State could open its gates to foreign entrepreneurs

Foreigners with start-up business plans may be issued residence permits under new initiative

The government is considering the idea of providing foreign entrepreneurs with residence permits so they can enter the country and start a business.

“Denmark is an attractive country for entrepreneurs but other countries do a lot more to pull in foreign talent," Nadeem Farooq, the Radikale spokesperson for entrepreneurial issues, told Ritzau.

He expects 50 permits be issued under the scheme during the first year, with the number then increasing into the hundreds.

READ ALSO: International entrepreneur, you are the missing link … Welcome!

Three-year extension
Entrepreneurs with potential would be offered a two-year residence permit, with the possibility of an additional three-year extension, according to Sjællandske Medier.

A committee of carefully chosen individuals would first assess the start-up plans and then ensure that the idea retains its potential.

READ ALSO: More foreigners working illegally

Potential for permanent residence
However, the plan still needs work. It has not, revealed Farooq, assessed what would happen once the five years is up, or if the entrepreneurs can bring their family with them.

“Obviously, you should not be thrown out of Denmark if you have a business that is creating Danish jobs,” Farooq told Ritzau.

"I think the same conditions should apply as when a highly-educated foreigner comes to Denmark to work for one of the large companies and brings his family with him."

The scheme, named Start-up Denmark, is one of several suggestions the government is considering to attract skilled foreign workers to the country.





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