Work in the Faroe Islands - applicants from third countries

The assessment of your application is normally based on whether your labour and your qualifications are in demand on the Faroe Islands.

When processing your application, SIRI pays particular attention to the following criteria:

• Whether there are available professionals residing on the Faroe Islands who are qualified to carry out the job in question (applies only to certain types of applications), and
• whether the nature of the job in question is specialised enough to warrant a residence and work permit.

Your salary and terms of employment must correspond to Faroese standards. This means that your salary, holiday entitlements, terms of notice etc. must not be inferior to the standards within the professional field where you are going to work. As a rule, your employment must be full-time, which normally means 40 hours work per week.

When you apply, you must attach a copy of your employment contract or job offer. All terms of employment must be stated in the contract or the job offer.

When SIRI has received your application for a residence and work permit, we will forward the application to the Government of the Faroe Islands, which will assess whether your salary and terms of employment correspond to Faroese standards.

In certain cases, it is required that you have a Danish or Faroese authorisation. This for example applies if you are a doctor, who will 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 wish to take a sideline job, you have to obtain a separate permit. You can read more about sideline employment and apply here.

You must be able to support yourself and your family during your stay. You are not allowed to receive public benefits.

If you or your family members receive such benefits during your stay, your permit can be revoked – and you will lose the right to stay in the Faroe Islands. 

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

Foreigners, who have been offered a job in the Faroe Islands as a doctor or semi-professional athlete, or trainer, are able to apply for a residence and work permit in accordance with the Sports Agreement.

The conditions to be granted residence and work permits under this scheme agreement are as follows:

• The applicant must be a semiprofessional athlete or trainer, 
• The job offer must be parttimepart-time or,
• The applicant must be guaranteed an earning of a minimum of 52% of the normal weekly earning for hourly-paid workers in the Faroe Islands (which is a minimum earning of DKK 13,830.69 per month).

OR

• The applicant must be offered an employment as a doctor at Landssjúkrahusið, Klaksvikar Sjúkrahús or Suðuroyar Sjúkrahús
• The applicant must have a Danish authorisation. 

The relevant application form FO1 can be found on the tab “How to apply” on the rights side. The application form can be used for both first time applications and extensions. Please note, it is not possible to apply online. Furthermore, note that there are no form requirements. However, the application makes it possible for SIRI to gather the necessary information for the case processing. 

According to the Sports Agreement, the application can be submitted abroad or on the Faroe Islands. However, it is a precondition that the applicant is residing legally in the Faroe Islands at the time of the submission. If the applicant is residing illegally in the Faroe Islands the application will be rejected. 

The residence and work permit is localized with the sports club and it is a condition that the applicant has a a minimum earning of DKK 13,830.69 per month. Furthermore, a non-localized working permit is granted which will give the application a right to earn a maximum of DKK 12,766.80 per month.