(DENMARK) Denmark has expanded and refined the occupations that qualify foreign nationals for fast-track residence and work permits, with an October 1, 2025 update to its national Positive List that employers and applicants rely on to fill labor shortages. The change, confirmed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), affects both people with higher education and skilled workers. It keeps the focus on real gaps in the labor market while giving companies a clearer path to hire from abroad when they can’t find candidates in Denmark.
The immediate effect is broader access to Danish work permits for engineers, healthcare workers, IT specialists, educators, finance professionals, and a range of technical trades such as construction, manufacturing, logistics, and clinical support roles. VisaVerge.com reports that this round of changes continues a multi-year effort to align immigration rules with employer demand while protecting job stability for local and foreign talent alike.
What the Positive List Is and How It Works
The Positive List is the backbone of how Denmark issues many work permits to third-country nationals. Jobs appear on the list only when there is documented national or regional shortage. Authorities consider:
- unemployment data,
- assessments from unemployment insurance funds,
- advice from Regional Labour Market Councils.
This means the list is not a wish list; it reflects where hiring problems persist and where foreign candidates can genuinely help.
For potential applicants, the list is also a roadmap: if your job title appears and you meet the education or training requirements, you can apply for a Danish residence and work permit under the Positive List scheme.
The Positive List reflects real hiring problems and provides a clear path for qualified foreign candidates to fill those gaps.
Key changes in the October 2025 update
- Expansion for people with higher education, building on a large July 1, 2025 increase.
- As of July 1, 2025, the Higher-Education Positive List grew to 190 job titles.
- Additional roles were added on October 1, 2025 following Regional Labour Market Councils’ recommendations.
- Once a job is added to the higher-education list, it remains there for at least two years, providing stability for employers and families.
- Skilled worker updates remain on a twice-yearly schedule: January 1 and July 1.
- The July 2025 skilled-list expansion reached 65 occupations covering construction trades, industrial production, maintenance, logistics, and vocational healthcare roles.
Eligibility and application basics
The Positive List’s design is simple and strict: you must match the listed occupation and hold the education or training that job requires. Someone with a general degree that does not match the listed role may not qualify, even with years of experience. Officials emphasize the importance of a clear link between shortage jobs and the skills brought by foreign hires.
Practical requirements and timing:
- Confirm the exact job title appears on the Positive List.
- Ensure you have the required education or vocational training (diplomas, transcripts, certificates, licenses).
- Prepare a valid job offer and supporting employer details.
- Pay the application fee and include proof of payment.
Processing and costs:
- Typical processing time for skilled worker permits: 1 month (may vary with case volume and documentation completeness).
- Government fee: DKK 6,055.
Timing matters because lists update on fixed cycles. Employers and applicants should verify the list status at the time of filing.
How employers benefit and must comply
Employers say the most valuable feature is reliability over time:
- Higher-education entries stay for at least two years, easing relocation, housing, and school planning.
- Skilled-list updates are predictable (January 1 and July 1), allowing HR teams to plan recruitment cycles.
Compliance checklist for employers:
- Verify the current Positive List entry for the job title.
- Ensure salaries and conditions meet Danish standards.
- Match candidate qualifications to the listed job’s education or training requirements.
- Keep copies of diplomas, training records, proof of fee payment, and a detailed job description.
- If a title was recently added, attach a note confirming the update date.
Smaller employers benefit because the framework reduces interpretation gaps—listed occupations create clear entry points for all companies, big or small.
Practical tips for applicants
- Check the Positive List before applying for jobs.
- Focus on Danish postings that use the listed title or a close variant.
- Gather and, if needed, translate and certify documents:
- For higher-education roles: degrees, transcripts, diplomas.
- For skilled roles: vocational certificates, training records, proof of hours.
- Ensure the job contract title and duties match the wording on the Positive List; provide a short description that mirrors the listed occupation.
Note: Small variations in job title wording can cause delays. If your contract says “maintenance technician” and the list uses “industrial maintenance mechanic,” clearly map duties and training to the listed role.
Timing considerations
- Skilled list: updates on January 1 and July 1 — check whether a role will remain listed across the next update.
- Higher-education list: titles have a minimum two-year stability window, reducing timing pressure.
