How to Hire Cleaner and Housekeeping Workers in Denmark (2026)

6 min

Cleaning staff shortages in Denmark and the non-EU hiring reality

If you run a hotel, a commercial facility management firm, or an industrial cleaning operation in Denmark, you already know how difficult it is to maintain steady roster levels. Greater Copenhagen (Hovedstaden), the Aarhus metro area, Odense, and major tourist corridors along the West Coast face persistent shortages of reliable cleaning and housekeeping staff. High physical turnover and competitive local labor markets mean vacancies often sit open for weeks, directly impacting room turnaround times and service quality.

Before exploring non-EU recruitment, you need an honest assessment of Danish immigration law: direct non-EU hiring for entry-level cleaning roles is exceptionally difficult in Denmark. Unlike some European nations with dedicated low-skilled work visas, Denmark relies heavily on strict income thresholds and narrow shortage lists. Unless a candidate qualifies under a specialized scheme, standard cleaning roles rarely meet the minimum salary thresholds required for a traditional work permit.

Because of these legal barriers, most Danish employers fill housekeeping vacancies through several primary channels:

EU/EEA freedom of movement: Sourcing workers from Eastern and Southern European countries who require no work permits or SIRI approvals.
International students: Employing non-EU students already living in Denmark who hold part-time work rights (up to 90 hours per month during term time and full-time during June, July, and August).
Specialized visa routes: Using specific labor schemes or high-volume collective agreements if the employer is paying rates that clear national pay limit thresholds.

If you choose to recruit non-EU workers directly from abroad, you must structure the employment contract to conform strictly to Danish work permit criteria. Always verify current threshold amounts and eligibility rules with the official authority before making formal offers.

Legal visa pathways and the SIRI filing process

All non-EU immigration for employment in Denmark is processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). Work and residence permits are evaluated under specific legal schemes governed by the Danish Aliens Act.

To bring a cleaner or housekeeper from outside the EU/EEA, employers typically look at the following pathways:

The Pay Limit Scheme (Beløbsordningen): This route requires the employer to offer a minimum annual salary set by Danish law (adjusted annually by SIRI, usually exceeding DKK 480,000 per year). Because standard cleaning roles do not reach this salary tier, this scheme is generally unfeasible for regular housekeeping staff unless the role is managerial or combined with extensive supervisory duties.
The Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme: Offers a lower annual pay threshold than the standard Pay Limit Scheme, provided the job is posted on the Danish national job portal (Jobnet) and EURES for at least two weeks before hiring.
Standard Labor Market Routes (Ordinary Employment): If hiring under general employment rules, SIRI submits the application to the Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment (STAR) or regional labor market councils. They assess whether qualified Danish or EU citizens are available to fill the position. For basic cleaning roles, these applications face high scrutiny and frequent rejections unless regional labor shortages are demonstrably severe.

The application process is initiated by the employer. You must log into the SIRI online portal (Ny i Danmark) using your company's MitID Erhverv. You generate a Case Order ID, pay the mandatory government fee, complete your portion of the digital form AR1, and send the reference link to the worker to complete their section and submit their supporting documents.

Expected timelines from recruitment to day one

Hiring a non-EU worker is not an immediate fix for an urgent staffing shortage. You must plan for a realistic timeline of 3 to 5 months from the date you extend a job offer to the worker's first shift on site.

A standard timeline breaks down as follows:

Job Posting & Market Testing (2 to 4 weeks): If required by the visa scheme, you must post the job advertisement publicly on Jobnet to prove no local or EU worker is available.
Contract Finalization & SIRI Application (1 to 2 weeks): Generating the formal contract, setting up the Case Order ID, paying the fee, and submitting form AR1.
SIRI Processing (1 to 3 months): Official processing times vary throughout the year. SIRI reviews the employment terms, verifies company details, and cross-checks pay rates against Danish standards.
Biometrics and Visa Issuance (2 to 3 weeks): Once SIRI issues a decision, the worker must visit a Danish diplomatic mission or approved visa application center abroad to register biometrics and receive their entry visa.
Relocation & Local Registration (1 to 2 weeks): Upon arrival in Denmark, the worker must register for a CPR number (civil registration) at the local International Citizen Service (ICS) office, open a Danish bank account (NemKonto), and obtain a tax card (skattekort).

