Denmark has announced an important update that will impact foreign professionals applying for residence and work permits. Beginning 1 October 2025, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) will apply new salary benchmarks when assessing job offers under key immigration schemes.
What Is Changing?
The new income statistics contain information from the second quarter of 2025 and will take effect for applications submitted from October 1, 2025. Each quarter, SIRI updates its income and wage statistics to ensure foreign workers’ salaries match Danish labor market standards. From 1 October 2025, applications submitted after 30 September 2025 will be evaluated using Q2 2025 income statistics.
This change applies to several major work permit schemes, including:
- Pay Limit Scheme
- Positive List for Skilled Work
- Fast Track Scheme
- Other work-related residence permits
For those applying under the Positive List for Skilled Work, a separate update takes effect on 3 October 2025, when new wage statistics from Q2 2025 will replace the older data (Q1 2024).
Why Does This Matter?
Salary benchmarks are a critical part of Denmark’s work permit process. Authorities require that job offers made to foreign workers are comparable to local standards. This protects the Danish labor market while ensuring fair treatment for international talent.
Submitting an application before or after the cut-off date could make a difference in whether your salary meets the required threshold. Employers and applicants should pay close attention to the timing of their submissions.
Practical Implications for Applicants
- Check your salary offer – Ensure that it aligns with the most recent income or wage statistics.
- Be mindful of deadlines – Applications filed before 30 September 2025 will use the older statistics, while those submitted after this date will be assessed under the updated figures.
- Sector-specific variations – In some industries, collective agreements may also play a role in determining acceptable salary levels.
Final Thoughts
Denmark remains one of Europe’s most attractive destinations for international professionals, but compliance with salary requirements is essential to securing a permit. Applicants and employers should review offers now to avoid delays or rejections once the new thresholds take effect in October 2025.
