By Thomas Alexander Hoelgaard and Kim Niemann, The Danish Agency for International Educatio
Often associated with H.C. Andersen and his 'Little Mermaid', Denmark is often portrayed as a fairy tale kind of place. Denmark is first and foremost a socially balanced and progressive society - and a great place to start your career.
As an international graduate it is time to put to use what you have learned. Once you have been through our free-thinking education system, we know that you will thrive in our innovative and flexible work culture/environment.
Below have we provided you with the following need-to-know information about working in Denmark.
Entering the Danish labour market
Nordic citizens of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden - are free to enter, reside, study and work in Denmark. If you want to stay in Denmark for more than six months, you have to apply for a civil registration number ('CPR number') at the Citizen Service in your municipality. Further information can be found at newtodenmark.dk and workindenmark.dk.
EU/EEA-citizens and nationals of Switzerland - are also free to enter, reside, study and work here. However, if you want to stay in Denmark for more than three months, you will have to apply for a registration certificate at your Regional State Administration ('Statsforvaltning'). Subsequently, you must apply for a civil registration number ('CPR number') at the Citizen Service in your municipality, if you plan on staying for more than six months. After graduation you may stay in Denmark for up to six months to look for a job. Further information can be found at statsforvaltning.dk and workindenmark.dk.
Citizens from the rest of the world - are generally not allowed to enter, reside, study and work in Denmark without a visa, residence or work permit. When you graduate from an institution of higher education in Denmark, you may stay here for up to six months to look for a job, however your residence permit must be valid for an additional six months after you graduate. If you have not previously been granted an extension to your permit, you can apply for it at The Danish Immigration Service.
When you find a job in Denmark, your employer must apply for a work permit at The Danish Immigration Service on you behalf. In order to look for a job, you can also apply for a residence permit through the 'Greencard' scheme. If you do not already hold a civil registration number ('CPR number') and want to remain in Denmark for more than three months, you must apply for it at the Citizen Service in your municipality. Further information can be found at newtodenmark.dk.
Getting your international diploma assessed
In order to work in certain professions in Denmark – so-called 'regulated professions' – you must meet certain requirements regarding your professional qualifications. Access to each regulated profession is administered by a public authority called the 'competent authority'. This authority will assess your qualifications in your professional field, subsequentlty granting or denying you permission to pursure your profession in Denmark. This permit is usually called an authorisation.
Most of the professions subject to regulation in Denmark are listed on the website of The Danish Agency for International Education. Here you can see whether your profession requires authorisation and, if so, what you must do to work within your field.
Please note that some regulated professions - for example professions within the field of land and air transport as well as certain maritime professions - are not listed. If you are in doubt about whether your profession is regulated, you can consult the competent authority or The Danish Agency for International Education.
If you are an EU/EEA-citizens or a national of Switzerland, certain EU rules concerning recognition of your professional qualifications apply. You can find out more about these rules in the 'Guide to recognition of foreign professional qualifications' on the website of The Danish Agency for International Education.
Further information can be found at en.iu.dk.
Unemployment insurance
Unemployment insurance in Denmark is optional. You can become a member of an unemployment insurance fund if you are between 18-63 years of age and work and reside in Denmark or another EU/EEA country. You must either:
- Have been employed within a profession covered by the unemployment insurance fund.
- Be a business-owner or a co-owner of a family run business.
- Have completed a business-related education of at least 18 months and applied for a membership of the unemployment insurance fund no later than two weeks after graduation.
Further information can be found at workindenmark.dk.
Learning Danish
Even though nearly everyone in Denmark speaks English, being able to speak some Danish will benefit you enormously and increase your chances of finding employment in Denmark.
As an employee or student in Denmark, you have the opportunity to take Danish language lessons for free. To find out about courses in your area, please contact the Citizen Service or the job centre in your municipality. Further information can be found at laerdansk.dk/en.
Online Danish courses are also available. These web-based courses are targeted at both beginners and those who already have some knowledge of the language. Students and graduates can use them to reach a good level of linguistic proficiency. Further information can be found at laerdansk.dk/en.
Work while studying in Denmark:
If you are a Nordic, EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, you do not need a work permit and there are no restrictions to the number of hours you can work in Denmark while you study.
Students from the rest of the world may work in Denmark for up to 15 hours per week, and full-time during the months of June, July and August. The only requirements is a work permit sticker in your passport. If you were not granted a work permit when you received your permission to study in Denmark, you can apply for it at The Danish Immigration Service.
Danish for beginners:
Find more courses at:
The Danish Agency for International Education is an authority within the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation responsible for supporting the internationalisation of education and training in Denmark.
The flexible Danish labour market:
A central feature of Danish labour market is the importance attached to balancing work and private life. The official working week is 37 hours. If you work overtime, you will usually be compensated financially or given time off in lieu. As an employee you are also entitled to five weeks of holidays and to take time off on full pay for the first day of your child's illness.
