Work in the Faroe Islands - applicants from third countries

You are a citizen of a country outside the EU, and you have been offered employment in the Faroe Islands and want to apply for a residence and work permit.

Normal processing time
3 months

The Sports Agreement normally takes
1 month

Due to the ongoing labour dispute on the Faroe Islands, the current processing time might be
1-3 months

Processing fee
No fee

As of September 1, 2024, the Faroese authorities have taken over the responsibility of processing applications for residence and work permits in the Faroe Islands from SIRI and the Danish Immigration Service. In the future, you will have to apply for a residence and work permit via Útlendingastovan's website.

If you have submitted an application to SIRI before September 1, 2024 for a residence permit in the Faroe Islands, SIRI will process your case. If you have any questions about your pending case or additional information, new documents or comments, please contact SIRI.

What do you want to print?

Work on the Faroe Islands

If you wish to work on the Faroe Islands, you must apply for a permit at the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), which will process the application based on an approval from the Government of the Faroe Islands.

It is your own responsibility to obtain a residence and work permit if the rules require it. You can read more about the rules and consequences of illegal work here.

Please note that you must also apply for a residence and work permit if you take voluntary or unpaid work.

The Faroe Islands and Denmark are two distinct travel areas. This means that a residence permit in Denmark does not give you the right to stay in the Faroe Islands.  Likewise, a residence permit in the Faroe Islands does not allow you to stay in Denmark.

If you already hold a residence permit based on family reunification or as a refugee, or you hold a humanitarian or permanent residence permit for the Faroe Islands, you do not need a work permit in order to work on the Faroe Islands.

What do you want to print?

What are the conditions?

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.

If you are a medical doctor

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.

 

If you are a circus performer

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.

 

If you are an oil worker

A special scheme exists for fast processing of work permit applications within the offshore oil exploration industry. 

This means that you, as an oil worker, can submit your application to the Police on the Faroe Islands and that your application will sent to the Faroese Immigration Office (Útlendingastovan) for approval.

If you are a medical doctor

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.

 

If you are a circus performer

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.

 

If you are an oil worker

A special scheme exists for fast processing of work permit applications within the offshore oil exploration industry. 

This means that you, as an oil worker, can submit your application to the Police on the Faroe Islands and that your application will sent to the Faroese Immigration Office (Útlendingastovan) for approval.

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.

A special scheme exists for fast processing of work permit applications within the offshore oil exploration industry. 

This means that you, as an oil worker, can submit your application to the Police on the Faroe Islands and that your application will sent to the Faroese Immigration Office (Útlendingastovan) for approval.

What do you want to print?

What are my rights if I am granted a permit?

What are you allowed to do with a residence and work permit on the Faroe Islands? – and what are you not allowed to do?

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 and work permit allows you to stay on 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 on 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 rules of lapse and dispensation options 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 spent abroad.

What do you want to print?

How long can I stay on 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.

A residence permit can only be valid until 3 months before the expiry date of your passport.

If your passport has a shorter validity than the otherwise possible period of stay, your residence permit will be shortened. This means that the validity of your residence permit will be shorter than it could be. When you have renewed your passport, you can apply for an extension of your residence permit – however, this can only be done 3 months before your permit expires at the earliest. 

Read more about the passport requirements.

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What should I do if I lose my job or change job?

Your residence permit is linked to your job on the Faroe Islands. Your employment is the foundation for your permit.

You must always inform SIRI if you lose or change your job.

Your work permit is limited to the employment that is the basis for your permit.  You are not allowed to work in other positions than the one stated in your permit. This also applies if you are offered a new position in the same company.

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.

If you find a new job while working in the Faroe Islands, you must submit a new application for a residence and work permit with information on your new employment. You are not allowed to start the new job before you have been granted a new permit.

What do you want to print?

Can my family be granted a residence permit?

A residence and work permit based on a job in the Faroe Islands allows your family to come with you to the Faroe Islands.

A permit can be granted to your spouse, registered or cohabiting partner as well as children under the age of 18 living at home.

Read more about accompanying family members here.

What do you want to print?

What more do I need to know before I apply?

An application for a residence and work permit in the Faroe Islands must generally be submitted to a Danish diplomatic mission or an application center receiving applications on behalf of the Danish diplomatic mission. In some countries, you can submit your application at a Norwegian diplomatic mission.

Here you can see the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affair’s guide to where you can submit your application.

As a general rule, you must have an employment agreement with a company registered in the Faroe Islands to be able to apply. However, there are certain exceptions, e.g. if you work for a foreign company that provides services in the Faroe Islands. 

You can find the relevant application form, FO1, on the “How to apply” tab to the right. 

Your employer must fill in one of two parts of the form.

SIRI will contact you or your employer if we need further information to process your case.

What do you want to print?

The Sports Agreement

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. 

As part of the sports agreement, there is a special agreement for doctors whom has been offered employment with Landssjúkrahúsið, Klaksvíkar Sjúkrahús and Suðuroyar Sjúkrahús, and has Danish authorization. 

In accordance to this agreement, the doctors in question can inform their residence and work permit without the case being send to a hearing at the Faroese home government. 

What do you want to print?

It is a good idea to gather the necessary documents before you start to complete the application form. You can use the check list below.

If you submit documents not written in English, German, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, you must also submit certified translations into Danish or English.

You must submit:

Your employer must submit:

Expect to use

30 minutes

completing the application

2 persons

You and your employer are each required to complete a part of the form.

In this step you and your employer have access to the relevant application form FO1.

Make sure that you have completed all the preceeding steps before you begin.

All our application forms contain careful instructions on how to complete the form and what kind of documents you must submit along with the form.

You can read more about how we process your personal data here.

In the printable application form FO1 your employer must complete part 2 of the form. When your employer has completed his or her part, you must complete your part. Once parts 1 and 2 have been completed, they must be submitted together – read more in the next step.

You must submit the necessary documents with the application.

The printable application form in Word format can be completed on screen before you print. The application form in pdf format must be printed first and then completed by hand.

 

Download the printable form FO1 (Word format)

Download the printable form FO1 (Pdf format)

You are are submitting the application abroad

The application can be submitted to a Danish diplomatic mission or an application centre in the country where you are residing.

See the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ list of diplomatic missions or application centres where you can hand in your application

You are submitting the application in Danmark

If you are residing legally in Denmark, you are normally able to submit the application in Denmark. This is the case, if you

  • hold a valid visa
  • are exempt from the visa requirement or
  • already hold a valid residence permit.

Read more about the legal residence requirement and submission of your application in Denmark. 

You can submit the applicaton in one of SIRI’s branch offices.

If you plan to submit your application in one of SIRI’s branch offices, you must remember to book an appointment. 

You can also send the application to SIRI.

 

You are submitting the application in the Faroe Islands

A first time application can only be submitted to the police in the Faroe Islands on special grounds and if you are staying legally in the Faroe Islands.

You can also send the application to SIRI.

 

As of September 1, 2024, the Faroese authorities have taken over the responsibility of processing applications for residence and work permits in the Faroe Islands from SIRI and the Danish Immigration Service. In the future, you will have to apply for a residence and work permit via Útlendingastovan's website.

If you have submitted an application to SIRI before September 1, 2024 for a residence permit in the Faroe Islands, SIRI will process your case. If you have any questions about your pending case or additional information, new documents or comments, please contact SIRI.

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Last updated 01-09-2024 - Published by: SIRI