Normal processing time
1 month

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

Processing fee
DKK 6,290,-

What is the Pay Limit scheme?

If you have been offered a job in Denmark with a high salary, you can apply for a residence and work permit via the Pay Limit Scheme.

It is not required that you have a specific educational background or that your job is within a specific professional field.

If you have requested asylum in Denmark and have been offered a job with a high salary, you can also apply based on this scheme. 

What are the conditions?

You must meet certain conditions to be granted a permit to stay and work in Denmark based on the Pay Limit Scheme:

You must have been offered a job with an annual salary that meets, at least, the minimum amount. The minimum amount for 2024 is DKK 487,000. The minimum amount is regulated every year on 1 January.

When assessing whether the salary that you have been offered meets, at least, the minimum amount, only the following salary components can be taken into account:

  • Salary in the form of liquid assets, including fixed supplements which are, therefore, guaranteed salary

  • Payments to labour market pension schemes, including the pension contributions paid by both the employer and the applicant

  • Paid holiday allowance 

Your annual salary must meet, at least, the minimum amount even if you take holiday without pay. If you earn holiday allowance, which can only be paid to you in the following year, it cannot count towards the annual salary for the year in which you have earned it. Moreover, it is only holiday allowance paid by the employer whom you are currently allowed to work for, that can be counted as part of your salary.

Your employer might offer you, as a supplement to your salary, benefits such as paid canteen, free use of car, paid phone, paid internet and paid living and housing expenses. Note that these salary components cannot be taken into account when assessing whether your salary meets the minimum amount.

Your salary must be paid into a Danish bank account in a bank operating legally in Denmark.

It is not a requirement that the salary paid into the Danish bank account is transferred from a Danish bank account.

Likewise, there are no limitations to the type of bank account that can be used: both a currency account and a basic bank account can, for example, be used.

In order to create a Danish bank account, you must contact a bank yourself. If you have not yet received a Danish address or CPR number and are experiencing diffuclties creating a Danish bank account, in order to find out what options you have in terms of creating a basic payment account,you can read more on www.basalbetalingskonto.dk (opens in a new window) 

The Danish bank account must be opened no later than 90 days after the date on which you have been granted a Danish residence and work permit.If you entry Denmark after having been granted your permit, the Danish bank account must be opened within 90 days from entry. If you already hold a permit which is valid for at least 3 months, your salary must be paid into a Danish bank account from the first salary payment.

The salary that you have been offered must not be inferior to the standards within the professional field in which you are going to work.

When assessing whether the salary you have been offered corresponds to Danish standards, only the following salary components can be taken into account:

  • Salary in the form of liquid assets, including fixed supplements which are, therefore, guaranteed salary

  • Payments to labour market pension schemes, including the pension contributions paid by both the employer and the applicant

  • Paid holiday allowance 

If you earn holiday allowance, which can only be paid to you in the following year, it cannot count towards the annual salary for the year in which you have earned it. Moreover, it is only holiday allowance paid by the employer whom you are currently allowed to work for, that can be counted as part of your salary.

Your employer might offer you, as a supplement to your salary, benefits such as paid canteen, free use of car, paid phone, paid internet and paid living and housing expenses. Note that these salary components cannot be taken into account when assessing whether your salary corresponds to Danish standards.

Read more about the Danish standards for salary

Your terms of employment, such as your holiday entitlements, terms of notice, etc. must not be inferior to the standards within the professional field in which you are going to work.

If SIRI has any doubts on whether your terms of employment correspond to Danish standards, we can ask the regional labour market councils to assess your terms of employment.

Read more about the Danish standards for terms of employment

It is a requirement that your working hours are at least 30 hours a week.

Your salary must meet, at least, the minimum amount regardless of how many hours your work per week.

It is not possible to be granted a residence and work permit for a job encompassed by a legal labour conflict. It is, however, possible to be granted a permit for other jobs in a company or institution involved in a legal conflict, if the jobs, according to the applicable agreements between the labour market parties, are not encompassed by the conflict. 

 

In some cases, before you can be granted a residence and work permit, it is required that you have a Danish authorisation or a temporary authorisation for employment for adaption and training purposes.

If you have taken up employment for adaption and training purposes in order to obtain a Danish authorisation, you need to have a temporary authorisation (evalueringsautorisation) issued by the Danish Patient Safety Authority. If you have been offered employment as a medical doctor, you need to obtain an authorisation from the Danish Patient Safety Authority.

You can read more about the professions that are regulated by law

One of the conditions for a residence permit under the Pay Limit Scheme is that your spouse, cohabiting partner, children or, in certain circumstances, other family members holding a residence permit as accompanying family members, have not had their residence permit revoked more than once due to lack of a required work permit.

What are my rights if I am granted a permit?

What are you allowed to do with a Danish residence and work permit via the Pay Limit Scheme? – and what are you not allowed to do?

Your permit is linked to your job in Denmark.

You must always notify SIRI if you lose or change job. 

With a permit under the Pay Limit Scheme, your job content can change within the same university or company without you having to apply for a new work permit. For example, this applies if you are promoted or if your place of work changes. Salary and employment conditions must still correspond to the Danish standards.

