EU Scheme - work at pre-approved employer

To be granted a permit based on the special EU Scheme, the rate of unemployment on the Faroe Islands must be below 3,5 per cent. If you are a workman within the construction industry, you can in some cases be granted a permit when the rate of unemployment is below 6 per cent.

Since the unemployment rate is currently below 3,5 per cent, it is possible to apply for a residence and work permit based on this scheme within all trades.

The scheme is suspended if the rate of unemployment rises above 3,5 and 6 per cent respectively for a period 3 successive months.

To be granted a permit based on the special EU Scheme, you must be employed for at least 30 hours work per week.

Furthermore, you must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• You must be employed according to the terms of a Faroese collective bargaining agreement, or
• you must be employed as a researcher, educator, specialist or senior official etc., or
• you must be employed with a salary and under terms of employment that correspond to Faroese standards.

In certain cases, it is required that you have a Danish or Faroese authorisation. This applies, for example, if you are a medical doctor, and you will then be required to have an authorisation from the Danish Patient Safety Authority.

The Danish Patient Safety Authority on authorisation for Healthcare personnel

The Ministry of Higher Education and Science on regulated professions

If you are a semi-professional athlete or coach who is guaranteed to earn at least 52% of the normal weekly income for hourly paid individuals on the Faroe Islands, you can be granted a non-workplace-specific work permit in order to take a part-time job.

Your income from the part-time job must not exceed 48% of the normal income for work with a standard hourly wage on the Faroe Islands.

If you are offered a job as a medical doctor at Landssjúkrahúsið, Klaksvikar Sjúkrahús or Suðuroyar Sjúkrahús, and you have a Danish authorisation, you can be granted a permit without prior approval from the Government of The Faroe Islands, provided that you meet the conditions on salary and terms of employment.

Applications from circus performers are not sent to the Government of the Faroe Islands for approval as circus performing is not a recognised profession on the Faroe Islands.

You are only allowed to work in the job and in the company that you have been granted a permit to work in.

If you are offered a new job, you must apply for a new permit before you start the new job. This also applies if you are offered a new position within the same company. If you again apply for a work and residence permit under the EU scheme on the basis of employment at a preapproved faroese employer you may start working as soon as you have submittet the application to the faroese police or to SIRI.

If you wish to take a sideline job, you have to obtain a separate permit. You can read more about sideline employment and apply here.

A residence and work permit allows you to stay in the Faroe Islands for the period of time your permit is valid. 

You must not give up your Faroese address or stay abroad for a longer period of time. A violation will result in the lapse of your permit. This means that you will lose your right to stay in the Faroe Islands.

If you have been staying in the Faroe Islands legally for less than 2 years, you are allowed to stay outside of the Faroe Islands for 6 successive months. 

If you have been staying in the Faroe Islands legally for more than 2 years and you hold a residence permit that can be made permanent, or if you already hold a permanent residence permit, you are allowed to stay outside of the Faroe Islands for up to 12 months.

If you need to stay abroad for an extended period of time, e.g. if you are stationed abroad for a period of time by your employer, you can apply for a dispensation to prevent your permit from lapsing. You can read more about dispensation from lapse and appy for it here.

Staying abroad while serving in the military as a conscript or performing required community service will not be considered time living outside of the Faroe Islands.

Stays in Denmark or Greenland are considered as time abroad.

A residence permit in the Faroe Islands can be granted with a validity of up to 1 year from the date a decision is made in your case.

If you are employed for a period of less than 1 year, the duration of your permit will usually be the same as the duration of your employment. If you want to continue to work in the Faroe Islands beyond this period, you must apply for an extension of your residence and work permit.

It is very important that you apply for an extension before your permit expires.

If you submit the application for an extension in time, you are allowed to stay in the Faroe Islands and continue to work until a decision on your application is made – even though your permit expires.

If your employment is for 1 year or more, you will normally be granted a residence permit valid for 1 year. If you want to continue to work in the Faroe Islands beyond the first year, you must apply for an extension of residence and work permit based on the extension of your employment contract.

It is very important that you apply for an extension before your permit expires.

If you submit the application for an extension in time, you are allowed to stay in the Faroe Islands and continue to work until a decision on your application is made – even though your permit expires.

You must inform SIRI if you lose your job. Your residence and work permit will be revoked as it is based on this exact job.