Special Individual Qualifications — Specialised Chef

The scheme is aimed at you, if you are a chef with a high gastronomic level. You may have siginificant experience from internationally recognised restaurants or you have won gastronomic competitions.

To apply for a residence and work permit, you must have been offered work as a chef in Denmark at a restaurant with either a high gastronomic level and/or an innovative character.

It is a condition that you have achieved documented international recognition as a chef. This is the case if, for example, you have won international chef competitions or previously worked to a significant extent in restaurants that have achieved documented international recognition, for example by being included in the Michelin Guide or similar.

It is also a condition that you have the necessary professional qualifications to carry out the work. This means that you must be trained and have experience in the culinary field in which you are offered a job.

You must attach documentation of your education, work experience and any international chef competitions you have won to your application for a residence and work permit.

It is a condition that the restaurant where you are to be employed has an innovative character and/or a high gastronomic level that necessitates the employment of a chef with special individual qualifications. You or your employer must document that the restaurant has a high level and/or innovative character. As an example of this, you can send a menu, reviews or other relevant documentation.

If you will be working at different restaurants under the same employer (they must use the same CVR number), we need to see documentation that all restaurants where you will be working fulfil the requirement of a high level and/or innovative character.

All physical locations where you will be working must be stated by name and address in your contract.

When you apply, you must attach a copy of your employment contract or job offer. All terms of employment must be stated in the contract or the job offer.

You are only allowed to work in the job and in the company that you have been granted a work permit to.

If your employer has several restaurants under the same company registration number (CVR), you can only work at the restaurant(s) that we have assessed to be of a high level and/or innovative nature. They will be stated on your residence and work permit.

If you are offered a new job, you must apply for a new residence and work permit. This also applies if you are offered a new position within the same company.

If you wish to take a sideline job, you have to apply for a separate permit.

You are allowed to carry out unpaid voluntary work.

A Danish residence and work permit does not allow 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.