Denmark selects on salary and shortage lists, not points: the Pay Limit threshold is DKK 552,000 for 2026 applications, and the Positive Lists are refreshed every 1 January and 1 July.
Overview
Denmark has no points system. Work migration runs through named salary-threshold and shortage-list schemes decided by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), while the Danish Immigration Service (Udlændingestyrelsen) decides family reunification and permanent residence. The flagship route is the Pay Limit Scheme: a job offer paying at least DKK 552,000 per year (DKK 46,000/month) for applications submitted on or after 1 January 2026 — the threshold is re-set every 1 January. The Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme sits lower at DKK 446,000 for 2026. Two Positive Lists (one for higher-education occupations, one for skilled work) open routes below the pay limits; the 1 January 2026 lists contain 183 and 57 job titles respectively and are updated each 1 January and 1 July. Certified companies can use the Fast-track Scheme for quicker starts. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens bypass all of this under free movement and instead obtain an EU residence document from SIRI. Verified against nyidanmark.dk, um.dk, borger.dk, danskogproever.dk, politi.dk and ufsn.dk as of June 2026.
Main Work and Residence Routes — 2026 Fees
| Scheme | Core requirement | 2026 application fee | Decided by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay Limit Scheme | Job offer ≥ DKK 552,000/year (DKK 46,000/month), Danish salary and employment terms | DKK 6,810 | SIRI |
| Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme | Job offer ≥ DKK 446,000/year (2026 amount) | DKK 6,810 | SIRI |
| Positive List — Higher Education | Job offer in one of 183 listed occupations (1 Jan 2026 list) | DKK 6,810 | SIRI |
| Positive List — Skilled Work | Job offer in one of 57 listed occupations; employer must be covered by Læreplads-AUB | DKK 6,810 | SIRI |
| Fast-track Scheme | Job with a SIRI-certified company; tracks incl. pay limit and researcher | DKK 6,810 | SIRI |
| Researcher Scheme | Research position at a Danish institution or company | DKK 6,810 | SIRI |
| Start-up Denmark | Business plan approved by an expert panel | DKK 3,060 | SIRI |
| Study (higher education) | Admission to an approved programme | DKK 3,060 | SIRI |
| Family reunification | Sponsor in Denmark; integration and self-support conditions | DKK 8,490 | Danish Immigration Service |
Who Decides What
- SIRI (Styrelsen for International Rekruttering og Integration): decides all work, study, au pair, researcher and EU residence cases. Applications are filed through nyidanmark.dk, the joint portal of SIRI and the Immigration Service.
- Danish Immigration Service (Udlændingestyrelsen): decides family reunification, permanent residence, visas and asylum. Permanent residence on grounds of work/study costs DKK 7,570 in 2026.
- Immigration Appeals Board (Udlændingenævnet): hears appeals against both agencies' refusals — 8-week deadline, DKK 1,040 fee (see the Visa Refusals topic).
- Thresholds reset annually: the Pay Limit minimum amounts are regulated every 1 January (2025: DKK 514,000; 2026: DKK 552,000). Extensions may continue at the threshold that applied when you first applied.
- Positive Lists reset twice a year: 1 January and 1 July, based on official labour-market shortage monitoring. A job title can drop off the list — but the job change rule lets some permit holders move within their scheme.
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: no permit needed. Stay up to 3 months freely (6 months as a jobseeker); for longer stays apply to SIRI for an EU residence document within 3 months of entry, appearing in person within 30 days of the online application.
- Biometrics: non-EU applicants must have facial image and fingerprints recorded no later than 14 days after submitting the application; the residence card carries them on a chip.
Permanent Residence — the 8-Year and 4-Year Tracks
- Basic rule: 8 years of legal residence — cut to 4 years if you meet all 4 supplementary requirements. Otherwise you must meet at least 2 of the 4 after 8 years.
- Basic requirements (everyone): pass Prøve i Dansk 2 or higher, hold current employment, meet a full-time employment history requirement, have no overdue public debt, and not have received certain public benefits in the qualifying period. Certain criminal sentences disqualify or impose waiting periods.
