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WORKING IN DENMARK

Denmark cuts back on ‘positive list’ of jobs eligible for work permits

Denmark has cut 15 job titles from its two positive lists of in-demand professions or trades eligible for work permits.

Published: 24 January 2023 16:54 CET
Denmark cuts back on 'positive list' of jobs eligible for work permits
Welders are on the positive list of skilled workers. Here one works on a wind turbine at Vestas' factory in Esbjerg. Photo: Henning Bagger/Ritzau Scanpix

Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) at the start of this year released a new “Positive List for People with a Higher Education”, which reduced the number of eligible job titles to 40 from the 46 which were on the list valid from July 1st until the end of 2022. 

The number of job titles in the “Positive List for Skilled Work“, meanwhile, has been reduced from 46 to 36.

The new lists will apply to anyone seeking a work permit between January 1st this year and the end of June. 

READ ALSO: How can you get a work permit in Denmark if you are not an EU national?

For people from countries outside the EU, the positive lists represent one of the best routes to a job in Denmark, with the first list outlining the qualified professions in demand in Denmark, and the second the skilled trades where there is a shortage of qualified labour. 

If someone from outside the EU has been offered a job in Denmark in any of the professions on these lists, they can apply for a work permit through the scheme. 

Siri updates the two lists twice a year on January 1st and July 1st on the basis of the Arbejdsmarkedsbalancen or “labour market balance”, prepared by the The Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment, also biannually. 

The Arbejdsmarkedsbalancen lists which job titles are currently experiencing severe labour shortages, labour shortages, which are employable, and which are less employable. 

You can find the positive list from last July for people with higher education here, and the positive list from last July for people with skilled jobs here. 

As of January 1st this year, the following job titles are on the positive list: 

POSITIVE LIST FOR PEOPLE WITH HIGHER EDUCATION

Managers in the field of production and service: 

  • Head of product. Bachelor’s degree required. 

Natural Science and Engineering

  • Chemist: Master’s degree
  • Biologist: Master’s degree
  • Mechanical Engineer: Professional Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree
  • Civil Engineer: Professional Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree
  • Environmental Engineer: Professional Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree
  • Electronics Engineer: Professional Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree
  • Town Planner: Master’s degree

Healthcare 

  • Medical Doctor: Master’s degree + Danish authorization
  • Hospital Doctor;´: Master’s degree + Danish authorization
  • Nurse: Professional Bachelor’s degree + Danish authorization
  • Veterinarian: Master’s degree + Danish authorization
  • Dentist: Master’s degree + Danish authorization
  • Physiotherapist: Professional Bachelor’s degree + Danish authorization
  • Occupational therapist: Professional Bachelor’s degree + Danish authorization

Education

  • Ph.D, Social Sciences: Master’s degree
  • Assistant Professor at a University College: Master’s degree
  • Subject Teacher at a Vocational Upper Secondary Education: Professional Bachelor’s degree + Danish official recognition
  • Upper Secondary School Teacher, Natural Sciences and Sports: Master’s degree + Danish official recognition
  • Independent School Teacher: Professional Bachelor’s degree
  • Primary School Teacher: Professional Bachelor’s degree + Danish official recognition
  • Child Care Worker/Support Worker: Professional Bachelor’s degree
  • Social Education Worker: Professional Bachelor’s degree
  • Special Education Teacher: Professional Bachelor’s degree + Danish official recognition

Economics, administration and sales

  • Auditor: Master’s degree
  • Accounting Controller: At least three years education at bachelor level
  • Financial Analyst: At least three years education at bachelor level

IT and communications technology

  • IT Architect: At least three years IT education at bachelor level
  • IT Engineer: At least three years IT education at bachelor level
  • IT Project Leader: At least three years education at university or business school level
  • IT Consultant: At least three years IT education at bachelor level
  • Programmer and System Developer: At least three years IT education at bachelor level
  • System Administrator: At least three years IT education at bachelor level

