Ukrainian nationals will be able to work in Denmark while waiting for their residence and work permit, as a special law permits such activity for those fleeing the war.
The Danish Parliament passed the special law in March, and it intends to speed up the process of issuing residence permits for Ukrainians in Denmark by allowing them to work by presenting proof of application for residence and work permit, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“Many Ukrainians in Denmark want to go to work. At the same time, we are hearing from companies that they need people. But processing their applications takes a little while. I have therefore decided that people who apply for residence under the special law can be hired from Friday (April 22),” Minister for Immigration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye said, pointing out this measure is also a helping hand to Danish businesses.
All those that meet one of the following criteria are eligible to benefit from this measure:
• Ukrainian citizens who left Ukraine on February 24, 2022, or later, and those that were residing in Ukraine before fleeing the country
• Those with a refugee status obtained in Ukraine by February 24, 2022, who left the country on that date or later
• Ukrainian citizens and holders of the refugee status granted by authorities in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, that were in Denmark or had legal residence in the country on that date.
• Close family members such as spouses, partners, children under 18, and other close family members who are dependents can also benefit from this law; however, applicants must be present in Denmark to apply for residency unless they are applying for a close family member scheme.
Ukrainians who have applied for residence under the special law will be able to stay at an asylum centre while these applications are being revised, but this isn’t a mandatory requirement.
Unlike the other EU Member States who have jointly introduced the temporary protection directive – the measure that allows refugees to be hosted and accommodated in the event of mass influx, Ukrainian nationals are required to apply for residence and work permits in order to stay in the country. In other countries, applying for a residence permit is not mandatory, as the temporary protection directive enables Ukrainian refugees to stay up to one year without the need to apply for residency.
“Since February 24, 2022, Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine has created a situation of mass arrivals of displaced people from Ukraine unable to return to their homes. Due to the scale of estimated arrivals, the European Commission identified a clear risk that the asylum systems of EU countries would be unable to process applications within the deadlines set. This would negatively affect the efficiency of national asylum processes and adversely affect the rights of people applying for international protection,” the EU Commission site reads.
According to ministry figures, 23,086 people have applied for residence in Denmark under the special law approved to help Ukrainians as of April 19. In addition, 5,423 permits have already been issued to this category of migrants.
SOURCE: Schengen Visa Info
