Fast-Track Greenland

You have been offered employment at a company, which has been Fast-Track approved by the Government of Greenland

Normal processing time
1 month

However, if further information is needed, the processing time can be up to
3 months

Processing fee
No fee

What is Fast-Track Greenland?

If you wish to work in Greenland, you need to apply for a residence and work permit at the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

If the Government of Greenland has Fast-Track approved your employer, you can apply for a residence and work permit under the Fast-Track Agreement.

When a company has been Fast-Track approved by The Government of Greenland, it means that an employment agreement made with the company in question, meets the requirements for salary and terms of employment that must correspond to Greenlandic standards.

Therefore, applications concerning residence and work permits under the Fast-Track Agreement will only be sent into further assessment by the Government of Greenland, if the employment contract do not meet the required salary and terms of employment that correspond to Greenlandic standards.  

If you reside legally in Greenland, you can submit your applicaton from Greenland under the Fast-Track Agreement.

You are not allowed to start working before you have received your residence and work permit from SIRI

Greenland and Denmark are seperate areas. This means that a residence permit in Denmark does not give you the right to stay in Greenland. This also means that a residence permit in Greenland does not give you the right to stay in Denmark.

What are the conditions?

As a rule, your employer must have a municipal permit that allows them to employ foreign labour for the job in question, in order for you to work in Greenland.

The only municipality that can issue such a permit is the Greenlandic municipality, where in which the work place is located. 

However, it is not all jobs that require a municipal permit.

Read more about the municipal permit in the legislation (opens in a new window) (in Danish only)

You can only apply for a residence and work permit under the Fast-Track scheme, if your employer has been Fast-Track approved by the Government of Greenland.

If your employer wishes to be approved by the Fast-Track Agreement, they must contact the Government of Greenland.

The Government of Greenland will publish a list containing all of the companies that have been approved and have gotten permission to hire foreign labour under the Fast-Track Agreement of Greenland.

Read more and see the list of Fast-Track approved companies on sullissivik.gl (opens in a new window) (in Danish only)

As you are employed by a Fast-Track approved employer, it is a rule that your employment will be based on the Greenlandic standards for salary and terms of employment.

If the informed salary and terms of employment do not correspond to Greenlandic standards, we can send your employment contract in for further assessment by the Government of Greenland. An example of a situation where this might happen, could be that you have been offered part time employment.

When we say that your salary and terms of employment must correspond to Greenlandic standards, we mean that:

  • Your salary, holiday entitlements, terms of notice etc. must not be inferior to the standards within the professional field in Greenland in which you are going to work.

  • You must work full time, which corresponds to 40 hours per week. 

In Greenland, you are obligated to save for your own pension. The requirement applies to people over the age of 18 who are fully taxable in Greenland.

Find more information on the Tax Agency's website in Greenland (opens in a new window) (in Danish only)

What are my rights if I am granted a permit?

What are you allowed to do with a residence and work permit under the Fast-Track Agreement for Greenland – and what are you not allowed to do?

You are not allowed to start working, until you have been granted a permit to do so.

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 or a new position, you must apply for a new permit before you can start the new job. This also applies if you are offered a new position within the same company.

If you wish to get a sideline employement in Greenland, you must apply for a special permit for this.

Read more about sideline employment and apply for it

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

You must not give up your Greenlandic 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 Greenland.

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

If you have been staying in Greenland 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 Greenland 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

Stays in Denmark or the Faroe Islands are considered as time abroad.

You must be able to support yourself and your family during your stay in Greenland. Therefore, you are not allowed to receive public benefits.

If you, or one of your family members, receive public benefits during your stay in Greenland, your permits can be revoked – and you will all lose the right to stay in Greenland.

How long can I stay in Greenland?

A residence permit in Greenland can be granted with a validity of up to 2 years from the date a decision is made in your case.

A residence and work permit in Greenland can be granted for a maximum of 2 years at a time. This also applies if you are hired for a job or a position that lasts for more than 2 years.

If you wish to continue to work at your job after your permit has expired, you must remember to 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 before your current permit expires, you are allowed to stay in Greenland and continue to work until a decision on your application has been made – even though your permit expires in the meantime.

You can read more about the rules concerning extension of your residence and work permit, as well as apply for it here

A residence permit can only be valid until 2 months before the expiry date of your passport.

If your passport has a shorter validity than the period of stay that you would otherwise be able to be granted a permit for, then your residence permit will be shortened. This means that the validity of your residence permit will be shorter than it normally could be.

If you wish to extend your permit, you can submit an application 2 months before your permit expires, at the earliest. Please note that you must attach a copy of your renewed or extended passport.

Read more about the requirements for extension of your residence and work permit, as well as apply for it

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

Your residence permit in Greenland is linked to the job and the employer that is written on your permit.

