Denmark Restricts Foreigners From Securing Work Permits in 2 Occupations

Denmark's Patient Safety Authority has set the professional authorisation quota for foreign doctors and nurses to zero, effective until 31 December 2026The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration confirmed that applications submitted during the restriction period should expect a refusalThe move deals a significant blow to foreign-trained healthcare workers who had planned to relocate to Denmark and regularise their professional statusGhana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!

Denmark has effectively closed its doors to foreign doctors and nurses seeking professional authorisation to practise in the country, after the Danish Patient Safety Authority set the quota for both occupations to zero.

The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) confirmed the development on its official immigration portal, which was last updated on 12 October 2026.

Denmark has set its professional authorisation quota for foreign doctors and nurses to zero until 31 December 2026 Image credit: damircudic, Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images Source: Getty ImagesThe agency stated that the zero quota applies to applications for authorisation as a nurse or a doctor and will remain in place until 31 December 2026.

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Under Danish immigration rules, foreign healthcare workers must obtain professional authorisation from the Patient Safety Authority before they can legally practise as doctors or nurses. Residence and work permits are closely tied to this process, meaning that with the quota now set at zero, no residence permits can be granted to anyone pursuing authorisation in either profession during the specified period.

SIRI's guidance on the portal is unambiguous: those who proceed with an application regardless of the restriction should anticipate a refusal. The agency also issued a specific caution to individuals currently in Denmark on visiting visas who had intended to regularise their status through the authorisation route, warning of potential penalty risks for remaining in the country under those circumstances.

The restriction does not appear to affect dentists or those classified on the portal as "specifically requested healthcare professionals," whose eligibility conditions are outlined separately.

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For foreign-trained doctors and nurses who had identified Denmark as a destination for professional practice abroad, the development represents a considerable setback. The country had previously been among the European destinations explored by healthcare professionals seeking to work overseas.

With the quota in force through the remainder of 2026, the ambitions of those professionals are effectively on hold, and there is no indication yet of what the position will be when the new year begins.

The restriction carries particular weight for applicants who were already in advanced stages of planning a relocation to Denmark based on the expectation of obtaining authorisation upon arrival.

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Denmark had announced a new route for citizens of 12 African countries.

This allows them to apply for short-stay tourist visas without requiring a Danish host or sponsor.

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Philip Boateng Kessie (Head of Human Interest Desk) Philip Boateng Kessie is the Head of the Diaspora Affairs Desk at YEN.com.gh, where he has worked since 2022. He has over eight years of journalism experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Cape Coast. Philip previously served as Head of the Human Interest Desk at YEN.com.gh and has also worked as a reporter for Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and a content writer for Scooper News. He also holds certificates in Advanced Digital Reporting and Fighting Misinformation. Email: philip.kessie@yen.com.gh