Work in the Faroe Islands - applicants from third countries
You are a citizen of a country outside the EU, and you have been offered employment in the Faroe Islands and want to apply for a residence and work permit.
Questions and Answers
Work in the Faroe Islands
Before you start working in Faroe Islands, you must apply for a permit at the Faroese Immigration Office. It is your own responsibility to obtain a residence and work permit. You can read more about the rules and consequences of illegal work here.
Please note that you must also apply for a residence and work permit before taking upon voluntary or unpaid work.
Although The Faroe Islands in some matters are regarded as a part of Denmark, this is not the case in regards to employment matters. The Faroe Islands and Denmark are two distinct travel areas. This means that a residence permit in Denmark does not give you a right to stay in the Faroe Islands. Likewise, a residence permit in the Faroe Islands does not give you a right to stay in Denmark
If you already hold a permit to stay in the Faroe Islands
If you already hold a residence permit based on family reunification or as a refugee, or you hold a humanitarian or permanent residence permit for the Faroe Islands, you do not need a separate work permit in order to work on the Faroe Islands.
What are the conditions?
Your labour must be in demand
The assessment of your application is normally based on whether your labour and your qualifications are in demand on the Faroe Islands.
When processing your application, the Immigration Office pays particular attention to the following criteria:
- Whether there are available professionals residing on the Faroe Islands who are qualified to carry out the job in question (applies only to certain types of applications), and
- whether the nature of the job in question is specialised enough to warrant a residence and work permit.
Your salary and terms of employment must correspond to Faroese standards
Your salary and terms of employment must correspond to Faroese standards. This means that your salary, holiday entitlements, terms of notice etc. must not be inferior to the standards within the professional field where you are going to work. As a rule, your employment must be full-time, which normally means 40 hours work per week.
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.
When your application for a residence and work permit has been submittet, the Immigration Office will assess whether your salary and terms of employment correspond to Faroese standards.
In certain cases, you must have a Danish or Faroese authorisation
In certain cases, it is required that you have a Danish or Faroese authorisation. This applies, for example, if you are working as a health professional.
If you are a semi-professional athlete or coach
If you are a semi-professional athlete or coach you can be granted a non-workplace-specific work permit in order to take a part-time job. In order to be granted such permit, your weekly income as a semi-professional athlete or coach must amount to a minimum of 52 % of the standard weekly income for hourly paid workers in the Faroe Islands.
Weekly income from your part-time job must not exceed 48% of the standard weekly income for hourly paid workers in the Faroe Islands.
If you are a medical doctor
If you are offered a job as a medical doctor at Landssjúkrahúsið, Klaksvikar Sjúkrahús or Suðuroyar Sjúkrahús, and you have a Danish authorisation, you can be granted a permit without prior approval from the Faroese Authorities - provided that you meet the required conditions regarding salary and terms of employment.
What are my rights if I am granted a permit?
What are you allowed with a residence and work permit in the Faroe Islands? – and what are you not allowed?
Work
You are only allowed to work the specific job at the specific company, to which your work permit is based upon.
If you are offered a new job, you must apply for a new permit before you start the new job. 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 obtain a separate permit. You can read more about sideline employment and apply here.
Social benefits
You must be able to support yourself and your family financially during your stay. Receiving social benefits will in many cases have a negative impact on your permit.
If you or your family members receive such benefits during your stay, your permit can be revoked – and you will lose the right to stay on the Faroe Islands.
Residence
A residence and work permit allows you to stay on the Faroe Islands for the period of time your permit is valid.
You must not give up your Faroese address or stay abroad for a longer period of time. A violation will result in the lapse of your permit. This means that you will lose your right to stay on the Faroe Islands.
If you have been staying in the Faroe Islands legally for less than 2 years, you are allowed to stay outside of the Faroe Islands for 6 successive months.
If you have been staying in the Faroe Islands legally for more than 2 years and you hold a residence permit (which sometimes can be made permanent), or if you already hold a permanent residence permit, you are allowed to stay abroad for up 12 months.
If you need to stay abroad for an extended period of time, e.g. if you are stationed abroad for a period of time by your employer, you can apply for a dispensation to prevent your permit from lapsing.
You can read more about rules of lapse and dispensation options here.
Staying abroad while serving in the military as a conscript or performing required community service will not be considered time living outside of the Faroe Islands.
Stays in Denmark or Greenland are considered as time spent abroad.
How long can I stay in the Faroe Islands?
Validity period
A residence permit in the Faroe Islands is valid for up to 1 year from the date of issue.
Duration of the permit if your employment is less than 1 year.
If your employment is limited for a period of less than 1 year, the duration of your permit will usually be the same as the duration of your employment. If you want to continue to work in the Faroe Islands beyond this period, you must apply for an extension of your residence and work permit.
It is very important that you apply for an extension before your permit expires.
