Denmark's Collective Agreement Scheme from 2027

From 1 January 2027 Denmark has a new route for hiring from outside the EU: the Collective Agreement Scheme (den overenskomstbaserede beløbsordning, also called overenskomstordningen). It lets a company that SIRI, the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration, has certified hire a citizen of one of 16 listed countries into a job covered by a collective agreement, at a salary of at least DKK 322,000 a year (the 2026 level). That is well below the floors of the two pay limit schemes.

What SIRI has confirmed

SIRI announced the scheme on 13 October 2026. For a residence and work permit under it:

• The start: the scheme takes effect on 1 January 2027. SIRI processes applications, for certification and for permits, from that day.
• The salary: the position pays at least DKK 322,000 a year, stated at the 2026 level.
• The collective agreement: the position must be covered by a collective agreement.
• The nationality: the employee is a citizen of one of the 16 countries on the scheme's country list. SIRI's page does not name them; it refers to the passed bill.
• The certification: the company must be certified by SIRI before the employee can apply for a residence and work permit. SIRI expects companies to be able to apply for certification at the beginning of December 2026.

The law behind it

The scheme comes from bill L 16, introduced by the Minister for Immigration and Integration on 25 June 2026. The Folketing adopted it on 3 September 2026 by 92 votes to 18, with 2 abstaining, and it became Law no. 765 of 8 September 2026, in force from 1 January 2027.

Folketingstidende's summary of the law describes the scheme this way:

• a new pay limit scheme with a lower amount than the existing ones, for certified companies hiring foreign workers on orderly pay and working conditions;
• a condition that the job is covered by a collective agreement, which the labour-market parties oversee;
• open only to citizens of certain countries, and only in periods of low unemployment;
• certified companies document orderly conditions and give the relevant trade unions access to checks.

How it compares with the pay limit schemes

Route	Lowest salary (DKK a year, 2026 level)	Employer	Collective agreement
Pay Limit Scheme	552,000	An employer in Denmark	Not a condition
Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme	446,000	An employer in Denmark	Not a condition
Collective Agreement Scheme (from 1 January 2027, citizens of 16 listed countries)	322,000	Certified by SIRI first	Required

SIRI regulates the two pay limits every 1 January, and states the new scheme's amount at the 2026 level, so check the amount in force on the day you apply. The Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme also has a condition on unemployment: seasonally adjusted gross unemployment must not exceed 3.75% on average in the three months before you apply.

What employers can do now

1. Map the roles. List the open or planned jobs whose salary sits between the new scheme's floor and the supplementary pay limit, and check which of them your collective agreement covers.
2. Check the candidates. Note each candidate's citizenship, so you can match it against the country list as soon as you have it.
3. Plan the certification. The company is certified before anyone applies, and SIRI expects certification applications to open at the beginning of December 2026. Applications are processed from 1 January 2027, so start early if you want to hire in January.
4. Follow SIRI's page. SIRI's news is the place to watch for the online forms and the 2027 amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Denmark's Collective Agreement Scheme start?

On 1 January 2027. SIRI processes applications for certification and for residence and work permits under the scheme from that day, and expects certification applications to open at the beginning of December 2026.

What is the salary floor of the Collective Agreement Scheme?

At least DKK 322,000 a year, as SIRI states it at the 2026 level. The Pay Limit Scheme asks DKK 552,000 and the Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme DKK 446,000 (2026 levels).

Which employers can use the Collective Agreement Scheme?

Companies SIRI has certified under the scheme, hiring into a position covered by a collective agreement. The certification comes before the employee applies for a permit.

Which countries are on the scheme's list?

SIRI says the list has 16 countries and refers to the passed bill; its announcement does not name them. Check the list in force when you apply.

How Settio helps employers and agencies

Settio helps employers and immigration agencies run every work permit and relocation case in one place, from the first step to the renewal:

• Before the move: a plan for every hire, with each step, owner and deadline counted back from the start date, and documents that check themselves as they come in.
• After arrival: the employee portal shows the new hire their next steps on their phone, in their language, with no account or password.
• For the renewal: permit and salary monitoring tracks every expiry date and flags the extension in good time.

Your first hire is free, and agencies can try a real case for free. See plans and start.

Sources

5 official sources

• SIRI: New work scheme at SIRI per 1 January 2027 (13 October 2026)
• SIRI: Ny erhvervsordning hos SIRI fra 1. januar 2027 (13. oktober 2026)
• Folketingstidende: L 16, Ny overenskomstbaseret beløbsordning for certificerede virksomheder (Lov nr. 765 af 8. september 2026)
• SIRI: The Pay Limit Scheme
• SIRI: The Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme