Diaspora
Denmark opens new work permit scheme from Jan. 1, 2027, Kosovars left out
The Collective Agreement Scheme allows foreigners to be hired at a lower minimum salary of 322,000 Danish kroner a year, but only for citizens of 16 countries. Kosovo meets none of the three criteria.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 28, 2026, 14:26 · Updated 18:43 · 1 min read
In brief
- The scheme starts on Jan. 1, 2027, and applies to jobs covered by collective agreements.
- It is open to citizens of countries with large Danish investment, countries negotiating with the EU, or those with mobility agreements.
- Kosovo, without EU candidate status, is not on the list.
Denmark will introduce a new work permit scheme on Jan. 1, 2027, that lets companies hire foreign workers at a lower salary threshold, but Kosovo citizens will not be able to use it, Gazeta Express reports, citing the Indian newspaper The Financial Express.
How the scheme works
Called the Collective Agreement Scheme, it grants a foreign worker a residence and work permit if the job pays at least 322,000 Danish kroner a year, at the 2026 level, and is covered by a collective agreement between employers and unions. Companies must first be certified, and only then can the worker apply to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). The employer must declare that the job is full-time under the agreement and that it allows ongoing checks.
Applications are accepted only when Denmark’s gross unemployment, seasonally adjusted and averaged over the previous three months, does not exceed a level set by the minister. The Danish parliament, the Folketing, passed the law on Sept. 3, 2026, and SIRI announced the start date on Oct. 13.
Why Kosovars are excluded
Workers must be citizens of one of 16 countries, divided into three groups: the 10 highest-ranked non-EU countries by Danish investment abroad and foreign investment in Denmark, countries negotiating EU membership, and countries that have signed a bilateral mobility agreement with Denmark. Since Kosovo does not yet have even EU candidate status, Kosovars do not have this option.