Law, social science and culture  

  • Legal Officer: Master’s degree
  • Psychologist: Master’s degree + Danish official recognition
  • Social Worker: Professional Bachelor’s degree
  • Priest: Master’s degree
  • Organist, cantor: At least three years education at bachelor level

Technician work in science, engineering, shipping and aviation 

  • Architectural Technology and Construction Manager: Professional Bachelor’s degree

Technicians and assistants in healthcare 

  • Dental hygienist: Professional Bachelor’s degree + Danish authorisation

POSITIVE LIST FOR SKILLED WORK

Science and Engineering Associate Professionals 

  • Laboratory Assistant
  • Geotechnician
  • Plumber
  • Machine Constructor
  • Foreman

Business and administration associate professionals

  • Import and Export Employee
  • Sales and Account Manager
  • Sales Consultant
  • Shipping Agent
  • Property Manager
  • Logistic Employee, sales and purchasing
  • Legal Secretary
  • Medical Secretary

Legal, social, cultural and related associate professions

  • Parish Clerk
  • Head Chef

General and Secretary Clerks 

  • Lead Office Clerk
  • Office Assistant

Numerical and material recording clerks

  • Bookkeeper
  • Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerk
  • Payroll Bookkeeper

Personal services workers 

  • Chef 

Personal care workers 

  • Social and Health Care Assistant: Danish authorisation

Market-oriented skilled agricultural workers 

  • Landscape Gardener

Building and related trades (excluding electricians) 

  • Bricklayer
  • Carpenter
  • Building Painter and Decorator

Metal, machinery and related trades workers

  • Welder
  • Blacksmith
  • Sheet Metal Worker
  • Industrial Technician
  • CNC-operator
  • Mechanic, passenger cars and vans
  • Crane Mechanic, agriculture and industrial machines
  • Agricultural Machinery Mechanic

Electrical and electronic trade workers 

  • Electrician

Food processing, wood working, garment making and other craft-related trade workers

  • Cabinetmaker

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LIVING IN DENMARK

‘Cheaper’,’amazing nature’, ‘reliable transport’: The best Copenhagen commuter towns

Finding somewhere affordable to live in Denmark's capital is not easy, which is why a lot of people consider moving out of the city to rent or buy. The Local readers gave us an insight into life in a commuter town.

Published: 22 May 2024 16:14 CEST
Updated: 26 May 2024 06:54 CEST
'Cheaper','amazing nature', 'reliable transport': The best Copenhagen commuter towns

With the increase in flexible working, more people are looking to smaller towns outside of Copenhagen to either work from home or commute from. Here are some of the popular commuter towns.

Kokkedal/Fredensborg (north of Copenhagen)

From our reader survey, Kokkedal/Fredensborg were the most popular areas people lived.

“We can have a big house with a garden for the kids compared to a small flat in Copenhagen,” one reader said. 

“Houses are affordable for North Zealand compared to Lyngby, Birkerød or Holte for example,” added Judy, another reader. “Not a lot of apartments or rentals available though.”

She said she loved the “amazing nature” of the area, as well as the safety, community spirit and fact it was close to amenities and Hillerød.

The commute however is not the quickest of the commuter towns.

“On the days I work in town it costs 52 kroner each way, I need to get a bus or walk to Kokkedal then the train and then a bus or walk to work so it takes up to 1.5 hours,” said one reader. 

Judy agreed that it normally took her an hour and a half to get to Copenhagen’s central station. She said that the “cost can be reduced by using a pendelkort and there is a tax deduction for long distance commutes.” However another reader in the area said it took them 30 minutes to get to Copenhagen central.

The worst part about living in the area, Judy said, was that “local trains and buses only run once an hour on weekends”.

“If you don’t have a car, it’s a pain.”

Another reader complained that “the restaurant scene is not great” and that the “general access to culture” was limited, although the Louisiana Art Gallery, they said, was “not far away”. 

What Judy loved about the area was “amazing nature. Safety. Close to amenities. Community spirit. Houses are more affordable than similar areas like Birkerød. Three stops from Hillerød station. by train. There are also buses to towns on the kystbanen line.”

