Denmark
Extension of residence permit under the Ukraine-Special Act
The Minister for Immigration and Integration has decided that residence permits granted under the Act on Temporary Residence Permits for persons displaced from Ukraine can be extended until 17 March 2028.
The new rules for extending residence permits under the Act on Temporary Residence Permits for Persons Displaced from Ukraine (hereinafter the Special Act) have entered into force. Those who hold a residence permit under the Special Act can have their residence permit in Denmark extended until 17 March 2028, if they continue to meet the conditions.
The Immigration Service will automatically assess whether a residence permit under the Special Act can be extended. If the holder still complies with the requirements laid down in their current residence permit, the Danish Immigration Service will automatically extend the residence permit. The holder does not need to apply for an extension.
When the Immigration Service has processed a case, and the residence permit has been extended, the holder will receive a new residence card by mail and does not have to have their biometric features (facial photo and fingerprints) recorded .
The Immigration Service will process a case as soon as possible and aims to have it processed before the current residence permit under the Special Act expires. It expects to complete the processing of most cases before 17 March 2027, but if a case is not completed by that date the holder will still be allowed to stay in Denmark with the same rights that they have had up to now, until the processing of their residence permit extension has been completed.
Iceland
Residence permit bill passed by government
On 27 October 2026, the government announced its approval of the Minister of Justice’s proposed bill amending the residence permit section of the Immigration Act. The government stated that these are the most extensive changes to the system in a decade.
The bill is primarily intended to harmonize Icelandic rules with legislation in other Nordic countries and create a solid foundation for a clear and efficient residence permit system that ensures that decisions are based on a solid foundation.
The bill has four main components:
- Secure applicant identification;
- Harmonization of conditions for family reunification and permanent residence permits with other Nordic countries;
- Strengthening the legal status of victims of human trafficking and labour market violations;
- Changes to individual permit categories, including the cancellation of residence permits due to employment.
More stringent requirements for applicants
The bill proposes, among other things, changes to the conditions for family reunification. The minimum period of cohabitation will be extended from one year to two and both spouses must be 24 years of age when permission is granted, as is the case in both Norway and Denmark. The age requirement is intended, among other things, to prevent forced and arranged marriages. It will also be required that the applicant for family reunification has at his disposal a residential property that can accommodate the entire family.
There will also be clearer requirements for applicants to be able to prove their identity. The bill proposes that identification will be an independent condition for a residence permit, but it will be permitted to take a photograph and fingerprints for the application earlier in the process.
It is proposed that the general period of residence required to obtain a permanent residence permit be extended from four years to six. It is also required that the person concerned is free from public debt. A permanent residence permit includes a permanent right of residence and is a step towards citizenship. A permanent right of residence should be based on solid ties to society.
Increased protection against abuse
The bill also contains important changes intended to improve the situation of victims of human trafficking and prevent violations in the labour market. Among other things, it will be permitted, under certain conditions, to grant people suspected of having been exploited a residence permit of up to 12 months so that they can seek their rights and find another job without risking losing their right of residence.
It is also proposed that residence permits for au pairs for people from outside the EEA be abolished. The aim is to reduce the risk of abuse of people whose residence rights are tied to one family and who have limited opportunities to seek their rights.
United Kingdom
Autumn Budget launches immigration reforms
On 28 October 2026, the Chancellor presented the Autumn Budget 2026, including several immigration reforms intended to attract highly skilled foreign workers and graduates.
The principal changes announced include the following:
- The government is implementing MAC recommendations on visa salary requirements from spring 2027. These include reducing occupation-specific minimum salary thresholds from the median to the 25th percentile of wages; uprating the general threshold based on 2026 wage data; annually updating salary thresholds using the latest ONS wage inflation data (ASHE); levelling new entrant discounts into a single figure for those studying, recently graduated, or in professional training; removing the PhD discount.
- From 2027, the government will allow the highest skilled workers to access a visa curtailment period of up to six months. This will give highly skilled workers longer to find a new job, with the duration varying depending on how long they have worked in their previous, highly-paid job. This will also enable employers to locate and bring on board high-skill employees before they have to leave the country.
- The government will expand the High Potential Individual visa to support applicants with eligible qualifications from the top 150 of the world’s best institutions, with a proportional increase to the cap under the scheme.
- The Graduate visa duration will be increased from 18 months to two years for graduates from high compliance universities where there are strong labour market outcomes.
- To drive regional R&D-led growth, UKRI will work with organisations in regions across the UK to identify additional R&D-intensive businesses in Industrial Strategy sectors who could act as host organisations on the endorsed funder pathway of the Global Talent visa route by spring 2027.
- The government will introduce legislation in Finance Bill 2026-27 so that an employer’s payment of an Immigration Skills Charge or Certificate of Sponsorship fee is not treated as a taxable benefit in kind. The change will apply to payments made on or after 28 October 2026.
