Danish Visas and Work Permits
Our tax guide for freelance contractors working in Denmark
Citizens of the old EU Member States (before the enlargement on 1 May 2004) as well as citizens from the new EU Member States of Cyprus and Malta do not need a work permit to take up employment in Denmark.
Denmark is planning for the full application of the freedom of movement as of 1 May 2009. It has already simplified the procedures for citizens from the EU-8-States (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) to obtain work permits and has extended these rules also to citizens from Bulgaria and Romania. Workers who are employed by companies who are covered by collective agreements do not need work permits anymore. They only have to apply for proof of registration from the Regional State Administration. Workers who are offered a job by a company which has been granted approval in advance for the employment of nationals of these ten countries, may begin work as soon as their employment has been registered with the Immigration Service. In other cases, workers from these ten countries may not start work in Denmark until the Immigration Service has issued them with a residence and work permit
Residence and work permits are usually issued for no more than one year at a time. Family members are permitted to accompany the worker so long as he/she has sufficient revenue to cover their costs. EU/EEA citizens are free to reside in Denmark for up to three months; job seekers can stay for up to six months. In both cases they must be able to support themselves.
Citizens from all other countries need to go through a full work permit and residence permit application and it is fair to say that the increased size of the EU has made it even more difficult to obtain work permits for non-EU nationals. The Danish client must usually be able to show that it has advertised the position for several months and has been unable to find anyone on the local Danish market or from any of the EU Member States. The skills therefore have to be rare and in demand, and the person generally highly qualified. The employer has to apply for the work permit before the employee can come to Denmark: the process is lengthy (months rather than weeks) and a successful outcome not guaranteed.