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| Field | 🇩🇰DenmarkDenmark Positive Lists 2026 |
|---|---|
| Country | Denmark (DK) |
| Route | Denmark Positive Lists 2026 |
| Route family | Employment / skilled work |
| Route type | work visa |
| Summary | The lists effective **1 July 2026** contain **164 job titles** on the Higher Education list and **63 job titles** on the Skilled Work list. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-20 |
| Official/supporting source count | 8 |
| Route guide | Open full guide → |
| Program availability | ActiveSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6Source 7Source 8 |
| Best-fit work models | Local employmentSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5Source 6Source 7Source 8 |
| Income requirement | Not applicableAs of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Savings requirement | Not applicableAs of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Investment requirement | Not applicableAs of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Government fees | SIRI lists a DKK 6,810 application fee for both the Higher Education and Skilled Work tracks. Check the current fee and exemptions before applying.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Processing time | The Higher Education track normally takes one month, up to three months if more information is required. Skilled Work normally takes three months, up to four months if more information is needed.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Validity | For either track, employment under four years normally limits the permit to the contract term; employment of at least four years normally yields a four-year permit. A six-month non-working job-seeking period is automatically granted for contracts under four years. Passport expiry can shorten validity. Regional Council additions may restrict the work location to specified municipalities.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Renewal | Apply for an extension before the permit expires when the contract is extended. A timely extension application generally permits continued residence and work while SIRI decides. A new job or position generally needs a new application, including a new position with the same employer.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Family inclusion | Eligible spouse, registered/cohabiting partner and children under 18 living at home may apply for accompanying-family residence. The principal applicant must also meet a scheme condition that an accompanying family member's permit has not been revoked more than once for work without a required permit.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Spouse work rights | A spouse/partner granted accompanying-family residence generally has work rights in Denmark; a separate permit may be required for work at the sponsor's same or closely related company. The family permit letter controls.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Local-work rules | The Higher Education route requires a job listed for a relevant higher-education qualification, including any listed specific degree and Danish authorization/recognition. The Skilled Work route requires a listed skilled job. Both require usual working hours and Danish-standard pay/terms; salary statistics are used for the Skilled Work assessment. Permits are tied to the named job/employer, and some Higher Education list entries added by a Regional Labour Market Council are geographically limited. No work is authorized elsewhere in Schengen.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Application location | Apply to SIRI after creating a case order ID and paying the fee. Use the route-specific online form with employer/applicant sections, submit the employment contract or offer plus qualifications, authorization and regional work-location evidence as relevant, then record biometrics within 14 days. Commuters applying only for a work permit may be exempt from the ordinary fee and biometrics process.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Permanent-residence pathway | Positive List permits are temporary and do not themselves grant permanent residence. A holder may later apply under separate Danish rules, usually after eight years of legal residence or four years in specified cases, subject to other conditions.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Citizenship pathway | A Positive List work permit is not citizenship. Danish naturalisation has separate permanent-residence, lawful-residence, self-sufficiency, language, knowledge and parliamentary approval requirements.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
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