Special Individual Qualifications — Artists and Performers

offered work as a creative or performing artist

It is a condition that you have special individual qualifications that mean that others cannot immediately take on the artistic work offered.

You may have special individual qualifications as a performing artist – e.g. as an actor, dancer or choreographer – or you may have special individual qualifications as a creative artist, e.g. set designer, lighting designer or costume designer.

In our assessment of whether you have special individual qualifications, we look at, among other things, your educational background, your professional experience and relevant personal qualities, or other special artistic qualities.

You must document your qualifications so that we can assess whether you have the special individual qualifications that enable you to perform the artistic position offered.

It may also be that you have won a place in an orchestra in a competition, that you have been specially selected to dance ballet in a major performance, or that you have been offered work as a circus performer on the basis of your special individual qualifications.

It is a condition that your job offer is with a company that performs artistic work. This could be in an orchestra, an opera house, a theatre, a circus or a ballet company.

You must have been offered an artistic job where your employer has a special need to hire you due to your specific individual qualifications of an artistic nature.

Your main job must be the job in the company for which you have been granted a residence and work permit.

However, as a performing or creative artist, you are automatically entitled to sideline employment that is naturally related to your main job.

If you are offered a new job that will be your main job, you must apply for a new residence and work permit. This also applies if you are offered a new main job in the same company.

You are entitled to perform unpaid voluntary work.

A Danish residence and work permit does not entitle you to work in other Schengen countries.

A residence and work permit based on a job in Denmark allows your family to come with you to Denmark. A permit can be granted to your spouse, registered or cohabiting partner as well as children under the age of 18 living at home.

You can be granted a residence and work permit that is valid for 1 year at a time during the first 2 years of your stay – however, the validity cannot exceed the length of your job contract. Hereafter, you can be granted a permit valid for a maximum of 2 years, and after 4 years, valid for a maximum of 3 years at a time.

If your employment contract is extended, you must apply for an extension of your residence and work permit.