What to know about Denmark’s work permit for study-related employment (during studies)?

Applications for work permits either to work full-time during an internship or for a part-time employment i.e. up to 112.5 hours per month during one’s master’s degree program for working professionals is initiated and processed by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). However, for the application, an individual must be admitted to an education with a mandatory or an optional internship period, or must be enrolled in a master’s degree program for working professionals and wanting to change the place of employment. An ST4 application should be filled in. Fees are not charged for submitting the application.

If an individual wants to work full-time as an intern or work part-time during one’s master’s degree program (for working professionals) as a part of of their education, then one will need a full-time work permit. Specified criteria are set as to who can actually apply for a work permit either for internships or for a study-related part-time employment.

If a student on a higher educational program is in a possession of a residence permit, then the student, as a part of their studies, can apply for a work permit for an internship. This applies to both cases i.e. if one is completing a full educational program or if one is here as a guest or exchange student on a higher educational program. An individual will be granted a permit to work full-time during the period of their internship along with the residence permit, if the higher educational program includes a mandatory internship, and is properly stated on the application form by the place of education. Now, if the internship happens to be an optional part of the education, and henceforth, have not been granted a work permit for an internship along with the residence permit, then both can be applied subsequently. One should bear in mind that, based on studies, if one is in a possession of a residence permit, then only a work permit for an internship during studies (an ST4 permit) can be received.

An individual should only apply for a work permit for internships if the internship is full-time. This will also be applied if one does not receive salary during their internship. The individual will not need a separate work permit for their internship, if the internship does not violate the conditions of the current work permit i.e. the condition that one will not be working more than 90 hours per month in total. If one, however, will by any chance be doing their internship abroad then a work permit may not be needed. Regardless, one should keep in mind that in such cases, under certain circumstances, when one stays outside of Denmark, then there are chances of lapse of residence permit. One must also keep in mind to not start working full-time at one’s internship before one’s permit has been granted, as the failure to follow the rules might lead to the risk being fined or imprisoned, at worst, revocation of one’s residence permit.

Now, if an individual, as a part of their education, is granted a work permit to work full-time during an optional internship, then the work permit will only allow an individual to work in the company that has been approved as the place of internship. Also, an agreement must be made which would define the duration and tasks of the internship. Just in case, the individual wants to change the place of internship, the educational institution must approve the new company, and likewise a new application for a work permit for interns must be submitted. Duration of the work permit depends on the work permit granted to work full- time during the period of internship but no longer than the validity period of one’s residence permit.

If a master’s degree for working professionals student is in a possession of a residence permit and tends to change employments during their studies, one must apply for a new work permit that is based on working part-time with a specific employer. Subsequently a new residence card will be received. The educational institution is the one responsible to assesses whether the new employment is relevant for the master’s degree program for working professionals one is enrolled in. A new application must be submitted for a work permit for a part-time employment during one’s master’s degree program for working professionals. Unless it has been decided and stated about one getting a work permit from a new employer, one can accordingly start at the new employment and work. The application for the new work permit must be submitted no later than the date one start their new employment.

All of the contracts should be signed by the employer. If an individual is a student in a master’s degree program for working professionals, then that individual can get a work permit for relevant work for up to 112.5 hours per month during the duration of their education. As, the permit letter sent by SIRI is the only proof of one’s work permit, henceforth, the letter must be kept safely at any cost. A separate residence card will not be issued to prove one’s full-time work during an internship.