Danish Green Card Scheme
The Danish Green Card
The Danish Green Card scheme allows skilled migrants to come to Denmark for six months and look for a job in research or specialist positions, or occupations in the Job Card scheme list, provided they can score high enough on a points based system. The potential migrant must score at least 80 points on such factors as education, language skills, work experience, and age.
The Green Card is not a work permit. The skilled migrant is not allowed to take any kind of employment in Denmark while looking for work. Once a skilled migrant under the green card scheme finds employment, he or she must apply for a work permit. While it carries a similar name to the United States Green Card, it should not be confused with the U.S. version, which grants permanent residence and full work rights.
Education
Foreign education is evaluated once it is converted to the Danish equivalent. At a minimum, a skilled migrant must have the equivalent of a Danish Bachelors degree.
Points are scored as follows:
- Bachelors Degree: 20 points
- Masters Degree: 40 points
- PhD: 55 points
Language Skills
A four-level system is used to assess language skills of the applicant, based on the official Danish language proficiency test given to foreigners. To receive points for language skills, a migrant must document that they have passed an exam in either Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, English, or German at a level corresponding to at least the Danish Language Test - Level 1.
An applicant can only score points for knowledge of one Scandinavian langauge and either English or German. For example, an applicant can claim points for knowledge of Swedish and English, or Danish and German, but not for Danish and Norwegian, or for English and German.
Points are scored as follows:
- Level corresponding to Danish Language Test, Level 1: 5 points
- Level corresponding to Danish Language Test, Level 2: 10 points
- Level corresponding to Danish Language Test, Level 3: 15 points
- Level corresponding to Study Test in Danish as a Second Language or higher: 20 points
Work Experience
Work experience points are awarded according to the number of years within the past five years that the skilled migrant has worked in a field considered in demand in Denmark (see list above), and by the average annual income the applicant earned over the past two years.
Points are scored as follows:
- 1-2 years within the past five years: 15 points
- 3-5 years within the past five years: 25 points
- Annual income of DKK 150,000-299,999 over the past two years: 15 points
- Annual income of DKK 300,000-449,999 over the past two years: 30 points
- Annual income over DKK 450,000 over the past two years: 45 points
Age
Applicants who are younger score more points.
Points are scored as follows:
- 27 and under: 20 points
- 28-34: 10 points
- 35-40: 5 points
Self Support
Applicants are required to be able to support themselves for the duration of their stay in Denmark to recieve a residence permit. Applicants are required to show evidence (e.g. bank statement) that they have at least DKK 4200/month in spending money.