Denmark has updated the Positive List for Skilled Work and the Positive List for people with a higher education looking for jobs in the country. The Positive List is a scheme that allows foreign workers to work and reside in Denmark if offered a job.
Positive Lists in Denmark target highly skilled foreign nationals to address labor shortages and establish work permit eligibility under the country’s immigration system.
The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) has updated the Positive Lists with effect from July 1.
The new Positive List for People with a Higher Education includes 190 job titles, while the Positive List for Skilled Work includes 65.
In the current update, more positions have been added to the Positive List for People with a Higher Education. This is partly due to slightly more positions where there is a labour shortage, and partly because the positions on the list with effect from 1 April 2023 are on the list for at least 2 years at a time.
Foreign nationals who are thinking about working in Denmark should make sure their qualifications fit Danish regulatory criteria and see if their professional background aligns with the listed jobs. The list has been enlarged to include more chances across a variety of industries, which may be beneficial to individuals in higher education.
The Positive List for Skilled Work has more positions as more positions where there is a labour shortage have been registered.
The Positive List for Skilled Work and Positive List for people with higher education are updated twice a year – 1 January and 1 July. The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) has updated the Positive Lists. The new lists will take effect on 1 July 2025.
Foreign workers in Denmark looking for Danish residence and work permits are governed by the employment rules set by the Danish government.
The Positive List for People with a Higher Education
You have been offered a job included in the list of professions experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals in Denmark. If you have been offered a job included in the Positive List, you can apply for a residence and work permit in Denmark based on the scheme.
If you have been offered a job requiring university-level qualifications in a profession with a shortage of qualified professionals, then you can use the Positive List for the Highly Educated.
To be granted a residence and work permit under the scheme, your education must meet the education requirement specified for each job title. At the same time, your education must be relevant to the job title.
If you are employed for a shorter period than 4 years, your residence and work permit will normally be valid for the period of your employment.
The Positive List for Skilled Work
You have been offered a job included in the list of skilled professionals experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals in Denmark. If you have been offered a job included in the Positive List for Skilled Work, you can apply for a Danish residence and work permit based on this scheme.
If you have been offered a job requiring university-level qualifications in a profession with a shortage of qualified professionals, then you can use the Positive List for the Highly Educated.
The Positive List for Skilled Work is a list of skilled professions experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals in Denmark.
Denmark has recently released updated income statistics applicable to applications submitted from July 1, 2025. In cases where the employment relationship is not covered by a collective agreement and the employer is not a member of an employers’ organisation, SIRI will assess whether the salary corresponds to Danish standards up to approximately DKK 74,958 When applying for a residence and work permit in Denmark based on a salaried job, it is required that your pay meet Danish requirements.