Your salary must continue to correspond at least to the pay limit.

Furthermore you are allowed to carry out unpaid voluntary work.

Please note that your work permit can expire before your residence permit. This happens if you have been granted a permit to stay in Denmark for a period of time while looking for a new job.

It is important that you do not work during this so called job seeking period as it is only intended for job seeking in Denmark.

If you are offered a new job with a new employer, you must apply for a new permit.

If you wish to take a sideline job, you have to obtain a separate permit.

You can read more about sideline employment here, and you can specific guidance regarding work as an external examiner here.

A Danish residence and work permit does not allow you to work in other Schengen countries.

You can read more about working conditions in Denmark and 'The Danish labour market model' here.

A residence and work permit based on the Pay Limit Scheme allows you to stay in Denmark for the period of time your permit is valid.

In addition, a permit allows you to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days within the latest 180 days period. The permit, however, does not allow you to work in other Schengen countries.

You must not give up your Danish address or stay abroad for longer than 6 successive months. A violation will result in the lapse of your permit. This means that you will lose your right to stay in Denmark.

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 permit lapse and dispensation options here.

You must be able to support yourself and your family during your stay. You are not allowed to receive benefits under the terms of the Active Social Policy Act, e.g. social security 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 Denmark.

If an authority, e.g. a municipality, disburses benefits to foreign nationals, SIRI will be notified.

You can see a list of benefits that you are not allowed to receive here.

With a residence permit in Denmark, you are entitled to free Danish lessons. However, you must have turned 18 years and have your Danish address registered in the Danish National Register.

If you have a residence permit in Denmark based on work, study, etc. you have to pay a deposit before you can start receiving lessons. Be aware that you can lose your deposit if you do not pass the different modules within a specific timeframe.

Your municipality of residence is obliged to offer you Danish lessons and refer you to a language centre. If you have not been offered Danish lessons within a month after registering your address in Denmark, you can contact your municipality.

You will (typically) be taught together with other foreign nationals who have arrived in Denmark recently.

If you are going to stay and work in Denmark, there are a number of things to acquaint yourself with. Depending on your personal situation, you might need other important information and options.

The portal lifeindenmark.dk provides you with information, links and in many cases also options concerning the most important subjects such as:

  • NemID
  • The CPR register
  • Health card
  • Tax matters
  • Holiday entitlements
  • School and daycare
  • Housing
  • Danish lessons
  • Car registration and driver’s license 

How long can I stay in Denmark?

If you apply from abroad, you can be granted a residence permit valid for 1 month before you start working. It will give you the time to settle in Denmark. When you apply, you must declare that you can support yourself and any accompanying family members during this time.  If you do not declare this, your residence permit will be valid for 14 days before you start working.

If you apply in Denmark, your residence permit will be valid from the day you start working.

If you are employed for a shorter period than 4 years, your residence and work permit will normally be valid for the period of your employment. If you wish to continue working in Denmark after this time, you must apply for an extension of your residence and work permit.

In addition, you will automatically be granted a 6 month job seeking permit allowing you to look for a new job in Denmark.

You are not allowed to work during your job seeking period.

If you find a new job, you must submit a new application based on the new job – it can either be based once again on the Positive List or it can be based on another of our work schemes. When you have submitted your application based on the new job, you do not have to wait for your permit before you start working. You can start your new job on the day you submit the new application.

If your employment contract is extended, 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 your application for an extension in time, you can stay in Denmark and continue to work even though your permit is expiring.

If your employment is for a period of 4 years or more, you will normally be granted a permit valid for 4 years. If you wish to continue to work after the first 4 years, you must apply for an extension of your residence and work permit based on the extension of your employment. 

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

If you submit your application for an extension in time, you can stay in Denmark and continue to work, even though your permit expires before SIRI makes a decision on your application for an extension.

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.

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

When you are granted a permit via the Pay Limit scheme, your residence permit is linked to your job in Denmark.

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.

Please note, that there are special instructions for employers in cases of change in position within the same workplace. More about that here.

On the instructions page “Your situation is changing”, you can also find examples of the situations in which changes in position within the same workplace requires of you to apply for a new residence and work permit.

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.

However, if you become unemployed through no fault of your own, e.g. due to cutbacks, you can apply for an extra 6 month residence permit allowing you to look for a new job in Denmark.

You must apply for a job seeking permit no later than two days after your employment ends.

You are not allowed to work while you have a job seeking permit.

If you find a new job, you must apply for a new residence and work permit based on one of our work schemes. When you have submitted your new application, you can start working even though you have not been granted a permit yet. More about this job change rule here.

If you find a new job while working in Denmark, you must submit a new application for a residence and work permit with information on your new employment. When you have submitted your new application, you can start working even though SIRI has not granted you a permit yet.

Please note that with a permit under the Pay Limit Scheme, your job content can change within the same university or company without you having to apply for a new work permit. For example, this applies if you are promoted or if your place of work changes. Salary and employment conditions must still correspond to the Danish standards.

Your salary must continue to correspond at least to the pay limit.

