Denmark · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Official route — published facts
Read off the responsible authority's own page. Only what it publishes appears here — a field we could not confirm is left out rather than estimated.
- Route
- Pay Limit Scheme
- Streams
- Pay Limit Scheme · Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme
- Employer sponsorship
- Required — an employer must sponsor or nominate you
- Salary floor
-
- DKK 552,000 — Pay Limit Scheme (applies 2026-01-01) Annual salary. Regulated every 1 January.
- DKK 415,000 — Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme A lower track the employing company may choose to apply under.
- Annual cap
- No published cap found — this is not the same as the route being uncapped.
Official page: Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) ↗ · Read 2026-08
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Most skilled workers come through a Danish scheme such as the Pay Limit scheme, the Positive List (shortage occupations) or the Fast-track scheme; you and the employer apply to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) for a combined work-and-residence permit.
Work and residence permits are handled by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). The Pay Limit Scheme and the Positive List are common routes.
- The Pay Limit Scheme grants permits to those with a job offer above a salary threshold.
- The Positive List covers occupations facing a shortage of qualified workers.
- EU/EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a work permit.
- 1
Find a job and matching scheme
Find a job with a Danish employer and identify the right scheme — the Pay Limit scheme (salary-based), the Positive List (shortage occupations) or the Fast-track scheme (certified employers).
- 2
Check the requirements
Confirm the role meets the scheme’s salary or occupation requirements.
- 3
Apply to SIRI
Apply for the combined work-and-residence permit to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI); the employer usually co-signs.
- 4
Provide biometrics
Provide biometrics at a Danish mission or an application centre.
- 5
Enter Denmark and get your CPR
Enter Denmark, register for a CPR number and a residence card, and set up a NemKonto and MitID.
- 6
Renew and consider permanent residence
Renew before expiry; several years of work can count toward permanent residence.
- Job with a Danish employer + scheme identified
- Salary or occupation requirement met
- SIRI work-and-residence permit application
- Biometrics
- CPR number + residence card
- NemKonto + MitID
- Health coverage
- PR pathway considered
- SIRI / nyidanmark.dk
Work and residence permits.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pay Limit scheme?
It is a work route that grants a permit if your annual salary meets a defined threshold, regardless of occupation.
What is the Positive List?
It lists occupations experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals, which qualify for a residence and work permit.
Which agency decides?
The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) processes work-and-residence permits.
Government portals
- Life in Denmark — The state's English-language guide to moving to, living and working in Denmark.
- Skattestyrelsen — Danish Tax Agency — Tax card, preliminary and annual tax assessment, and deductions.
- New to Denmark (SIRI) — Residence and work permits, the Positive List, and family reunification.