If you submit an application for an extension before the expiration of your current permit, you are allowed to stay in the Faroe Islands and continue working until a decision on your application has been made – even though your current permit might expire in the meantime.
Duration of the permit if your employment is for 1 year or longer
If the duration of your employment is planned to be for 1 year or longer, you will normally be granted a residence permit valid for 1 year. If you want to continue working in the Faroe Islands beyond the first year, you must apply for an extension of residence and work permit based on the extension of your employment contract.
It is very important that you apply for an extension before your permit expires.
If you submit your application for an extension before the expiration of your current permit, you are allowed to stay in the Faroe Islands and continue working until a decision on your application has been made – even though your current permit might expire in the meantime.
Shorter validity due to expiration of your passport.
A residence permit can only be valid until 3 months before the expiry date on your passport.
If your passport has a shorter validity period than the otherwise possible period of stay, your residence permit will be shortened. This means that the validity of your residence permit will be shorter than it otherwise could be. When you have renewed your passport, you can apply for an extension of your residence permit
What should I do if my job situation changes?
Your residence permit is linked to your job in the Faroe Islands. Your employment is the basis for your permit.
You must always inform the Immigration Office if your job situation changes.
Your work permit is based on and limited to the job that, on which your permit is based. You are not allowed to work in other positions than the one which is stated in your permit. This also applies if you are offered a new position in the same company.
If you lose your job
You must inform the Immigration Office if you lose your job. Your residence and work permit will be revoked as it is based on the exact job as stated in your permit.
If you change your job
If you find a new job while working in the Faroe Islands, you must submit a new application for a residence and work permit with information regarding your new employment. You are not allowed to start a new job before you have been granted a new permit
Can my family be granted a residence permit?
A residence and work permit based on a job in the Faroe Islands allows your family to come with you to the Faroe Islands.
A permit can be granted to your spouse, registered or cohabiting partner as well as children under the age of 18 living at home.
What more do I need to know before I apply?
Language
If you submit documents written other languages than Faroese, English, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, you must also submit certified translations into Danish or English.
How to fill in the application form
You can find the relevant application form (AR1) below. The application form includes information on how to complete and submit the application form.
In the printable application form (AR1) the employer must complete part 2 of the form. When the employer has completed their part, you must complete part 1. Once parts 1 and 2 have been completed, they must be submitted together. Necessary documents must also be submitted with the application.
You can complete the printable application forms on screen to a certain extent before printing. Please note that signatures on the application forms must be written by hand.
The Sports Agreement
What are the conditions?
Foreigners, who have been offered a job in the Faroe Islands as a doctor or semi-professional athlete, or trainer, are able to apply for a residence and work permit in accordance with the Sports Agreement.
The conditions to be granted residence and work permits under this scheme agreement are as follows:
- The applicant must be a semiprofessional athlete or trainer,
- The job offer must be parttimepart-time or,
- The applicant must be guaranteed an earning of a minimum of 52% of the normal weekly earning for hourly-paid workers in the Faroe Islands (which is a minimum earning of DKK 13,830.69 per month).
OR
- The applicant must be offered an employment as a doctor at Landssjúkrahusið, Klaksvikar Sjúkrahús or Suðuroyar Sjúkrahús
- The applicant must have a Danish authorisation.
Submission of the application
The relevant application form FO1 can be found on the tab “How to apply” on the rights side. The application form can be used for both first time applications and extensions. Please note, it is not possible to apply online. Furthermore, note that there are no form requirements. However, the application makes it possible for SIRI to gather the necessary information for the case processing.
According to the Sports Agreement, the application can be submitted abroad or on the Faroe Islands. However, it is a precondition that the applicant is residing legally in the Faroe Islands at the time of the submission. If the applicant is residing illegally in the Faroe Islands the application will be rejected.
Right to employment next to part-time work
A residence and work permit, based on The Sports Agreement, is localized to the club with which the athlete/trainer has an contract. It is a condition that the applicant has a a minimum earning of DKK 13,830.69 per month. Furthermore, a non-localized working permit is granted which will give the applicant the right to earn a maximum of DKK 12,766.80 per month.
Special agreement on residence permits for doctors
As part of the sports agreement, there is a special agreement for doctors who have been offered employment with Landssjúkrahúsið, Klaksvíkar Sjúkrahús and Suðuroyar Sjúkrahús, and has Danish authorization.
How to apply
It is important that you have carefully read the conditions for being granted a residence permit before you apply and it is vital to the processing of your application that you include the correct documents.
How to submit the application
You can submit your application to the Faroese Immigration Office by e-mail. Send a completed and signed application along with all relevant documents to the following address: info@utlendingastovan.fo.
Download the application form here:
You can also submit your application to the Faroese Immigration Office by letter. Send the completed application to the following address:
Útlendingastovan
Skálatrøð 20
Postrúm 264
FO-110 Tórshavn
Please ensure that all required documents are included.
The Immigration Office will contact you or your employer if further information is required in regards to the processing of the application