Wage standards, collective agreements, and employer obligations

Denmark does not have a statutory, government-mandated minimum wage. Instead, pay and working conditions are regulated through collective agreements (overenskomster) negotiated between trade unions and employer organizations, or by standard market rates enforced by SIRI.

When employing cleaners and housekeeping staff, your contract terms must match the benchmark set by representative unions, such as 3F (Fagligt Fælles Forbund) in the cleaning and service sectors or HORESTA for hotel housekeeping:

Hourly Wage Rates: Base rates for qualified cleaning staff typically fall between DKK 150 and DKK 185 per hour, depending on whether the work is commercial, industrial, or hotel-based.
Shift Supplements (Forskudtid): Early morning, evening, night, and weekend shifts carry compulsory hourly supplements, often adding DKK 20 to DKK 50 per hour.
Pension Contributions: Employer contributions to labor market pensions are standard under collective agreements, usually requiring an additional 8% to 10% on top of base pay.
Holiday Pay (Ferielov): Under Danish holiday law, employees earn 2.08 days of paid holiday per month worked, supported by a 12.5% holiday allowance calculation.
Workplace Safety: The Danish Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet) enforces strict standards on ergonomic practices, chemical handling, and protective equipment. Employers must supply all necessary safety gear and mandatory training in Danish or English.
Housing Obligations: Danish law does not require employers to provide free housing for cleaning staff. However, if you provide housing, the rental contract must be separate from the employment contract. Rent must reflect fair market value, and you cannot deduct rent directly from wages without explicit written agreement and legal compliance.

What this costs you, roughly

Recruiting from outside the EU involves fixed administrative costs and initial setup expenses. Below is an outline of typical employer costs per non-EU hire:

SIRI Case Processing Fee: DKK 4,000 to DKK 5,000 (paid directly to the state during application setup).
Relocation and Travel: DKK 2,500 to DKK 6,000 (covering flights and initial transport to Denmark, if offered by employer).
Document Translation and Legalization: DKK 1,000 to DKK 3,000 (for verifying foreign certificates or employment references).
Temporary Arrival Accommodation: DKK 5,000 to DKK 12,000 (providing 2 to 4 weeks of temporary lodging while the worker secures permanent housing).
Internal HR & Legal Setup Time: DKK 3,000 to DKK 8,000 (in internal staff hours spent on Jobnet postings, SIRI portal administration, and ICS registration appointments).

Employer liability and worker recruitment fees

Under Danish labor practices and international conventions (including ILO standards), a legitimate employer never requires a job seeker to pay for their own recruitment. Charging workers fees for job placement, visa handling, or work contracts is illegal in Denmark and creates severe liability for your business.

If SIRI or Danish labor unions discover that a foreign worker paid a fee to an intermediary or broker to secure employment at your company, your work permit applications can be cancelled, your company may face heavy fines, and you risk blacklisting from future international hiring schemes. Always ensure that your supply chain and talent sources are fully transparent, and require signed confirmation from candidates that they paid no fees to third-party recruiters.

Sourcing candidates directly through the Workuro registry

If you decide to evaluate international candidates for cleaning and housekeeping positions, you can use the Workuro registry to connect directly with workers seeking opportunities in Denmark.

Workuro operates transparently:

Direct Employer Contact: You browse worker profiles and contact candidates directly without going through recruitment agencies.
Zero Per-Hire Fees: Workuro charges no success fees, placement commissions, or finder fees when you hire a worker.
No Cost to Workers: Candidates create and publish their profiles for free, guaranteeing that no worker on our platform is charged for recruitment access.
Growing Database: Our registry is relatively young and actively building its international candidate pool. While you will not find thousands of candidates in every niche, you will find workers who have explicitly stated their availability and desire to move to Denmark.

Before contacting workers, ensure you have reviewed SIRI guidelines to verify that the salary and hours you plan to offer meet current Danish immigration requirements.