FAQ for third country citizens living in Sweden
You must have a work permit that specifically allows you to work in Denmark when living in Sweden. You must apply for and receive a permit before you start working.
In order to apply for a work permit in Denmark, you must first have been offered an employment contract, and when you apply you pay a fee to the country’s immigration authorities.
Please note that this information applies if you are a citizen in a country outside of EU/EEA and Switzerland. EEA (the European Economic Area) includes all EU countries plus Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway.
Please note! It is very important that you contact Migrationsverket before you do an application for work permit in Denmark. A work permit in another country, can have an impact on your residence permit.
Does my Swedish residence- and work permit allow me to work in Denmark?
No. Third country citizens with a residence and work permit in an EU/EEA country do not benefit from the free movement of labour, as the permits only apply in the country in which they were issued. This means that a residence- and work permit issued in Sweden, does not give you the right to work in Denmark. You must have a work permit that specifically allows you to work in Denmark when living in Sweden.
Are there any exceptions to this rule?
If you live in Sweden and want to work in Denmark, being a citizen in a country outside of the EU/EEA and Switzerland, there are some ways in which you can obtain a work permit in Denmark.
It may be possible to work in Denmark if you comply with certain criteria. Below you find some different schemes which allow you to make an application for work permit in Denmark.
Please note that these schemes don't guarantee that you can get a work permit.
If you live in Sweden and have been offered a job in Denmark with a high salary, you can apply for a residence and work permit in Denmark 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 been offered a job with an annual salary of at least DKK 487.000 (2024), you can apply for a work permit under the Pay Limit scheme. You also need to fulfill certain conditions, for example the salary must be paid to your Danish bank account, and the salary must correspond to Danish standards.
If you live in Sweden and have been offered a job in Denmark with a high salary, you can apply for a residence and work permit in Denmark via the Supplementary 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 been offered a job with an annual salary of at least DKK 393.000 (2024), you can apply for a work permit under the Supplementary Pay Limit scheme. You also need to fulfill certain conditions, that are a bit harder to fulfill compared to the Pay Limit Scheme. On top of those requirements, the offered job must have been on Jobnet and the EURES-portal, the terms of employment must meet Danish standards, you are disqualified if you have a fine of 300 dkk ore more under the Criminal code or the Aliens act, the job must be full time, and the gross unemployment in Denmark at the time must be under 3,75%.
If your profession is on the list of professions currently experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals in Denmark, the Positive List, you can apply for a work permit. You must have an educational background that makes you qualified for the job.
It is a condition for all job titles on the Positive List for People with a Higher Education that you have completed a higher educational program.
The list contains information about what educational level is required for each job title.
In addition to the level of education, the salary and terms of employment must correspond to Danish standards, and the salary must be paid to a Danish bank account.
The update of the Positive List based on the ongoing labour market monitoring happens twice a year - 1 January and 1 July, but in case of an acute shortage of qualified professional for a job title, the Regional Labour Market Councils and the profession specific unemployment insurance funds can at any time add a job title to the list.
The Positive List for Skilled Work is a list of skilled professions experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals in Denmark.
If you have been offered a job included in the Positive List for Skilled Work, you can apply for a Danish residence and work permit based on this scheme.
Even if your offered job is on the Positive List, there are certain criteria that need to be fulfilled. For example, the salary and terms of employment must correspond to Danish standards, and the salary needs to be paid to a Danish bank account.
The Positive List for Skilled Work is updated at least twice a year.
If you are offered a position as a researcher, a PhD in a study programme or as a guest researcher, specific rules apply.
There must be particular reasons that the job must be performed by you – and you must provide documentation that you can carry out the job.
The scheme is aimed at, but not exclusively limited to, artists, athletes and specialised chefs among others.
Start-up Denmark is a scheme for foreign entrepreneurs giving you the opportunity to be granted a Danish residence permit in order to establish and run an innovative growth company. Your business idea must be approved by a panel of experts appointed by the Danish Business Authority. There must be specific Danish business interests speaking in favour of the establishment of your business in Denmark
You can only apply for a residence and work permit based on the Start-up Denmark scheme when your business idea has been approved.
There are other schemes for very specific situations, for example:
The Fast-track scheme makes it faster and more flexible for certified companies to recruit foreign employees to work in Denmark. If you are applying for a residence and work permit after the Fast track scheme, it is your employer who must handle the application process using a power of attorney from you. It is a requirement that your employer is certified by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).
Your employment must meet the conditions for one of the above schemes.
Does it cost anything to apply?
The price for an application depends on which scheme you choose. Some are free, like the scheme for volunteers, and the most usual schemes, like the Pay Limit scheme or Positive List scheme, costs DKK 4.670 (2023). Make sure to read all information about the application before you open a case and pay the fee, since it is normally not refundable.
Also, make sure to contact Migrationsverket before you apply.
Can I apply for a work permit, before I start looking for a job in Denmark?
You need to have a job offer to be able to apply for a work permit in Denmark.
You must apply for and receive a work permit in Denmark before you start working there. In order to apply for a work permit in Denmark or Sweden, you must first have been offered an employment contract, and depending on the type of employment and terms, you can choose which scheme above you should use to apply.
How do I apply for a work permit in Denmark?
Normally, as a third country citizen, you apply for a residence permit combined with a work permit. If you don’t intend to move to Denmark and for this reason only want to apply for a work permit, the process is a bit different.
If you want to live in Sweden and commute to a job I Denmark, you only need a work permit. Then you don’t have to create a case order ID or pay the fee. But you need to gather some documentation depending on which scheme you want to use, typically copy of your passport and the employment contract or job offer, including information about your salary, terms of employment and a job description. You and your employer need to fill out and submit an online application form.
You can choose between 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
You find the application forms under “How to apply” in the specific scheme that applies to your situation. You find the different schemes above.
Remember to always contact Migrationsverket before you start the application process.
What do I do once I receive a work permit in Denmark?
You should always contact the immigration authorities in your country of residence, if you obtain a work permit in another EU/EEA country and become a frontier worker. This is to make sure your residence permit isn't in any way affected by the work permit in another country.
