Denmark Opens New Certified-Employer Work Permit Route for Foreign Workers From January 2027

COPENHAGEN — Danish companies struggling to recruit staff will get a new route to hire foreign workers from 1 January 2027, when a new collective agreement-based work permit scheme takes effect. The legislation was adopted by the Danish Parliament on 3 September 2026 and allows certified employers to recruit workers from 16 designated countries at a minimum annual salary of DKK 322,000 — under Danish pay and working conditions.

The scheme, administered by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), is designed to ease labour shortages in sectors such as transportation, construction and production while protecting the Danish labour market model through mandatory collective agreements and union oversight.

Inside the Denmark certified employer work permit scheme

Under the new rules, only companies certified by SIRI can use the scheme. To be certified, a company must be covered by a collective agreement, have at least two years of operational history, employ at least ten full-time staff in Denmark, hold a clean service certificate from the Danish Business Authority, comply with the Danish Aliens Act, and have no fines for underpayment of foreign workers within the past two years.

Salary and eligibility

Foreign workers hired under the scheme must receive a minimum annual salary of DKK 322,000 at the 2026 level and must be citizens of one of the 16 designated countries. The position must be covered by the collective agreement to which the company is bound, ensuring the worker benefits from established Danish labour market protections. Employment must be full-time according to the relevant collective agreement, and the salary must be paid into a Danish bank account.

Implementation timeline

The scheme enters into force on 1 January 2027. SIRI will manage applications and certification decisions. The government first presented the proposal in June 2025, and Parliament’s adoption on 3 September 2026 gives companies just under four months to prepare certification applications before the route opens.

The 16 designated countries

The scheme is limited to citizens of the following countries: the United Kingdom, the USA, Singapore, China (including Hong Kong), Japan, Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, Malaysia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova. Companies recruiting from these countries will find it easier to bring a worker to Denmark on a residence and work permit than under the existing immigration routes.

Why Denmark is changing the rules

Denmark is facing shortages of qualified labour in many sectors, particularly construction, production, technology and transportation. The new scheme gives companies better access to foreign workers while requiring them to employ those workers on the same terms as Danish colleagues — the same pay, working hours and working environment.

A central aim is to combat social dumping, where foreign workers are employed on worse pay or conditions than Danish colleagues. The collective-agreement requirement is intended to guarantee orderly conditions, and the scheme is accompanied by measures such as mandatory ID cards on larger construction projects to make it easier for authorities to check compliance.

The reform also reflects the “Danish model” of trust, collective agreements and cooperation between employers and trade unions: by requiring a collective agreement, the scheme strengthens fair competition between companies rather than allowing undercutting through cheaper foreign labour.

How the new scheme compares

The new route is aimed in particular at sectors where recruitment in Denmark and other EU countries is difficult and where standard salaries are lower than in the other immigration schemes — the transportation industry is one example cited by advisers.

For readers following immigration and labour-market news from Denmark, more English-language Denmark coverage is available on Watan News.

Further detail on the scheme’s requirements is available in the Deloitte Denmark immigration update for September 2026.

Conclusion

The certified-employer scheme marks a careful balancing act: Denmark wants foreign labour to fill real shortages, but only on Danish terms. With certification valid for three years and strict collective-agreement requirements, the route rewards companies that already play by the Danish model — and its success will be measured in whether it delivers workers without weakening the standards it was built to protect.

FAQ

When does Denmark’s new certified-employer work permit scheme start?

The scheme enters into force on 1 January 2027. Parliament adopted the legislation on 3 September 2026, and SIRI will manage applications and certification.

What is the minimum salary under the new scheme?

Foreign workers must receive at least DKK 322,000 per year at the 2026 level, well below the Pay Limit Scheme’s DKK 552,000 threshold.

Which countries are covered?

The UK, USA, Singapore, China (including Hong Kong), Japan, Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, Malaysia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova.

What must a company do to become certified?

Be covered by a collective agreement, have two years of operational history, at least ten full-time employees in Denmark, a clean service certificate from the Danish Business Authority, comply with the Aliens Act, and have no fines for underpayment of foreign workers in the past two years. Certification lasts three years and is renewable for four-year periods.