Denmark Updates Salary Thresholds for Work Permits on October 1st

Denmark will update salary benchmarks for work permit applications starting October 1st. The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration announced the change on September 17th. The new benchmarks affect the Pay Limit Scheme, Fast Track Scheme, and Positive List. Applications submitted from October 1st will use income statistics from the second quarter of 2026. Applications submitted between July 1st and September 30th use first quarter statistics. The Confederation of Danish Employers provides these statistics every quarter.

Danish rules require foreign workers to earn salaries equal to local market standards. This requirement applies to both new applications and permit extensions. Each job role corresponds to a six-digit DISCO code on Statistics Denmark's website. Assessment salary levels changed for many specific roles in the second quarter. For example, the laboratory worker benchmark dropped from 46,437 to 39,007 Danish kroner per month. The benchmark for industrial engineers fell from 61,806 to 43,909 Danish kroner per month.

Some work schemes carry additional pay minimums. The Pay Limit Scheme requires a minimum salary of 552,000 Danish kroner in 2026. This minimum equals 46,000 Danish kroner per month. SIRI checks whether offered salaries match standard market rates for each specific role. Jobs covered by collective bargaining agreements generally meet normal Danish standards. If a salary seems too low, SIRI may consult Regional Labour Market Councils. This update was reported by The Local.