Published 28-06-2022

Proposed law has been passed regarding quick job start for graduates, less restrictive requirements for employers under the Positive List for Skilled Work, and a termination of the ‘klippekort’ for Danish language classes

The Danish Parliament has passed a proposed law which includes several elements. The changes to the law take effect on 1 July 2022.

Quick job start for graduates

The changes to the law mean that a foreign graduate who has been offered a job in Denmark and has applied for a residence and work permit can stay in Denmark and begin working while SIRI processes the application. In order to qualify for the quick job start, you must hold a valid residence permit as a student, and you must have completed a higher educational programme (Masters level) at a Danish university. Furthermore, it is a condition that you have applied for a residence and work permit under one of the following schemes:

• The Positive List for People with a Higher Education
• The Positive List for Skilled Work
• The Pay Limit scheme
• Researchers
• Special individual qualifications
• Drillrigs and other mobile workplaces
• Herdsmen and farm managers
• The Fast-Track scheme

Less restrictive conditions for employers under the Positive List for Skilled Work

The changes to the law mean greater flexibility when calculating whether the employing company has met their educational obligations regarding training of apprentices (the AUB requirement). Whereas before, the employer could only meet this requirement by reaching the target number of trained apprentices in the latest calculated contribution year, it is now possible to meet the requirement by reaching the target number within two of the latest three calculated contribution years.

Furthermore, the time at which this requirement must be met has been changed from the date the application has been processed to the date the application is submitted.

Termination of ‘klippekort’ for Danish lessons

Finally, the changes to the law means the termination of the ‘klippekort’ (ticket coupon) system for Danish language lessons for adults who can support themselves (‘S students’). After the change, S students will be entitled to up to five years’ Danish language classes, starting from the time they begin the lessons. S students must still pay a deposit before beginning classes, and in order to get the deposit back, the student must pass all modules within the relevant deadlines. In total, these deadlines allow for 45 months of Danish lessons without losing the deposit. Since the student is given five years to follow Danish language classes, an S student will be able to plan for up to 15 months’ worth of breaks between the modules without using up their right to Danish language classes.

The changes to the law all take effect on 1 July 2022.

See the proposed law L189 B which was passed by Parliament (available in Danish only)