Hiring Caregivers from Abroad in Denmark: Employer Guide (2026)

7 min

The Caregiver Shortage in Denmark: Reality and Alternatives

Denmark faces a growing shortage of social and healthcare assistants (SOSU-assistenter) and social and healthcare helpers (SOSU-hjælpere). Municipalities (kommuner) and private care providers in regions like Hovedstaden, Sjælland, Syddanmark, Midtjylland, and Nordjylland report persistent vacancies due to an aging population and shrinking domestic candidate pools. Hiring happens year-round, though demand spikes ahead of summer holiday cover.

However, recruitment of non-EU caregivers directly into frontline Danish care roles is legally complex and strictly regulated. Caregiving in Denmark is an authorized trade. To work independently as a care worker, a non-EU candidate must hold official qualification recognition and demonstrate Danish language proficiency. Because of these barriers, hiring non-EU workers for immediate placement in care positions is not the standard quick route.

Danish employers who succeed with international recruitment usually pursue one of two strategies:

EU/EEA recruitment: Hiring EU citizens who benefit from faster authorization pathways and freedom of movement.
Authorization or support roles: Hiring non-EU candidates under specific authorization visa schemes or into non-regulated care assistant roles while supporting their Danish language acquisition and formal recognition by the Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed).

Legal Routes, Authorization, and Who Files What

To employ a non-EU candidate in the care sector, the employer and worker must use established Danish work and residence schemes governed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI - Styrelsen for International Rekruttering og Integration).

The two primary administrative bodies involved are:

Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed (Danish Patient Safety Authority): Evaluates foreign healthcare and care qualifications to grant temporary or permanent authorization (autorisationsordningen).
SIRI: Processes and grants the residence and work permit based on the job contract and status of authorization.

The main permit routes used for international recruitment include:

The Positive List for Skilled Work (Positivlisten for faglærte): Covers specific shortage occupations. When social and healthcare roles are included on this list, employers can recruit directly without demonstrating a failed local recruitment drive, provided terms meet local standards.
The Authorization Scheme (Autorisationsordningen): Designed for foreign-trained healthcare professionals. This allows a candidate to reside in Denmark to learn Danish and undertake adaptation training (evalueringsansættelse) before obtaining full practice authorization.
The Pay Limit Schemes (Beløbsordningen): Requires a minimum annual salary threshold (adjusted yearly by SIRI). This scheme is rarely applicable for standard caregiver roles due to salary levels set by collective agreements, but may apply to specialized managerial care roles.

Who files what: The hiring process is initiated online through the New to Denmark portal (Ny i Danmark). The employer creates an Order ID, pays the SIRI administrative fee, and completes Part 1 of the application form detailing the salary, working hours, and collective agreement terms. The candidate then completes Part 2, uploading identity documents and educational credentials. Always verify current scheme criteria and updated fee amounts on Ny i Danmark directly before initiating an application.

Timelines: From Job Offer to First Shift

Employer expectation management is critical when planning recruitment cycles from non-EU countries. Bringing a foreign caregiver to Denmark involves realistic setup times that range from 4 to 12 months.

Qualification evaluation: Submitting foreign diplomas to Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed takes between 3 to 6 months for an initial decision.
SIRI visa processing: Once a formal job contract is issued, SIRI visa processing under the Positive List or Authorization Scheme typically takes 1 to 3 months.
Local registration: Upon arrival in Denmark, the worker must register with the local municipality (Folkeregister) to obtain a CPR number, apply for a tax card (SKAT), and set up a MitID. This administrative step takes 1 to 3 weeks before the first payroll can run smoothly.

If language acquisition (passing Prøve i Dansk 2 or 3) is required before full-duty placement, employers must factor in an additional 6 to 12 months of part-time study alongside initial supervised duties.

Pay Standards, Collective Agreements, and Mandatory Obligations

Denmark has no statutory national minimum wage. Pay and working conditions are set through collective bargaining agreements (overenskomster). In the eldercare sector, the dominant union is FOA (Fagligt Fælles Forbund), negotiating with Kommunernes Landsforening (KL) for municipal care and with private employer associations for private providers.

To obtain a work permit from SIRI, the offered salary and employment conditions must strictly correspond to Danish standards:

Salary expectations: A full-time caregiver salary generally ranges between DKK 25,000 and DKK 33,000 per month before tax, depending on precise job classification (SOSU-hjælper vs. SOSU-assistent), experience, and regional supplements.
Pension and extras: Employers are obligated to pay mandatory employer pension contributions (typically 12 percent to 15 percent under FOA agreements) along with supplements for evening, night, and weekend shifts.
Working hours: Standard full-time employment is 37 hours per week. SIRI requires full-time employment contracts for most work permits.
Housing obligations: Employers in Denmark are not legally obligated to provide or fund permanent housing for care staff. However, because finding rental housing in competitive urban areas is difficult, successful employers actively assist foreign recruits in securing temporary accommodation upon arrival.

What This Costs You, Roughly

Recruiting a non-EU care worker involves direct regulatory and logistical expenses. Employers should budget for the following typical cost items:

SIRI application fee: DKK 4,405 to DKK 6,300 per work permit application.
Qualification authorization fee: DKK 0 to DKK 3,500 depending on the specific authority and evaluation process.
Language training support: DKK 5,000 to DKK 20,000 if funding intensive Danish language modules or private tuition.
Relocation and temporary housing support: DKK 10,000 to DKK 30,000 for travel costs and initial temporary lodging.
Monthly wage cost: DKK 25,000 to DKK 33,000 gross per month plus statutory employer costs and pension.

Under Danish legal standards and international ethical recruitment principles, a legitimate employer never asks a worker to pay for their recruitment, visa processing fees, or job placement. Employers must ensure that overseas partners or agencies do not pass fees onto candidates. Charging workers for employment leads to serious legal liability for the Danish employer, risks permit revocation by SIRI, and breaches Danish labour laws.

Sourcing Candidates and Evaluating Qualifications

When searching for international candidates, focus on evaluating educational comparability and language aptitude early in the process. Overseas candidates with nursing or formal social care degrees from their home countries often have the theoretical background needed for Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed approval.

Key candidate selection steps include:

Verifying credentials: Check that degrees match the official hours and clinical practical requirements recognized in Europe.
Assessing language capabilities: English fluency is vital for initial integration, but candidates must show clear commitment to learning Danish, as daily documentation and care communication in Denmark occur exclusively in Danish.
Targeting regional needs: Smaller municipalities outside main urban hubs frequently offer better housing options and structured integration assistance to retain foreign workers long term.

Searching the Workuro Registry for Care Workers

Workuro operates a candidate registry where non-EU caregivers publish profiles detailing their education, experience, and interest in working in Denmark. Workuro is not a recruitment agency, does not charge per-hire fees, and takes no part in contract negotiations or placement decisions. Employers use the platform to find candidates and initiate direct contact.

Our registry is young and still growing. You will not find thousands of pre-vetted, Danish-speaking applicants ready to start tomorrow. Instead, you can search among motivated candidates who wish to move to Denmark, review their backgrounds directly, and manage the hiring and authorization process according to your workplace needs.