Denmark will start applying a new income requirement from April 1, 2024, for foreign nationals who enter Denmark for work purposes and apply for residence and work permits.
Announcing the news, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) said that the updated income statistics play an important role in determining whether offered salaries to foreigners align with Danish standards, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
As SIRI explains, the latest income statistics compiled by the Confederation of the Danish Employers, which feature data from the last quarter of 2023, are applicable to all applicants who submit residence and work permit applications from April 1, 2024.
The same authority has noted that all foreigners who submit residence and work permit applications after March 31, 2024, will have their application assessed based on the income statistics from the last quarter of 2023.
If you apply for a residence and work permit after March 31, 2024, your application will be evaluated according to the income statistics from the fourth quarter of 2023.
On the other hand, those who have applied for residence and work permits between January 1 and March 31, 2024, will have their application evaluated according to the income statistics from the third quarter of 2023.
It Is Necessary That Salary & Employment Terms Align With Danish Standards
In order for the residence and work permit applicants to be granted the document, their terms of employment must meet Danish standards.
This means that you must receive a remuneration which corresponds to the standards of the type of employment in question in Denmark.
The requirement to receive a salary that corresponds to Danish standards applies to first-time and extension applicants to the following schemes:
- Pay Limit Scheme
- Fast Track Scheme
- Researchers Scheme
- Positive List for People with a Higher Education
- Positive List for Skiller Work
- Special Individual Qualifications Scheme
- Herdsmen and Farm Managers Scheme
- Internship Scheme
- Employment for Adoption and Training Purposes Scheme
SIRI highlights that the authority assumes that the salary meets Danish standards if certain conditions are met.
However, in cases when conditions are not documented in the employment contract, SIRI does a more thorough check, assessing whether the salary offered corresponds to Danish standards.
In addition, if SIRI finds discrepancies between the offered salary and Danish standards, the authority can request comment from the employer or involve the Regional Labour Market Councils to further assess the situation.
If the Regional Labour Market Council determines that the salary does not meet the country’s standards, SIRI will then require employers to provide their input on the matter before making a decision.
These measures aim to ensure that all foreigners reaching the country for work purposes are offered salaries that align with local standards, encouraging fairness as well as compliance within Denmark’s labour market.
