Hiring Chefs and Kitchen Staff in Denmark from Abroad (2026 Guide)

7 min

The reality of recruiting non-EU culinary staff in Denmark

Hospitality venues across Denmark face a persistent shortage of qualified kitchen staff. The shortage is most acute in major metro areas like Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense, as well as seasonal tourist hot spots along the West Coast, North Zealand, and Bornholm. Restaurant owners, hotel operators, and catering managers regularly struggle to fill positions for experienced line cooks, pastry chefs, and head chefs.

However, hiring kitchen workers from outside the European Union or European Economic Area (EEA) into Denmark is challenging due to strict Danish immigration laws. The Danish government enforces high wage thresholds to prevent social dumping. As a result, bringing in entry-level kitchen hands, dishwashers, or junior line cooks on non-EU work permits is rarely feasible, as their wages do not meet mandatory legal minimums.

For junior or entry-level kitchen roles, Danish hospitality businesses generally rely on local candidates, students, or EU/EEA citizens who benefit from free movement and do not require work visas. Non-EU recruitment is primarily viable for specialized cooks, chefs de partie, sushi chefs, and head chefs whose salary offers can meet official Danish visa thresholds. If your venue requires specialized culinary skills that cannot be sourced locally or within the EU, recruiting from third countries is a practical route, provided you adhere strictly to Danish regulatory frameworks.

SIRI permit routes for chefs and kitchen personnel

All work permit applications for non-EU citizens in Denmark are processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). You must always check the current criteria directly on SIRI official portal (nyidanmark.dk) before making a job offer, as rules and thresholds are updated regularly.

The main visa routes applicable to culinary personnel include:

The Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme (Aftalte beløbsordning): This is the most common route for experienced chefs. To qualify, the position must meet an annual minimum salary floor set by the government (updated annually). The job must be advertised on the official Danish job portal (Jobnet) and the EURES portal for at least two weeks before submitting an application.
The Pay Limit Scheme (Beløbsordningen): This scheme applies to high-income roles, primarily executive chefs or culinary directors. It requires a significantly higher annual salary threshold (typically above DKK 480,000 per year), but it does not require prior job posting on Jobnet.
The Positive List for Skilled Work (Positivlisten for faglærte): If the job title of chef (Kok) is explicitly included on SIRI list of shortage occupations for skilled trades, a work permit can be issued provided the salary and employment terms correspond to Danish standards.
The Fast-Track Scheme: If your company is officially certified by SIRI as a Fast-Track employer, you can hire non-EU culinary staff under streamlined conditions and allow them to start work quickly while their full application is being processed.

In all cases, the employer initiates the application process online using MitID Erhverv by completing Part 1 of the application form. The candidate then completes Part 2, pays the SIRI administrative fee, and submits their biometrics at a Danish diplomatic mission or application center in their home country.

Timelines from job offer to first service

Planning ahead is essential when hiring culinary staff from outside the EU. You cannot expect a candidate to start on short notice. A realistic timeline spans two to four months from the initial offer to the candidate standing in your kitchen.

Preparation and mandatory advertising (2 to 4 weeks): If using the Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme, you must post the job opening on Jobnet and EURES for a minimum of 14 days. Draft the formal contract following Danish employment standards during this time.
Document collection and submission (1 to 2 weeks): The employer and candidate fill out their respective parts of the online application and gather necessary documents, including trade diplomas and proof of past employment.
SIRI application processing (1 to 3 months): Standard processing times at SIRI range from 30 to 90 days. Certified Fast-Track employers can obtain quick approvals, often within 10 to 14 business days.
Relocation and local registration (2 weeks): Upon arrival in Denmark, the worker must register for a civil registration number (CPR number), apply for a tax card (Skattekort), and open a Danish bank account (NemKonto) before payroll can be processed.

Mandatory wage standards, 3F agreements, and housing

Denmark does not have a single statutory national minimum wage set by law. Instead, wages and working conditions are governed by collective bargaining agreements (Overenskomster). In the hospitality sector, the dominant agreement is negotiated between the HORESTA employer association and the 3F trade union (Fagligt Fælles Forbund).

SIRI requires that salary and employment terms offered to non-EU workers correspond to Danish standards, even if your restaurant is not a formal member of an employer association. SIRI will evaluate your proposed contract to ensure it matches typical collective agreements.

Wage expectations: A qualified chef de partie generally earns between DKK 28,000 and DKK 34,000 per month for standard full-time hours (37 hours per week), depending on experience and location. Head chefs typically earn DKK 38,000 to DKK 50,000 or more per month.
Working hours and overtime: Standard employment contracts are based on 37 hours per week. Overtime pay, weekend surcharges, and holiday allowances (Søgnehelligdagsopsparing) must align with standard industry practice.
Housing obligations: Danish employers are not legally required to provide accommodation for kitchen staff. However, in cities like Copenhagen or remote resort areas like Bornholm, finding housing is a significant hurdle for foreign arrivals. Offering temporary housing support or securing a rental deposit assistance program significantly increases candidate retention.
Trade qualifications: The culinary profession in Denmark is not strictly regulated in terms of mandatory state licensing, but SIRI will evaluate whether the candidate has formal vocational training or documented, relevant experience equivalent to a Danish trained chef (EUD-uddannet kok).

What this costs you, roughly

When budgeting for non-EU kitchen recruitment, consider the following direct financial costs:

SIRI processing fee: DKK 4,000 to DKK 5,000 per application (typically paid by the employer or reimbursed).
Mandatory job advertisement: DKK 0 (posting on Jobnet and EURES is free of charge).
Relocation and travel support: DKK 3,000 to DKK 8,000 for one-way flight tickets and initial transit costs.
Temporary housing assistance (optional): DKK 5,000 to DKK 15,000 for initial lodging support or rental security deposits.
Legal or administrative assistance (optional): DKK 5,000 to DKK 12,000 if using an external legal consultant to manage the SIRI filing.

Ethical recruitment and employer liability

Under Danish law and international labor standards, legitimate employers never charge job seekers fees for recruitment, employment contracts, or job placements. Workers should never be asked to pay an employer or a third-party intermediary for the right to secure a contract in Denmark.

If a candidate reports that an agency charged them a fee to obtain a job offer at your business, you risk severe legal penalties, loss of SIRI hiring privileges, and public reputational damage. Ensure your internal recruitment channels are transparent and inform applicants directly that your business does not charge prospective employees any fees during the hiring process.

Finding culinary candidates on the Workuro registry

If you have decided to recruit a qualified chef or specialized cook from abroad, you can search the Workuro registry to connect directly with international candidates who have created a profile and expressed interest in working in Denmark.

Workuro is not a recruitment agency, headhunting firm, or labor broker. We do not place candidates, manage visa applications, or charge any per-hire placement fees. As an employer, you search the registry, evaluate candidate profiles, and contact chefs directly to discuss potential employment terms.

Our candidate database is young and actively growing. While candidate volume varies by specific culinary discipline, Workuro offers a transparent, direct platform to find foreign culinary talent who are ready to transition to the Danish hospitality market without middleman costs.