If filing in late December, confirm the occupation remains listed after January 1. Always re-check list status before paying fees or submitting the application.
Sectors likely to benefit
Sectors that may see gains include:
- Higher-education track: engineering, healthcare, IT, education, finance.
- Skilled worker track: construction, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare support.
Examples of practical impact:
- A hospital outside Copenhagen could hire a specialized nurse or lab technologist more easily.
- A regional manufacturer could secure a maintenance technician.
- A tech firm in Aarhus could fill a persistent data engineering vacancy.
Family and relocation considerations
Families benefit from predictability:
- The typical one-month processing time for skilled permits and the two-year stability for higher-education roles make planning feasible.
- Schools, housing searches, and start dates can be arranged with more confidence.
- Delays usually arise from missing documents or unclear proof of qualifications, which applicants can control.
Policy context and upcoming reforms
The October 2025 update fits into a wider policy shift:
- Denmark is reforming parts of its work permit system, including lowering some salary thresholds and widening access for nationals from 16 non-EU countries.
- Further changes are expected in January 2026.
The government’s approach emphasizes a middle path: expand pathways where needed, keep standards for education and training, and use scheduled updates to measure results. The Positive List remains central to shortage-based hiring.
Where to find current information
Applicants and employers can find the current job titles and guidance on the official SIRI Positive List page:
Checking this page before drafting contracts or submitting a work permit request can save weeks and prevent refusals based on outdated information.
Policy Changes Overview
- The Positive List for People with a Higher Education expanded to 190 job titles on July 1, 2025, with additional roles added on October 1, 2025. Titles stay on this list for at least two years.
- The Positive List for Skilled Work includes 65 occupations as of July 1, 2025, updated January 1 and July 1 each year.
- Foreign nationals offered a job that appears on either Positive List can apply for a Danish residence and work permit if their education or training matches the listed occupation.
- For skilled work permits, typical processing time: 1 month. Fee: DKK 6,055.
Impact on Applicants and Employers
- Applicants: clearer rules and a better-defined path when your job is listed; still need valid qualifications and a job offer.
- Employers: predictability for planning, budgeting, and recruiting; clearer expectations for contract titles and required certifications.
Implementation and Next Steps — Practical Playbook
- Check the current Positive List to confirm the job title and relevant update windows.
- Confirm that the applicant’s education, degree field, or vocational training aligns with the listed role. Translate and certify documents if needed.
- Prepare and file the work permit application. Include proof of the job offer, qualifications, and fee payment of DKK 6,055.
- For skilled permits, plan around the 1-month typical processing time; add buffers for relocation and schooling.
- Keep communication open with the caseworker and respond promptly to requests for more documents.
For sectors with frequent shortages—engineering, healthcare, IT, education, finance, construction, manufacturing, logistics—monitor the next update cycle to see whether titles are added or retained.
Longer-term considerations
Looking ahead, Denmark’s broader reform package (including lower salary thresholds and expanded access for nationals from 16 non-EU countries) is expected to advance further in January 2026. Employers should keep records of which roles they filled through the Positive List during 2024 and 2025 to guide 2026 planning and measure how reforms affect hiring timelines.
In the meantime, the October 2025 update adds momentum to a system built to match real jobs with real candidates: if Denmark cannot find a qualified worker locally, it will open the door to one from abroad—provided the job is on the list and the person holds the right training or education. The Positive List continues to serve as the map both sides use to get there.
This Article in a Nutshell
On October 1, 2025, Denmark expanded and refined the Positive List that allows third-country nationals to obtain fast-track residence and work permits for occupations with proven shortages. The changes affect both higher-education roles and skilled trades, adding engineering, healthcare, IT, education, finance, construction, manufacturing, logistics, and clinical support. The Higher-Education Positive List reached 190 job titles as of July 1, 2025, and entries remain for a minimum of two years; the Skilled Worker List counts 65 occupations and updates biannually on January 1 and July 1. Applicants must match listed job titles and required qualifications; typical skilled-worker processing is about one month and the fee is DKK 6,055. Employers benefit from greater predictability for recruitment and relocation planning. Further reforms—including lower salary thresholds and expanded access for nationals from 16 non-EU countries—are expected in January 2026.
