Welcome to Denmark!
The European citizens who come to work in Denmark sometimes meet challenges within the Danish system. There are other laws and regulations in Denmark, and often the new coming workers do not know anything about the Danish labour market system. Language and cultural barriers also worsen the first steps of integration into the Danish labor market. Whats more, employers are not always capable or willing to help their foreign workers to get all necessary documents and insurances.
When you arrive to Denmark
As an EU citizen you may freely enter Denmark and remain in the country for up to 3 months without an EU residence document (registration certificate). Just bring along a valid passport or other valid travel document.
It a good idea to find a place where you can stay until you find an apartment yourself. It is important to have an address that you can use as your registration address.
1. The State Administration (registration certificate)
You must apply for a registration certificate – documentation that you have the right to stay/reside in Denmark - from the State Administration (Statsforvaltningen) at the latest three months after your arrival to Denmark or as soon as you sign a job contract for a period longer than three months.
You can find the application formula here.
The documents needed to your application:
- Filled application form
- A clear copy of your passport or other valid travel document
- A color copy is preferred
- 1 passport photo
- Employers declaration (appendix A of the application formula) or your job contract
- A clear copy of possible marriage certificate
You may submit your application personally to The State Administration (Statsforvaltningen) or to the local Work in Denmark department in the region where you live. You may also get an application formula at one of the State Administration/Work in Denmark offices and fill out the application right away. remember to bring all the required documentation. Your application will be processed within 2-4 weeks. You can read more at: www.statsforvaltningen.dk and www.workindenmark.dk.
2. Municipality (CPR registration and health insurance card (also called yellow card)
As a citizen of an EU/EEA country, you are obligated to register in the Civil Registration System (CPR-register) if you want to reside/stay in Denmark for more than six months.
You can be registered in the CPR-register when you have received your registration certificate from the State Administration (Statsforvaltningen). You will be registered in the CPR-register by reporting your relocation to the Citizen Service Center (Borgerservice) in the municipality to which you are moving to. This must take place no more than five days after you have received your registration certificate from the State Administration (Statsforvaltningen).
Remember to bring :
- Registration certificate
- Identity papers with photo (driver’s license, passport or similar)
- Proof of your address in Denmark (lease, a letter from your owner or similar)
While you are being registered in the CPR-register, you must also choose a doctor. When you are registered in CPR-register you will receive a health insurance card with your Danish CPR-number and your doctor’s name and address. The health insurance card (yellow card) gives you right to health care services - just the same as other citizens of Denmark.
You can obtain a special health insurance card if you will stay in Denmark less than three months or if you, as a commuter, retain your residency in your home country. In this case, a health insurance card is issued by the municipality where your employer’s company address is located. Home and workplace addresses are not always the same. Your employer has to provide the company's home address.
3. Tax Centre (tax registration)
When you come to work in Denmark, you must pay taxes on your wage to the State and municipality. You must have a tax card or a tax number to get your salary paid. You must have a tax card if you have a CPR-number or you must have a tax number if you do not have a CPR-number, for example, if you will stay in Denmark less than six months or because you are not a resident of Denmark (commuter). On the Danish Tax Authority´s (SKAT) homepage www.skat.dk you can find both tax card and tax number forms (blanketter 04.063).
Forms also can be found in English, German and Rumanian. The proper form must be printed, filled in and send by mail to a local tax office along with a copy of your: Passport or personal identification card Possible marriage certificate The Danish Tax Authority (SKAT) will then issue an electronic tax card. Your employer can then get the information electronically. You can read more about taxes in Denmark on:
www.workindenmark.dk → Work in Denmark step -by-step (international job seekers) → tax rules. You can also watch a video here.
You can have your salary transferred from your employer to your foreign bank account. The transfer can take a couple of days and some banks charge a fee for this transfer. You can also open a bank account in Denmark. In order to open a bank account in Denmark, you have to contact a bank and bring the following documents: Identity papers with a photo (driver’s license, passport or similar) Proof of your address in Denmark (lease or ‘yellow card’) Job contract.
4. Insurance
In Denmark the employers are obligated to take out occupational injury insurance. At your workplace you must be covered by your employer's insurance in connection with your job. However, employer’s insurance does not cover you in your spare time. Therefore, you should consider t a private insurance.
5. A-kasse (unemployment insurance)
There is no compulsory unemployment insurance in Denmark – it is voluntary. If you want to be insured against unemployment (to receive unemployment benefits if you are unemployed), you must become a member of a-kasse (unemployment insurance fund). You can contact an a-kasse within your field of work and get more information about the membership conditions, your rights and obligations.
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