Introduction
The Danish Green Card scheme allows you to live and work inDenmarkif 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 to18 months. 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 inDenmark.
The Danish Green Card Points Based System
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
To score points for Education, you must have the Danish equivalent of a bachelors degree. Your academic credentials must be assessed by CIRIUS, a body under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
In addition to points scored for your degree, bonus points can be awarded under Education for obtaining a degree from a top school or by having an education which qualifies you for work in an occupation on the Positive List.
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 |
Please take note thatDenmarkhas special requirements for degrees earned from Pakistani and Indian universities.
Pakistan
|
Pakistani Qualification
|
Danish equivalent
|
| 2 year Bachelor’s Degree |
Danish upper-secondary education or 1 year of Danish university studies at bachelor level (individual assessment) |
| 3 year Bachelor’s Degree |
1 or 2 years of a Danish Bachelor’s Degree (individual assessment) |
| 4 year Bachelor’s Degree (16 years of education altogether) |
2 years of Danish university studies, possibly a Danish Bachelor’s Degree or professional Bachelor’s Degree (based on individual assessment). |
| 1 or 2 year Master’s Degree on the basis of 2 to 3 year Bachelor’s Degree, altogether 4 years of higher education |
2 years of Danish university education, possibly a Danish Bachelor’s Degree or professional Bachelor’s Degree (based on individual assessment). |
| 1-2 year Master’s Degree on the basis of 4 years of university education |
4 years of Danish university education, possibly a Danish master degree if 6 years of studies and thesis |
| Master of Philosophy, 1-2 years |
Individual assessment |
| Postgraduate Diploma (PGD)(vocationally oriented higher specialisation/further education), 1-2 years |
Individual assessment |
| PhD, 3-4 years |
Individual assessment |
India
|
Indian Qualification
|
Danish equivalent
|
| Diploma (1 year)/Polytechnic andCollegeofTechnology |
Individual assessment in comparison to (possibly part of) a Danish vocational qualification (EUD) |
| Diploma (2 years)/Polytechnic andCollegeofTechnology |
Individual assessment in comparison to (possibly part of) a Danish vocational qualification (EUD) |
| Diploma (3-4 years)/Polytechnic andCollegeofTechnology |
Individual assessment in comparison to a Danish vocational qualification (EUD) |
| Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Engineering/Polytechnic |
Individual assessment |
| Bachelor of Arts/Science/Commerce (Pass), 3 years |
2 years of a Danish Bachelor’s Degree |
| Bachelor of Arts/Science/Commerce (Honours/Special Degree), 3 years |
2 years of a Danish Bachelor’s Degree (in certain circumstances, a full Danish Bachelor’s Degree) |
| Bachelor of Engineering etc., 4 years |
Danish Bachelor’s Degree (in certain circumstances, a professional Bachelor’s Degree) |
| Master’s Degree/Master’s of Arts/Science/Commerce,1 to 2 years |
4 years of a Danish master degree (if a thesis is included, the degree may be comparable to a full Danish Master’s Degree) |
| Master’s of Engineering etc, 2 years |
Danish Master’s Degree |
| Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), 1-2 years |
Individual assessment. |
| Master of Philosophy, 1-2 years |
Individual assessment |
| PhD (3 years) |
Danish Ph.D. degree |
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 orSwitzerland |
5 |
| Completion of at least three years of study in higher education in the EU/EEA orSwitzerland |
10 |
|
EU/EEA Work Experience
|
Points
|
| At least one year of work and residence in an EU/EEA country orSwitzerland |
5 |
| At least two years of work and residence in an EU/EEA country orSwitzerland |
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 underDenmark’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.
Financial Requirements
You must be able to provide proof that you can support your stay inDenmarkfor the first year while you search for work. This can be done in the form of a recent bank statement in your name which clearly states in which currency it was issued and on what date. You must also show that you are able to support any dependants who will be staying with you inDenmark.
The monthly rates required to meet the financial requiremnents before tax are (as of 2011):
- DKK 5,367 for persons under the age of 25 living alone
- DKK 6,472 for persons 25 years of age and older living alone
- DKK 5,367 per person for spouses or cohabiting partners
Addional monthly rates (called “caregiver supplements”) apply if you have children under 18 living in the household. A household can receive a maximum of two caregiver supplements. The monthly caregiver supplement is (as of 2011):
- DKK 1,342 per child for married or cohabiting parents
- DKK 1,619 per child for single parents
For example, if you plan to immigrate by yourself toDenmarkand you are over the age of 25, you must have DKK 6,472 X 12 months = DKK 77,664 available to fund your first year inDenmark. If you are coming as a single parent of three children and you are over the age of 25, you must have (DKK 6,472 X 12) + (1,619 X 2 X 12) = DKK 116,520 available to fund your first year in Denmark.