Published 01-04-2023 - Last updated: 03-07-2023
New possibilities in the areas of work and study from 1 April 2023
On 1 April 2023 a number of amendments to the Danish Aliens Act come into effect. This affects different schemes administered by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).
Below you can find an overview of the changes with links to the relevant pages on Newtodenmark where you can read more.
The supplementary Pay Limit Scheme (newly created)
The international recruitment is strengthened. The new Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme is created. It can be applied for by third-country nationals that are offered an annual salary of at least DKK 375,000.
Fast Track Scheme
The Fast Track scheme is expanded with a fifth track, the supplementary pay limit track. It can be applied for by to third-country nationals employed in a certified company with an annual salary of at least DKK 375,000.
Certification to the Fast Track Scheme
The Fast Track scheme is expanded to allow even more companies to benefit from the Fast Track scheme. The number of full-time employees employed on a permanent basis in Denmark that a company must have in order to be certified to the Fast track scheme is now reduced from a minimum of 20 to a minimum of 10.
The Positive List for People with a Higher Education
The Positive List is expanded to include even more job titles. The unemployment-insurance funds (A-kasser) that are members of the Danish Trade Union Confederation will be able to add job positions, if they assess that there is shortage of labour for these professions on a national level.
Likewise, The Regional Labour Market Councils (RAR) will be able to add job positions, if they assess that there is shortage of labour for these professions on a regional level.
Moreover, the job titles on the Positive List for People with a Higher Education will, from now on, be on the list for 2 years.
Start-up Denmark
The Start-up Denmark scheme is expanded to allow company owners, who are third-country nationals and wish to open a branch of an existing independent foreign company in Denmark, to apply for a residence permit under this scheme.
It is also specified in the Danish Aliens Act that a third-country national, who has already established a successful independent company in Denmark while e.g. having other grounds for residence, may apply for a residence permit under the Start-up Denmark scheme to run the business.
Study
The residence permit for job seeking after a completed higher educational programme or PhD programme is now extended from 6 months to 3 years. The change apply to third-country nationals that complete a Danish professional bachelor, bachelor, master or PhD programme.
The residence permit for job seeking after having completed higher educational programmes other than the ones mentioned above, as well as educational programmes without an approval from a state authority but having instead an advisory statement from the Danish Evaluation institute (EVA), will still have the same length of 6 months.
Holders of a 3-year job seeking permit will be able to apply for a work permit without limitations.
The Establishment Card will be abolished as a scheme. However, it will still be possible to apply for an extension of an establishment card.
