The Danish Green Card scheme allows you to live and work in Denmark if you can score enough points based upon criteria such as age, language skills, work experience, and education. If you score at least 100 points, you can obtain a residence permit valid for up to three years. In addition, you will be able to bring your immediate family along. As well as scoring 100 points, you must have a valid health insurance policy and be able to provide proof that you can support yourself and your family while you look for work in Denmark. Under the Danish Green Card scheme, points are score under five areas: Education, Language Skills, Work Experience, Adaptability and Age. It is also possible to score a number of bonus points for various factors described below.

Education

The level of academic degrees may vary from country to country, even if they have the same title. For example, a Bachelor's degree from another country may not necessarily be equivalent to a Danish Bachelor's degree. The Danish Immigration Service will decide whether it is necessary to have your educational level assessed by the Danish Agency for International Education, an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Development. If your education is on a level lower than a Danish Bachelor's degree, you will not be able to obtain enough points to be granted a residence permit under the greencard scheme.

POSITIVE LIST

Engineer

• Building engineer
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree

• Electric engineer
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree

• Energy engineer
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree

• Environmental engineer
  Requirement: Master's degree

• Mechanical engineer
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree

• Plastics engineer
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree

• Production engineer
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree

• Oil and gas engineer
  Requirement: Master's degree

Doctor, dentist and veterinarian

• Chief surgeon
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation
• Hospital doctor
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation
• General practitioner
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation
• Medical consultant
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation
• Medical specialist
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation

Other academic work

• Accountant
  Requirement: Master's degree
• Assistant professor/lecturer, natural sciences and technology
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Assistant professor/lecturer, the humanities
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Associate professor/senior lecturer, the humanities
  Requirement: Master's degree
• Attorney
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation
• Financial controller
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Land surveyor
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation
• Legal counsellor
  Requirement: Master's degree
• Upper secondary school teacher, natural sciences and physical education
  Requirement: Master's degree + Danish authorisation

IT and telecommunication

• IT architect
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' IT education
• IT consultant
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' IT education
• IT head of security
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' IT education at university level or business school level
• IT salesperson
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' IT education
• IT quality manager
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' IT education at university level or business school level
• Network consultant
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' IT education

Management

• Accounting manager
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Area manager
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Head of department
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Head of institute/centre
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Production manager
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level
• Quality manager
  Requirement: Documentation of at least three years' education at university level or business school level

Educational, social and religious work

• Childcarer/social educator
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree
• Social worker
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree

Sales, purchases and marketing

• Product specialist
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree relevant to the professional field

Health, healthcare and personal care

• Anaesthetic nurse
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation
• Chiropractor
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation
• Dental therapist
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation
• Head midwife
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation
• Head nurse
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation
• Nurse
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation
• Optician
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation
• Surgical nurse
  Requirement: Professional Bachelor's degree + Danish authorisation

With the addition of bonus points, the maximum number of points that can be scored for Education is 105. It is possible for you to score enough points for a work and residence permit based solely upon points earned for Education.

 

Education level	Points
Bachelors degree	30
Bachelors degree + 1 year Masters degree	50
Masters degree	60
PhD	80

Bonus points can also be earned under Education:

School Ranking	Bonus Points
Top 400	5
Top 200	10
Top 100	15

 

Education related to occupation on the Positive List	Bonus Points
Yes	10

Language Skills

You can earn a maximum of 30 points for language skills which includes knowledge of Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German. Points can be earned for both one Scandinavian language (Danish, Swedish, or Norwegian) and either English or German, but not for both English and German or two or more Scandinavian languages.

You will be required to show that you have passed an exam equivalent to at least a Danish Language Test, Level 1. Alternatively, you can prove language proficiency through a statement by your previous employer stating that you used Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German while performing your job for at least one year, or by proving that you have completed at least one year's study in higher education which was taught in one of these languages. In the case of these last two requirements, you will have shown a language proficiency equal to a Study Test in Danish as a Second Language.

Language Proficiency Level	Points
Level 1	5
Level 2	10
Level 3	15
Study Test in Danish as a Second Language	20

Work Experience

You can score a maximum of 15 points under Work Experience. Your points are earned based upon the number of years you have worked as a researcher, or in a field of work that is currently in shortage in Denmark (i.e., a job listed on the Positive List). If this does not apply to you, you can still earn points for experience any other single occupation.

Work Experience	Points
3-5 years experience as a researcher or in a field on the Positive List	15
1-2 years experience as a researcher or in a field on the Positive List	10
3-5 years experience in other work	5

Adaptability

If you have studied or worked in the European Union/European Economic Area, you can claim a maximum of 15 points for adaptability. You can only claim points for either education experience or work experience -- not both.

EU/EEA Education Experience	Points
Completion of at least one year of study in higher education in the EU/EEA or Switzerland	5
Completion of at least three years of study in higher education in the EU/EEA or Switzerland	10

 

EU/EEA Work Experience	Points
At least one year of work and residence in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland	5
At least two years of work and residence in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland	10

Age

You can also earn a maximum of 15 points for your age:

Age	Points
35-40 years	10
34 years or younger	15

Family Members

If you are granted a residence permit under Denmark's Green Card Scheme, your spouse or partner is also eligible for a residence permit, as well as any children under the age of 18 who are living at home with you. Your spouse or partner is allowed to work full time for the entire period of the residence permit's validity.