Guidelines for temporary employment Denmark Short-Term Work Permit have been revised by the Danish Immigration Service. This update makes it clear which employment-related tasks require a work permit and which can be completed without one. When organizing a brief visit, foreign workers and visa applicants should be aware of these significant modifications to guarantee compliance.
Updates on Danish Short-Term Work Permits for February 2025
In February 2025, the Danish Immigration Service released the following three key adjustments about their recently launched Danish short-term work visa program:
1. What You Should Know About Visas vs. Work Permits
To work in Denmark, the majority of foreign nationals need a residence and work permit. However, some employment-related activities can be carried out without a work permit during brief visits (up to 90 days) on a visa or during a stay without a visa.
Without a work authorization, the following activities are permitted:
- Getting instruction, education, and training.
- Taking part in meetings and talks for business.
Activities that require a work permit:
- Making contributions to a business’s output, such developing or altering a product.
- carrying out duties that go beyond instruction and have an immediate effect on a business’s output.
Before applying for a visa, applicants are encouraged to get an advice statement from the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) if the nature of the work is unclear.
2. Particular Work Activity Examples
The Danish Immigration Service has offered particular instances to help illustrate when a work permit is required:
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- Meetings and Briefings: For business meetings when conversations do not immediately advance the company’s output, a visa is adequate. For instance, a work permit is not needed to attend a five-day conference with personnel regarding projects that would be carried out abroad.
- Participation in Tenders: As long as they do not contribute to the final delivery, foreign workers are permitted to participate in tender processes (such as submitting proposals for a contract) without a work permit. They need a work permit if their job directly affects the company’s output.
- Training and Assignments: A work permit is not necessary just to attend training. A work permit is necessary, nevertheless, if the trainee goes on to do programming or any other job-related duties.
- Duration of Stay: A work permit is required if an employee’s stay is more than ninety days (for example, a 92-day training program).
- Unfinished visa applications: Applications that don’t provide thorough explanations of their work-related duties risk being turned down. For instance, a 90-day visa application may be rejected if the applicant does not include a detailed description of their training.
3. Serving as a Volunteer Without a Work Permit
As long as volunteering is not the main reason for their visit, foreign nationals are permitted to perform unpaid volunteer work while on a visa or visa-free stay. Applications for visas based only on unpaid volunteer labor will be denied.
To ascertain whether unpaid volunteer work is exempt or necessitates a work permit, a detailed assessment will be conducted.
Updated Application Procedures for Denmark Short-Term Work Permit Up to 90 Days
Visa applicants should provide a thorough explanation of their intended activities in order to prevent delays or rejections, such as:
- Meeting or training session types
- Travel goal Expected results (if any)
- Projects or computer systems that are involved
Giving precise information facilitates case processing and enables Danish officials to determine whether a work permit is required.