- The 4 supplementary requirements: (1) pass Prøve i Dansk 3 or an equivalent/higher exam; (2) regular full-time work or self-employment for at least 4 of the 4.5 years before the decision; (3) annual taxable income above the published threshold; (4) 'active citizenship' — either documented civic participation for at least 1 year or passing the medborgerskabsprøven (citizenship-knowledge test, fee DKK 946 in 2026).
- Where to apply: the Danish Immigration Service, fee DKK 7,570 (work/study grounds) in 2026.
- EU citizens: obtain permanent EU residence after 5 years' lawful residence under the EU rules instead — a separate, cheaper track via SIRI.
Citizenship in Brief
- Naturalisation is by Act of Parliament: applicants who meet the conditions are listed in a naturalisation bill passed roughly twice a year — there is no administrative grant. Applications go to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration (uim.dk).
- Headline conditions: generally 9 years' continuous legal residence (less for some groups), a permanent residence permit, Prøve i Dansk 3 (Prøve i Dansk 2 suffices only for applicants who have been largely self-supporting), the Indfødsretsprøven af 2021 citizenship test (fee DKK 946 in 2026), full-time employment for at least 3.5 of the last 4 years, self-support, and a clean criminal record — fines of DKK 3,000+ already trigger waiting periods.
- Dual citizenship: permitted since 1 September 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
What salary do I need for the Danish Pay Limit Scheme in 2026?
DKK 552,000 per year (DKK 46,000 per month) for applications submitted on or after 1 January 2026 — up from DKK 514,000 in 2025. The amount is re-set every 1 January, and SIRI publishes the full history on nyidanmark.dk. The salary must also match Danish standards for the position, and pay and employment terms must correspond to Danish conditions. If you later extend your permit, you may continue at the minimum amount that applied when you first applied, rather than the newest figure.
What is the difference between the Pay Limit and the Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme?
Both are pure salary-threshold routes with no education or occupation requirement, but the Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme has a lower 2026 threshold of DKK 446,000 per year (DKK 37,166.67/month) and carries additional conditions tied to labour-market circumstances — check the current conditions on nyidanmark.dk before relying on it. Both cost DKK 6,810 to apply for in 2026 and can also be used as tracks within the Fast-track Scheme if the employer is SIRI-certified.
How do the Positive Lists work, and what happens if my job title drops off?
There are two lists: the Positive List for People with a Higher Education (183 job titles as of 1 January 2026) and the Positive List for Skilled Work (57 titles). Both are updated every 1 January and 1 July based on official shortage monitoring. For the skilled list, your employer must additionally have met its apprentice-training obligation (covered by Læreplads-AUB). If your title later leaves the list, your existing permit is not revoked for that reason, and the job change rule allows certain moves within the scheme — but a brand-new application must match the list in force on the date you apply.
What does a Danish work permit cost in 2026, and is the fee ever refunded?
Work-scheme applications (Pay Limit, Positive Lists, Fast-track, researchers) cost DKK 6,810 in 2026; study permits and Start-up Denmark cost DKK 3,060; accompanying family DKK 3,080; family reunification DKK 8,490. Fees rose on 1 January 2026 (work cases were DKK 6,055 in 2025). The fee is generally not refunded on refusal, but if you appeal to the Immigration Appeals Board and your case is returned to SIRI for renewed processing, the appeal fee is returned. A DKK 1,040 administration fee is deducted from any case-fee refund.
Can I get Danish permanent residence after 4 years instead of 8?
Yes — if you meet all 4 supplementary requirements: Prøve i Dansk 3, full-time work for at least 4 of the past 4.5 years, an annual income above the published threshold, and active citizenship (1 year of documented civic participation or a pass in the medborgerskabsprøven, fee DKK 946). On the standard 8-year track you need at least 2 of the 4. Everyone must also meet the basic requirements, including Prøve i Dansk 2, current employment and no recent receipt of certain public benefits. The 2026 application fee on work/study grounds is DKK 7,570, paid to the Danish Immigration Service.
I'm an EU citizen — do I need a work permit for Denmark?
No. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens work in Denmark under free movement. You can stay up to 3 months without any registration (6 months while job seeking). If you stay longer, apply to SIRI for an EU residence document within 3 months of entering, and appear in person at a SIRI branch or International Citizen Service centre within 30 days of completing the online application. You need that document before the municipality will issue your CPR number, which in turn unlocks MitID, the health card and practically everything else.