What is the Green Card SchemeDuring the pass few years, there has been a large influx of people seeking employment in Denmark and in response, the government has tightened restictions. As a result, we now have the Green Card scheme, which allows you to live and work in Denmark if you can score enough points. You score points on the folling 5 criteria: your education, work experience, age and language skills. If you score at least 100 points, you can qualify for a work permit and 3 year residence permit. You must also have enough money to support yourself while you look for a job. If you bring your family you will also have to be able to support them. The going rate for 2009 is 5079 per adult per month and 1270 per child. You must have your own health insurance to cover you until you get a job and the required permits. So for example if you and your spouce with one child move to Denmark you would need to have 137,000 in the bank to prove you can live in Denmark for a year. Five Criteria for the Green Card SchemeThe five criteria are education, age, work experience, language skills and adaptabilty. If you can garner at least 100 points, you will be granted a work permit. This only gives you the right to seek work - it is no guarantee that there is a job waiting for you.
EducationYou will have to have an equivalent of a Bachelor's degree in Denmark standards. Since education standards vary from country to country, you will need to submit your education qualifications to Cirius, a government agency that will access their value.You get the following points: Bachelor's degree: 30 points. Bachelor's degree plus 1 year masters: 50 point. Graduate Degree: 60 points. Phd: 80 points There are also bonus points if you graduated from one of the top 400 schools on the school list. Place in the top 400: 5 points Place in the top 200: 10 points Place in the top 100: 15 points You can also get an additional 10 points if your degree is in a field that is one the positive list. AgeYou will also get points depending on your age.If you are 35 - 40 years old, you get 10 points. If you are 34 or younger you will get 15 points. No points for being over 40 and wiser. Guess that is its own reward! Work ExperienceWork Experience also plays arole in the Green Card Scheme.You get 5 points if you have worked in your field for 3-5 years within the past 5 years. You get 10 points if you have worked 1 - 2 years within the past 5 years as a researcher or within a field on the positive list. You get 10 points if you have worked 3 - 5 years within the past 5 years as a researcher or within a field on the positive list. Language SkillsYou can also earn points for language skills which includes knowledge of Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German.Points can be earned for both one Scandinavian language (Danish, Norwegian or Swedish) and either English or German, but not for both English and German or two or more Scandinavian languages. You will be required to show that you have passed an exam equivalent to at least a Danish Language Test, Level 1. Alternatively, you can prove language proficiency through a statement by your previous employer stating that you used Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German while performing your job for at least one year, or by proving that you have completed at least one year's study in higher education which was taught in one of these languages. In the case of these last two requirements, you will have shown a language proficiency equal to a Study Test in Danish as a Second Language. Language Proficiency Level Points Level 1 - 5 Points Level 2 - 10 Points Level 3 - 15 Points Test in Danish as a 2nd Language - 20 points Note:You can only get a max of 30 points in the language criteria. AdaptabilityAnother way to get points is for your ability to adapt to the Danish labor market.These points will be given for educational and social ties to the EU. In other words if you have gone to school or lived in the EU/EEA/ Switzerland, it is possible to add a few points since Denmark believes this experience will help you adapt easier. Points are awarded as follows: You get 5 points for having at least one year of education completed with an exam, if it was in the EU/EEA or Switzlerland. You get 10 points for having at least three years of education completed with an exam, if it was in the EU/EEA or Switzlerland. You can also get 5 points if you have at least 1 year of continuos employment in the EU/EEA or Switzerland. You can also get 10 points if you have 2 years of continuos employment in the EU/EEA or Switzerland. If you can pass a proficiency test in Danish at a level 2 or higher you will get another 5 points. You can accumulate a maximum of 15 points in the adaptability category. Other ConditionsIt is important to send all relevant documents to the Immigration Department or the Danish Embassey. Copies can be issued, but they must be stamped by an official stating that they have seen the originals.If the originals are not in German, Swedish or Norwegian, they must be accompanied by a translation in Danish or English. It is also possible to extend your work permit up to 4 years as long as you have been working.
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