2026 status: new non-EU doctor applications are paused
Since 15 December 2025 the Danish Patient Safety Authority (STPS) has set the quota for new authorisation applications from doctors educated outside the EU/EEA at zero, valid until 31 December 2026. While the quota is zero, a residence permit for the purpose of obtaining Danish authorisation as a doctor cannot be granted to new applicants, except in exempt cases such as people with a legal Danish residence permit and specially requested healthcare professionals with a documented employment offer. STPS expects to set a new quota each year. We update this page whenever the rules change.
Register your interest with NIEC now. Doctors who are prepared, with their profile reviewed and Danish language study started, are best placed when a quota opens.
Denmark Doctor Visa From Bangladesh
Denmark regularly ranks among the wealthiest and happiest countries in the world, and its healthcare and education systems are the backbone of that prosperity. That is why Denmark has long attracted medical professionals from across the globe, from general practitioners and hospital specialists to medical researchers.
For a doctor from Bangladesh there is no single "doctor visa". The programme is a residence permit for the purpose of obtaining Danish authorisation as a medical doctor: you move to Denmark with your family, learn Danish, pass the Danish professional tests and work under supervision until you receive full authorisation. NIEC Bangladesh guides doctors through this programme, from the first profile review to the residence permit and licensing stages.
Searching for the Denmark authorization visa for doctors (Danish authorities spell it "authorisation")? This is the programme.
Talk to a NIEC counsellor
Free profile evaluation. We will tell you honestly what your realistic options are.
The Programme At A Glance
Path To The Danish Medical License
The programme follows five stages from your first application to a full Danish medical licence:
- 01Apply for residence and work permit
- 02Danish language proficiency test
- 03Medical exam and approval from the STPS
- 04Turnus / Evalueringsansættelse
- 05Danish medical license granted
Stage 01 is currently closed to new non-EU applicants because of the zero quota. NIEC explains each stage during your consultation.
Benefits Of Working In Denmark As A Doctor
- High salaries: Danish doctors are among the best paid in Europe, and pay rises with each training stage.
- Excellent working conditions: well-equipped hospitals, a flat hierarchy and a strong culture of training.
- Work-life balance: a 37-hour working week, at least five weeks of paid holiday and generous parental leave.
- Your spouse can work: spouses and partners of permit holders can normally take up work.
- Quality education for your children: children of residents attend Danish public schools free of charge.
- Health security: residents with a CPR number have access to tax-funded public healthcare.
- No IELTS hurdle: the programme does not depend on an English test score. Danish language is what counts.
- Safe and inclusive society: low crime, high trust and strong social protection.
Requirements And Eligibility
In short, you should be a qualified doctor with an MBBS (or equivalent) and BMDC registration and recent clinical experience, and be ready to learn Danish and complete the Danish professional tests. Your NIEC counsellor reviews your profile in a free evaluation and tells you honestly where you stand.
- A medical degree recognised by the Danish authorities
- BMDC registration and recent professional experience
- Willingness to learn Danish and complete the professional requirements
- Sufficient funds to settle in Denmark
How NIEC Bangladesh Helps
If you work with NIEC Bangladesh, we help you to:
Submit your application
Verify all the documents
Obtain a work permit for you
Obtain a work permit for your spouse
Help you obtain the CPR number
Help you get licensing
Permit steps are available only where the current Danish quota and rules allow. We do not guarantee outcomes, because Danish authorities make every decision.
Denmark Medical Licensing Exam
Danish authorisation includes a licensing stage that people often call the Danish medical licensing exam (or medical license exam). It combines a Danish language exam (Prøve i Dansk 3), written and oral medical tests and a short course in Danish health legislation, followed by supervised work in a Danish hospital. NIEC helps you plan this stage and stay on schedule. The exam calendar and preparation plan are shared with you during your consultation, because they depend on your profile and the current Danish rules.
Medical Residency And Specialist Training In Denmark
Specialist training in Denmark is organised by the regions and is open to doctors who hold Danish authorisation. Doctors who complete the authorisation programme can then apply for training posts like any other Danish doctor, and the regions assess specialist training you completed abroad. The current zero quota applies to doctors and nurses; dentists remain eligible to apply, so Bangladeshi dentists should ask us about the current rules.
Doctor Positions In Denmark
Danish doctors work either in hospitals, where careers follow a clear hierarchy, or in general practice.
Hospital Doctors
- Medical intern Klinisk basisuddannelse (KBU)
- First-year resident Introlæge
- Senior resident Reservelæge, 1st reservelæge
- Attending physician Afdelingslæge (Afd.læge)
- Chief physician Overlæge; leading physician / head of department (Ledende / Cheflæge)
General Practice
- General practitioner Own practice or employed
- Locum doctor Vikar
- Out-of-hours doctor Lægevagt
Doctors from outside the EU/EEA usually enter the hospital system through an adaptation position, and then progress through introductory and specialist training. See the salary table below for typical pay at each stage.
Doctor's Salary In Denmark
Doctors in Denmark are paid under collective agreements between the doctors' unions and the Danish Regions, so pay rises at each career stage. Approximate 2026 ranges:
| Stage | Typical gross monthly pay (DKK) | Approx. in BDT |
|---|---|---|
| Junior doctor / adaptation position | about 38,000 to 50,000 | ৳7.3 to 9.6 lakh |
| Registrar / specialist trainee | about 50,000 to 62,000 | ৳9.6 to 11.9 lakh |
| Specialist (hospital) | about 63,000 to 70,000 | ৳12.1 to 13.4 lakh |
| Senior consultant | about 70,000 to 90,000+ | ৳13.4 to 17.3+ lakh |
Base salary before tax. Employer pension contributions (often 10% to 15%) and supplements for evenings, nights, weekends and on-call duty are extra. Official statistics put average standardised monthly earnings of doctors at roughly DKK 79,000 including pension and supplements. BDT figures use about ৳19.2 per DKK; check live rates.
Denmark has high income tax (marginal rates of roughly 40% to 52% plus an 8% labour market contribution), so a gross monthly pay of DKK 60,000 leaves roughly two thirds as take-home pay. In return, residents get free public healthcare and education and strong social protection.
Cost Of Living In Denmark
A single doctor should plan for roughly DKK 15,000 to 22,000 a month in living costs (about ৳2.9 to 4.2 lakh), with rent the largest item: DKK 9,000 to 14,000 in Copenhagen and DKK 6,000 to 9,000 in smaller cities. Food, transport, utilities and leisure add roughly DKK 6,000 to 9,000. Denmark's high pay and low healthcare and education costs for residents balance the high price level.
Things To Consider Before You Decide
- The quota: new applications are currently refused, and a quota for 2027 has not been announced.
- Time: the route to full authorisation usually takes several years.
- Danish language: Danish is demanding, and it is the working language in hospitals.
- Employer: you need a Danish employer for the supervised adaptation position, and hospitals prefer candidates who already speak Danish.
- No guarantees: be cautious about any agent who promises a fixed success rate.
If The Quota Keeps You Out: Your Options
- Prepare now. Danish language, a strong CV and verified credentials are needed whatever happens with the quota.
- Look for a specially requested route. A documented employment offer for adaptation and training from a Danish employer can qualify you as a specially requested healthcare professional.
- Compare other countries. Other countries run their own medical registration routes and exams. Ask your counsellor for a comparison.
Talk to a NIEC counsellor
Free profile evaluation. We will tell you honestly what your realistic options are.
