Denmark Pauses Nurse Authorisation for Most Non-EU Applicants: Who Can Still Apply and the Steps

Part of our Nursing Councils of the World series. Last checked: November 2026.

If you trained as a nurse outside the EU/EEA and planned to apply for Danish authorisation, check this first: the Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed) says it is currently not accepting most applications from nurses educated, or holding citizenship, outside the EU/EEA. It says the pause is due to a quota on applications. A few groups can still apply.

Imagine paying for translations and posting your original diploma to Copenhagen, only to have the application turned away because the door was closed when you applied. Checking whether you fall into an exception first can save you money and months.

If you can apply: the steps

1. Apply and pay DKK 1,362 through the Authority’s application form.
2. Upload your passport identity pages, CV, diploma and a detailed transcript of your studies.
3. Post the originals of your diploma and transcript, with a certificate confirming your degree.
4. Send a certificate of current professional status (no more than three months old) or a certificate of non-registration.
5. Wait for the assessment. The Authority compares your education with Danish basic nurse training and may ask for more documents.

If your education is approved, you get a letter setting out the remaining requirements. This letter is not your authorisation.

The final step: adaptation and training employment

The last requirement is a period of adaptation and training employment in Denmark. If your education has fewer clinical hours than Danish training, you make them up during this employment. You must complete it within three years of the approval letter, and your employer must confirm that your Danish language and communication skills are good enough for the job.

How long it takes

For applicants who are exempt from the quota, the Authority says it expects to start processing within a few working days of receiving the application. It does not give an overall processing time.

But does this mean Denmark will never take non-EU nurses?

No. The pause applies to new applications under the current quota, and nurses with a specific job offer as a specially requested professional, or with legal residence in Denmark, can still apply. The rules can change, so check the Authority’s page again before you prepare documents. Meanwhile, Norway, Sweden and Finland still accept applications from nurses trained outside the EU/EEA.

Source: Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed), “Application and assessment of qualifications” for nurses from non-EU countries, checked November 2026.