You are not allowed to work in other positions, or for other employers, 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 your employment changes. This may be because of situations such as:

  • You lose your job
  • You change your position
  • You change your job and work for another employer

You can send us your information via our contact form

You must inform SIRI if you lose your job. You can let us know via our contact form at New to Denmark

Your residence and work permit will be revoked as it is based on this exact job.

If you find a new job or are offered a new position while you are working, you must submit a new application for a residence and work permit with information on your new employment.

If you change your job, please not that you can only submit an application from Greenland if your new employer is also Fast-Track approved by the Government of Greenland.

You are not allowed to start at your new job or in your new position before you have been granted a new permit.

Can my family be granted a residence permit in Greenland?

You can bring your family with you to Greenland, if you have been granted a residence and work permit in Greenland.

Accompanying family can be:

  • A spouse

  • A cohabiting partner

  • A registered partner

  • A child under the age of 18 living at home

As an accompanying family member to an applicant holding or applying for a residence permit under the Fast-Track Agreement for Greenland, you have the option of submitting your application in Greenland, if you have legal residence.

Read more about accompanying family

When can I submit an application?

You can submit an application for a residence and work permit 6 months before you start your new job, at the earliest. If you submit an application earlier than 6 months before you start your new job, you can expect to receive a refusal.

What more do I need to know before I apply?

Under the section 'How To Apply' on the right side of the screen, you have access to the relevant applications. You can choose between a digital and a printable application.

If you choose the digital application, your employer must start the application process by completing the first of the two parts of the application. We will let you know by email when the employer has completed their part and you can begin your part.

The employer must write your email address in their part. You must use the link in the email to sign up as a user with the same email address to access your part.

Make sure that the email address the employer writes is the same email address as the one you intend to sign up with.

If you use the paper form, the application process is also generally initiated by your employer.  

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

Below you will find a step-by-step guide to submitting an application to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

It is important that you have carefully read the conditions for being granted a residence permit before you begin step 1. You can do this on the tab “Need to know” on the left.

1

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:

You employer must submit:

2

Expect to use

20 minutes

per person to complete 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. You can choose between a digital and a printable version. 

Make sure that you have read the instructions under the section 'Need to know' and that you have completed all of the previous steps under this section, before you begin.

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

You can give your employer power of attorney, which allows them to apply on your behalf.

Read more about power of attorney and find an approved standard version of a power of attorney

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

Digital application

If your are applying digitally, you must choose the digital GL1/5 below.

In the digital GL1/5, your employer must complete the first of the two parts of the application. When your employer has completed their part, you must then complete your part.

Make sure to have all of the necessary documentation at hand digitally, in order for you to attach them to the application during the process.

GL1/5

If you do not have MitID, you can submit the application by signing the sworn declaration by hand, which you will then attach to the application. It is important that you sign and attach our sworn declaration. 

Download our sworn declaration (PDF)

You can also download the sworn declaration within the application.

Printable application

In the printable application GL5, you must complete part 1 and your employer must complete part 2.

You must send us the necessary documentation along with the application.

The application in Word format can be completed on the screen, before you print it out. The application in PDF format must be completed by hand, after you have printed it out.

Download the printable application GL5 (Word format)

Download the printable application GL5 (PDF format)

3

You can find your ongoing and completed applications for 30 days from your last login.

Log in to see your applications

4

If you have used our digital application, you have already submitted the application.

If you have used the printable application instead, please continue to read the following text.

You are submitting the application abroad

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

See the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ list of diplomatic missions or application centres where you can hand in your application (opens in a new window)

Denmark does not have a diplomatic mission or application centres in certain countries. In these instances, the list will refer you to one of the Norwegian missions, with which Denmark has made an agreement, or to the nearest Danish diplomatic mission or application centre in the region.

We recommend that you always visit the local diplomatic mission’s webpage to get more information, before you submit the application. The individual diplomatic mission may have additional requirements regarding payment of additional fees, submission of additional passport photos or additional copies of the application.

You are submitting the application in Greenland

If you are staying legally in Greenland, you are able to submit the application in Greenland. This is the case, if you:

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

You can send the application directly to SIRI via our contact form, by attaching the application form and the relevant documents to the contact form.

You can find SIRI's contact form here

You can also submit the application in person:

  • either at SIRI's branch office in Nuuk, or
  • at the local Greenlandic police, if you are not staying in Nuuk.

You can see the address and the opening hours for SIRI's branch office in Nuuk here

Please contact the police in order to find out where in Greenland you can submit your application outside of Nuuk.

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:

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

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

You can send the application directly to SIRI via our contact form, by attaching the application form and the relevant documents to the contact form.

Find SIRI's contact form

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

You must remember to book an appointment before you show up in person to submit your application.

You can find more information about booking an appointment

5

You can see the normal case processing time to the right on this page. When we make a decision in your case, you will receive an answer.

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

Responsible agency

Contact SIRI
Send link

Last updated 16-02-2026 - Published by: SIRI