Denmark Introduces New Work Permit Scheme Based on Collective Agreements

Denmark is launching a collective agreement-based work permit in January 2027 that lowers the minimum salary from 552,000 to 322,000 kroner a year for citizens of 16 countries. Learn more about the eligible countries, employer certification rules and key dates

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Denmark will introduce a new collective agreement-based work permit from January 2027. According to The Local Denmark, the scheme cuts the minimum salary needed for a work permit from 552,000 kroner a year to as little as 322,000 kroner for citizens of 16 non-EU countries.

The new Danish work permit matters for skilled and mid-level workers from those countries and for Danish companies that want to hire them. Employers can start preparing as early as December 2026, when certification opens.

Planning to work in Denmark under the new scheme and want to know how the Danish job market works?

The new permit ties eligibility to your citizenship, a collective agreement and a certified employer, so it pays to understand the rules before you start looking for a job. The Work guide on Visit World explains how work permits, job search and employment in Denmark work, so you can plan your move step by step. Get the Work guide for Denmark before you sign a contract.

What is the collective agreement-based work permit in Denmark?

In Danish the scheme is called overenskomstbaserede beløbsordning. It lowers the salary threshold to 322,000 kroner a year, provided the job is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with a Danish trade union.

Unlike some other Danish routes, the job does not need to appear on a list of occupations with a labour shortage in Denmark.

Why is Denmark changing its work permit rules?

The scheme follows a long campaign by the Moderate Party and business lobby groups such as the Confederation of Danish Industry. The Moderate Party first proposed it in 2023.

The Social Democrats opposed the idea until June 2025. The bill stalled when a general election was called in February 2026, was reintroduced after the new government was formed and passed parliament on 3 September 2026.

About the best cities in Denmark for expats, with rent, costs, jobs and schools — read more at the link.

Which countries' citizens can get the new Danish work permit?

The law covers citizens of the top ten non-EU countries ranked by the combined value of Danish investment abroad and foreign investment in Denmark. Countries applying for EU membership and countries with a bilateral mobility agreement with Denmark can also be added.

The list currently includes 16 countries:

• USA
• United Kingdom
• Singapore
• China
• Japan
• Australia
• Canada
• India
• Brazil
• Malaysia
• Montenegro
• Serbia
• North Macedonia
• Albania
• Ukraine
• Moldova

The Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration will update the list periodically.

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Which employers can hire through the scheme?

A company must have signed a collective agreement with a Danish union and be certified by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

Certification requirements for companies

As well as being covered by an eligible collective agreement, the company must:

• have at least ten full-time employees in Denmark and at least two years of operation;
• allow trade unions to monitor working conditions;
• have no recent penalties for underpaying foreign workers;
• have no more than two convictions for specified immigration-law offences in the preceding year;
• have fines below 60,000 kroner with fewer than 250 employees, or below 100,000 kroner with more than 250 employees;
• not be involved in a lawful industrial dispute when certification is granted;
• submit a clean company certificate (udtømmende serviceattest uden anmærkninger) from the Danish Business Authority;
• attend a guidance meeting with SIRI;
• pay the certification application fee;
• submit a legally binding declaration to comply with the collective agreement, allow union monitoring and meet other statutory requirements.

Certification is valid for three years.

When does the new scheme start?

The collective agreement-based work permit applies from January 2027. SIRI will begin accepting certification applications from companies in early December 2026.

How many foreign workers are expected to use it?

When the proposal was first presented, it was estimated to bring about 550 new labour migrants a year by 2030. That is a small share of Denmark's foreign workforce, which already exceeds 400,000 people.

About where in Europe foreigners will find work most easily in 2027 — read more at the link.

What this means for foreign workers and employers

• Check that your citizenship is on the current list of 16 countries.
• Ask the employer whether the job is covered by a collective agreement with a Danish union.
• Confirm that the employer is, or will be, certified by SIRI before you rely on this route.
• Expect the earliest permits under the scheme from January 2027.

The new Danish permit opens the job market to more workers from 16 countries, but the search for an employer and the move still need planning. Get the Work guide for Denmark on Visit World and prepare your job move now.

We remind you! In our previous article, we wrote about working in Norway in 2026, with job websites, salaries and permits.

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