permit to work 15 hours a week alongside your studies as well as for full-time work in June, July, and August.

Can I bring my family?

If you have been granted a residence permit on the basis of the Positive List, pay limit, Green Card scheme or as a student on a higher educational program, 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.

Apply to a residence permit as a student

Studying in Denmark

As a foreign national, you can be granted a residence permit in order to study in Denmark.

There are four main categories of study which can warrant a residence permit:

• Higher educational programmes
• Basic and youth study programmes
• Folk high schools (folkehøjskoler)
• PhD studies

If you are a Nordic citizen, you are free to reside, study and work in Denmark. If you are an EU/EEA citizen or Swiss citizen seeking residence in Denmark based on the EU rules on freedom of movement, you may be subject to special regulations.

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 characterized 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.

Many foreign nationals are free to live and work in Denmark. However, some are required to hold a residence and work permit. The specific requirements in connection with living and working in Denmark depend, first and foremost, on a person’s nationality and qualifications.
If you are a Nordic citizen, you are free to reside, study and work in Denmark. If you are an EU/EEA citizen or Swiss citizen seeking residence in Denmark based on the EU rules on freedom of movement, you may be subject to special regulations.

If you already hold a Danish residence permit based on family reunification or asylum or hold a residence permit on humanitarian grounds, you do not need a work permit in order to work in Denmark.
It is your own responsibility to obtain a work permit if you are required to. If you work illegally in Denmark, you risk deportation, and you and your employer risk fine or imprisonment.
Normally, professional or labor market considerations must warrant a residence and work permit, for example, if there is a lack of persons in Denmark who can carry out a specific type of work. The rules also apply in the case of voluntary/unpaid work.

In certain cases, you may be required to first obtain Danish authorization, for example, if you are employed as a nurse or doctor. Authorization for foreign-trained doctors on the website of the National Board of Health.

If you have been offered employment in a certified company. Your employer can apply for Danish residence and work permit on your behalf via the Fast-track scheme.

If you have found work in one of the areas that are currently experiencing a shortage of qualified labor, 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.

If you have agreed or been offered employment with an annual salary of DKK 426,985.06 or higher, you will also be granted a residence and work permit in Denmark.

A number of other schemes have been designed in order to make it easier for highly qualified professionals to get a residence and work permit in Denmark.

Further information

You can find available jobs in Denmark at workindenmark.dk. You can produce a CV which Danish employers can then use to match available jobs with your profile.

Job seeking in Denmark

There are several web portals, databases and cv banks which can be useful in the process of seeking work in Denmark. Read more about job seeking in Denmark.

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