Can my family be granted a residence permit?

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

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 more do I need to know before I apply?

An application for a residence permit on the basis of work is processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). If you are in Denmark when submitting the application, you must be here legally. More about submission here.

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

Before submitting your application, you must create a case order ID for your application and pay a fee to cover SIRI’s case processing expenses. You can do this on the “How to apply” tab to the right. Here you also find the relevant application form, AR1.

Your employer must fill in one of two parts of the form. Your employer must be the first to fill in his or her part. When your employer has completed his or her part, a reference number and password will be shown, which your employer must pass on to you. You are then able to open the online application and complete your part.

If you have granted your employer power of attorney to handle the application on your behalf, your employer must use the AR6 online form. This form is only filled in by the employer. 

You can find an approved template for a power of attorney here.

Please note that, as a rule, SIRI will refuse your application for a residence permit on new grounds, if the application is submitted prematurely in relation to the wished for start date for your stay in Denmark. 

If you submit such an application earlier than 6 months before your stay in Denmark will begin, you can expect a refusal to your application. If you have paid SIRI's case processing fee, you will not receive a refund of the fee.

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.

If you are a commuter and will not be residing in Denmark and for this reason will only apply for a work permit, you do not need to create a case order ID or pay a fee. Instead you kan go directly to step 3. Read more about commuting here.

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, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, you must also submit certified translations into Danish or English.

If you represent a company, please be aware that we sometimes need specific documentation of the company in order to be able to assess the economic basis for paying the salary of an employee.

You must submit:

Companies setting up in Denmark can attach

Newly established companies, where the first annual accounts are not available, are kindly asked to attach

It is a good idea to gather the necessary documentation before you start completing the application form.

You should use the checklist below, which is specific for you who have been offered employment in a hotel or a restaurant (i.e. in the hospitality and food service industry).

We have designed this specific checklist for employment in the hospitality and food service industry, as we know from experience that more information is needed in these types of applications.

If you submit documents not written in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, you must also submit translations into Danish or English by a professional translator.

You must submit:

You or your employer must submit:

You can see which information the employment contract must include here

You can download an example of an overview of the company’s staff here. Note that the overview must be filled out according to the specific situation of the company in which you are to be employed

Remember, if you have granted your employer power of attorney to handle the application on your behalf, you must attach a valid power of attorney.

If it is a third party that represents you and your employer, the third party must send to SIRI one power of attorney for you and one for your employer. 

You can find an approved template of a power of attorney here

Remember to specify:

  • Who grants the power of attorney
  • Who receives the power of attorney
  • Date and signature

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 forms.

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

You can choose between these two online application forms:

  • AR1, in which you and your employer each are required to complete separate parts of the form

  • AR6, in which you grant your employer power of attorney to apply on your behalf

In the AR1 form your employer must complete the first of the two parts of the form. When your employer has completed his or her part, a reference number and password will be shown, which your employer must pass on to you. You are then able to open the online application and complete your part.

In the AR6 form only your employer must complete the form.

Read more about power of attorney and download an approved power of attorney standard here.

Make sure you have all documents ready in digital form, in order to attach them as you complete the application form.

If you do not have a MitID, you must sign, scan and attach to the application the document 'Sworn declarations and information'.

You can download the document 'Sworn declarations and information' here (also available in the form)

 

Use the AR1 form                    Use the AR6 form

 

Please note that it is mandatory to use this application form. Under special circumstances, you can be exempted from the requirement to use an online application form. You can read more here.

When you apply for a residence permit, you must have your biometric features recorded. This means that you must have a facial photo taken and your fingerprints recorded. The facial photo and your fingerprints will be stored on a microchip embedded in the residence card, which will be issued to you if you are granted a permit.

If you do not agree to have your biometric features recorded, your application will be rejected. This means that your application will not be processed.

Read more about biometrics here.

You must have your biometric features recorded no later than 14 days after you submitted your application.

If you are unable to have your biometric features recorded within the time limit of 14 days, because you are unable to book an appointment at a Danish diplomatic mission, you can inform us of the appointed time you will have your biometrics recorded. This way you can avoid having your application rejected.

You are abroad

You can have your biometric features recorded at a Danish diplomatic mission or an application centre in the country where you reside.

See the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ list of diplomatic missions or application centres where you can have your biometric features recorded

In certain countries Denmark does not have a diplomatic mission or application centre. 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.

If you submit your application to a Norwegian diplomatic mission, you must also submit one passport photo. If you are later granted a residence permit based on your application, you must within a specific time frame after your entry to Denmark have your biometric features recorded.

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

 

You are in Denmark

If you are residing legally in Denmark, you are normally able to have your biometric features recorded 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 have your biometric features recorded in one of SIRI’s branch offices

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

If you are a commuter and does not reside in Denmark and for this reason will only apply for a work permit, you do not need to have your biometrics recorded. Read more about commuters here

You have submitted your application succesfully if you have:

  • created a case order ID
  • paid the fee
  • submitted the application
  • had your biometric features recorded

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.

Read more about what you can expect while you are waiting for an answer.

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