Kokkedal station. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The north of Copenhagen is a popular choice for commuters, due to the area’s many beaches and the good train links to the centre of Copenhagen.

Other popular commuter towns are Hillerød, Holte, Bikerød, Rungsted and Hørsholm. 

Vedbæk (north of Copenhagen)

A few kilometres south of Kokkedal but still north of Copenhagen, Vedbæk, reported our reader Ron, offers “small town life” where “nearly everyone knows each other”.

The wealthy coastal town, he said, “has everything we need, with easy train access to the Copenhagen on the Regionaltog.” In addition, the commute is “very reliable”, taking only 20 minutes on the train to Nørreport.

The downside, he said, was that housing in the area was very expensive. “It’s probably even more expensive in Vedbæk than in Copenhagen!”

The coastal town of Vedbæk is perfect for commuting. Photo: Tobias Kobborg/Ritzau Scanpix

Frederiksund (north of Copenhagen) 

A bit further out from Copenhagen to the northeast is Frederikssund, which our reader complained suffered from a “lack of culture”, a “paucity of good restaurants”, a pedestrian street facing some sort of “death”, and a shopping centre which was “hugely dull”. 

The only things he mentioned in the town’s favour were that is close to the Roskilde fjord, the Isefjord and to nature in general, and that it was less expensive for “a quality house with a good garden” than Copenhagen.

He said the commute to Copenhagen Central took between 45 and 50 minutes, but warned that “‘reliable’ is not a word that can easily be used in a sentence about the C line trains”. 

Stenløse (west of Copenhagen)

To the west of Copenhagen, in Stenløse, housing costs are “much much lower” than the capital, according to one reader. They liked the “house prices, quiet, facilities, nature” and fact it was “still close to the city (36 minutes by train to go to Copenhagen Central).”

However they pointed out there are “only a few restaurants” and “a car is somewhat important.” 

The reader mostly worked from home but their commute involved cycling to the station then taking the S-tog to Copenhagen central station and another bike ride of a few minutes. “It takes about 40 minutes. Train is pretty reliable and runs every 10 minutes during the weekdays,” the reader said.

Other popular commuter areas in the west include Roskilde, Ringsted and Slagelse.

Køge (south of Copenhagen)

To the south of Copenhagen and on the coast, Køge was described by a reader as “quieter” and “cleaner” than Copenhagen, with no real negatives. 

“It’s a lot cheaper. I pay around 3,000 kroner for a single room student accommodation – two of my friends that live in Copenhagen pay 7,000 kroner a month – for a student apartment smaller than mine!” the reader said.

Their commute is “30 – 50 minutes depending on transportation mode (S-tog and regionaltog) – it costs around 650 kr a month with Ungdomskort.”

Dragør is another favourite to the south of Copenhagen due to its old-town charm.

The view across the straits to Nykobing Falster. Photo: Hubertus45/Wikimedia Commons

Nykøbing F (southern Denmark)

Nykøbing F, as it’s known, is a city on the island of Falster in southern Denmark, next to Lolland. Despite being further afield, Matthew found his commute “easy and reasonable” and house prices “much less” than in Copenhagen. He found the area he lives “peaceful” and “beautiful” with nothing he doesn’t like.

Odense (Fyn)

As the third largest city in Denmark, on the island of Fyn, Odense may feel far from Copenhagen. But reader Adrian said his commute to Copenhagen by train took “just over an hour. In a quiet carriage it’s relaxing and a great place to get work done.”

Adrian said house prices in Odense were at least half the cost of those in Copenhagen. “Cheaper housing, easy parking everywhere. Odense is a city with a small town vibe,” he said. The only minor point he said was the “lack of ‘cool’ cafes compared to Copenhagen.”

It’s says something about transport in Denmark that commuting from a different island 300km away can take the same time as commuting from a village just 40km north of Copenhagen. 

Some commuters even travel from Malmö in Sweden, taking advantage of the the fast train over the Øresund Bridge.

Do you have experience of living in a Copenhagen commuter town or village? We’re still interested in collecting readers’ experience of the different options. So if you want to contribute, please fill in the form below: 

 

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