Published 17-03-2021
Change of the immigration test for religious workers
In order to get a residence permit for as a religious worker extended it is a requirement, that the religious worker passes the so-called immigration test (testing Danish language skills and knowledge of Denmark and Danish society) no later than 6 months after having been issued his/her first residence permit.
The Danish Parliament has now made a change in legislation, which entails that the immigration test will effectively have its name changed to the extension test on 15 March 2021.
The legislative change also entails that the level of the Danish test changes for religious workers who are granted residence permits after 15 March 2021. Partial exams 1, 2, and 4 of the Danish test will be at A1-minus level and partial exam 3 will be at A1 level. Previously, all four of the partial exams of the Danish test had to be at the A1-minus level.
On 16 December 2020 the Minister of Immigration and Integration informed the parliament that partial exam 3 was already at the higher level of A1 previous to the passed change in legislation. Partial exams 1, 2, and 4 were all on the required A1-minus level. During the briefing, it was also stated that the level of the knowledge test was at B1/B2 level, which was a higher level than required.
On this basis, the Immigration Service has since 16 December 2020 not rejected the extension of a residence permit on the grounds of religious work with reference to partial exam 3 and/or the knowledge test being failed.
From now on the Immigration Service with thus be disregarding the requirement of passing partial exam 3 of the language test and the knowledge test, if the applicant was granted a residence permit as a religious worker before 15 March 2021.
In connection to this change in legislation, it has also been decided that the Minister of Immigration and Integration can choose to raise the level of partial exams 1, 2, and 4 of the language test to A1 level. There will be more information on newtodenmark.dk before this change, that applies to the religious workers who are granted residence permits after the level for partial exams 1, 2, and 4 is raised, becomes effective.
The process of taking the test has not changed. Read more about the extension test
