Are you an accompanying family member of someone working or studying in Denmark?

If so, you are allowed to work full-time in Denmark. This means you have the opportunity to find employment with a company that may be able to sponsor you for a residence and work permit under one of the available schemes offered by SIRI (the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration).

If the main applicant – for example, someone holding a student visa – is about to complete their studies, the only way to remain in Denmark is typically to secure a job that either:

• Pays a minimum monthly salary of DKK 34,600 (including holiday pay and pension), or
• Qualifies under one of the approved schemes such as the Positive List or the Pay Limit Scheme.

The Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme

This is a relatively new scheme introduced by the Danish government after COVID-19 to make it easier for international workers to obtain residence and work permits. However, it has specific requirements that must be met:

• The job must be advertised on Jobnet.dk (the official Danish job portal) for at least two weeks before the application is submitted.
• The monthly salary must be at least DKK 34,600.
• The salary must be in line with Danish standards.

This means your salary cannot be lower than that of a Danish employee with the same qualifications and in the same job position. Therefore, it is important to determine the correct DISCO code and industry-standard salary for your position before applying. That means that just because your salary meet the requirement, you can still get rejection on your application for work permit in Denmark if it does not meet the industry standard salary.

Already working as a student or family member?

If you are already working in Denmark as a student or as an accompanying family member and wish to transition to a full work permit with your current employer, it is strongly recommended to apply correctly under the appropriate scheme.

It is crucial that the application, employment contract, and supporting documents are completed accurately. Mistakes or missing information can lead to a rejection.

On this page, you can read more about how to apply correctly, what to do, and what to avoid.

Sharandeep Singh assists with these types of cases and can guide both applicants and companies through the process. He ensures that the right scheme is used, the documents are properly prepared, and that all requirements are fulfilled — so your application has the best chance of success.