Denmark bids to attract foreign talent by expanding skills shortage list

By Moustafa Daly

Denmark just announced that it is updating its Positive List for Skilled Work, a list of fields in which foreigners can easily access Danish residency.

In keeping with the global trend of attracting skilled migrants, foreigners in various fields can take advantage of this development; sectors range from science, engineering, sales managers, real estate agents, paramedics, and HR assistants to floral decorators and landscape gardeners.  The list now includes nearly 72 job titles.

In 2023, Denmark loosened restrictions for skilled labor, lowering salary requirements and easing the hiring of foreigners for Danish companies, among other measures to address the country’s skills shortages. The country last updated the Positives List in July 2023, providing Danish companies with a legal fast-track to hire foreign labor easily.

Also, international students enrolled in Danish universities now get a three-year job search window automatically conferred upon completion of their degree, enabling them to explore employment opportunities and reside in the country without needing to apply for a different residence permit.

Conditions for Denmark’s Positive List for Skilled Work

The conditions for eligibility to the Positive List for Skilled Work residency include an adequate salary within the foreigner’s industry. While not directly dictated, the “salary, holiday entitlements and terms of notice, etc. must not be inferior to the standards in the professional field where you are going to work,” reads the government’s official immigration portal. Also, salaries must be transferred to a local bank account owned by the visa holder.

Denmark doesn’t have a government-mandated minimum wage, but salaries average an equivalent of approximately $3,000 per month.

Another condition requires the hiring company to comply with training and educational requirements for their foreign hires, entailing additional financial and administrative commitments by the company.

Relatively straightforward, the fully online application process requires a fee of nearly $1,000, an employment offer, educational certificates, and a document detailing salary and benefits.

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