In the International Staff Unit, we are happy to meet with you to talk about our services at department or institute meetings or more informally over a cup of coffee.

Depending on your needs and wishes, we offer to come and talk about selected topics or our overall services.

In addition to general guidance on moving to and living in Denmark, we offer the following core services:

• Application and guidance on residence and work permits and visas
• Service packages in connection with hiring international employees
• Spouse support in collaboration with local organisations
• Networking activities and social events for international employees and their accompanying family

If you would like us to visit you, please contact us via  isu.hr@adm.aau.dk.

The International Staff Unit (ISU) would like to invite administrative colleagues responsible for foreign researchers, PhD students and visiting researchers to join a networking group. The network group is facilitated by the ISU and functions as an erfa group for sharing experiences, discussing, establishing standards for best practice and establishing good collaborations across departments and institutes.

The group meets approximately twice a year (once per semester). 

If you have not yet been introduced to the networking group and find it relevant to your work, send an email to isu.hr@adm.aau.dk and we will sign you up for the networking group.

YAMMER - ONLINE FORUM FOR THE NETWORK GROUP
In addition to the biannual network meetings, we would like to maintain an ongoing dialogue in the network. ISU therefore facilitates a sparring, experience and knowledge forum for administrative employees on the social communication platform Yammer under the group ‘ISU Network for TAP employees’.

The group ‘ISU Network for TAP employees’ is for employees at AAU who deal with the recruitment and reception of international employees, where you receive important news and updates from ISU, such as news about rules and legislative changes in the area. In addition, new initiatives and services, current events and more are announced. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and share experiences in relation to administrative tasks, handling practical issues, best practice, etc.

All AAU employees automatically have a profile at www.yammer.com and can log in with their AAU login (first time registration must be confirmed by email). From the front page you can search for the group ‘ISU Network for TAP employees’ and request access (closed forum).

If you want to follow the communication between ISU and the international staff and stay updated on social events, you can also join the group ‘AAU Staff Community’ (open forum).

The International Staff Unit, ISU, offers support and sparring in connection with the recruitment and onboarding of international employees at AAU. Below is a list of selected key services that can help international employees get a good start in Denmark.

On the ISU website, international researchers, PhD students and visiting researchers can find information targeted to their specific situation. 

SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT
ISU offers personalised 1:1 contact and support to newly appointed assistant professors, associate professors, professors and distinguished professors who move to Denmark in connection with a new job at AAU.

ISU assists with the many questions that typically arise in connection with the move to Denmark. ISU's 1:1 support is tailored to the individual needs of each researcher and usually includes assistance with practical challenges related to the move, information about housing options, help finding a school and daycare centre for accompanying children, and job and networking opportunities for an accompanying partner.

PRE-BOARDING MEETING
ISU offers new international employees or a potential candidate for an AAU research position a pre-boarding meeting. The pre-boarding meeting is offered to assistant professors, associate professors, professors and distinguished professors and possibly their partner. The pre-boarding meeting takes place via Zoom/Teams, a physical meeting (if possible) or by phone, and the meeting is conducted by one of the two international staff partners.

The focus is on aligning expectations and clarifying the employee/candidate's questions prior to employment or in connection with employment. At the pre-boarding meeting, ISU provides information about pension and tax rules, registration with the Danish authorities, housing, etc. and also discusses the researcher's personal circumstances, for example if the researcher brings a partner or family.

CPR REGISTRATION AND ARRIVAL MEETING FOR NEW INTERNATIONAL STAFF
‘Getting Started in Denmark’ is an offer from the International Staff Unit where newly arrived foreign researchers, guest researchers and PhD students and accompanying partners who will be staying in Denmark for more than 3 months can get help with registration with the Danish authorities as well as information and guidance to get a good start to life in Denmark.

CULTURE TRAINING PROGRAMME
When you arrive in a new country, it's not just practicalities and a new workplace you have to deal with. It's also a new culture in both your work and personal life. That's why ISU offers Culture Training for international employees and any accompanying family. The workshop is a combination of short presentations, self-reflection and group assignments with the aim of creating an awareness of our differences, which can sometimes create challenges and misunderstandings. In addition, there will be an introduction to how Danish culture typically differs from that of other countries.

The International Staff Unit (ISU) offers support during the recruitment and hiring of international employees. Below is an overview of the main services that ISU offers specifically for international recruitment.

ISU WEBSITE
On the ISU website www.en.hr.aau.dk foreign researchers, PhD students and visiting researchers can find information targeted to their specific situation.

The section ‘Information and guidance’ provides information and guidance on particularly important matters, organised according to the needs that typically apply in the phases Before Arrival, Upon Arrival, During your stay and Working at AAU.

PRE-BOARDING MEETING BEFORE ARRIVAL
ISU offers a pre-boarding meeting to a potential candidate for an AAU research position or a new international employee. The pre-boarding meeting is offered to assistant professors, associate professors, professors and distinguished professors and their possible partner. The pre-boarding meeting takes place via Zoom/Teams, a physical meeting (if possible) or by phone, and is conducted by one of the two International Staff Partners.

The focus is on important information about living and working in Denmark, as well as aligning expectations and clarifying the employee/candidate's questions prior to employment or in connection with employment.

Housing Search 
International employees and guests, including PhD students, post docs and interns, can apply for temporary accommodation through the AAU International Accommodation Service. Find more information here.

In addition, ISU offers new international assistant professors, associate professors and professors assistance in finding temporary or permanent accommodation in Denmark. ISU collaborates with selected housing administrators and landlords and manages a database of housing contacts. ISU can thus help establish contact with selected landlords based on the international employee's wishes.

PENSION, TAX, HOLIDAYS AND ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE
ISU can guide the new international employee in relation to the more personal issues associated with the new employment, including especially questions related to tax, choice of pension scheme and holidays, but also choice of housing, school and day care for accompanying children as well as jobs and networking opportunities for an accompanying partner.

EXTERNAL TAX ADVICE
ISU is not authorised to advise on complex tax and pension matters that apply to an international employee who moves to Denmark and who, for example, owns real estate abroad or has pension savings in several different countries. In such cases, ISU advises that the department or the international employee itself purchases advice from external suppliers.

HR SERVICE CENTRES
The HR Service Centres handle personnel administration, including hiring, resignations and various types of leave. If you or your international employee have questions regarding employment matters such as salary classifications, employment changes, leaves of absence, resignations, pensions and holiday settlements, you can contact the service centre associated with your department.

You can find more information, forms and contact details on the HR portal.

GROUP PRE-ARRIVAL MEETINGS
Group pre-arrival meetings are an offer from the International Staff Unit, where newly arrived foreign researchers, guest researchers and PhD students and accompanying partners who will be staying in Denmark for more than 3 months can get help with registration with the Danish authorities as well as information and guidance to get a good start to life in Denmark.

The meetings are held four times a year. Read more under Events on the ISU website www.en.hr.aau.dk

PUBLICATIONS FOR NEW INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYEES
On the ISU website you can find relevant welcome material that can supplement the material you may already have at the department.

DANISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION
New international employees are entitled to state-subsidised Danish language training for up to 5 years from registration with the municipality.  Within the 5 years, the international employee is entitled to up to 3½ years of effective Danish language training. The international employee must pay a refundable deposit of DKK 2,000.

Contact ISU or the local language centre for further information.

CULTURE TRAINING PROGRAMME
ISU offers Culture Training for international employees and any accompanying family.

The workshop is a combination of short presentations, self-reflection and group assignments with the aim of creating an awareness of our differences, which can sometimes create challenges and misunderstandings. In addition, there will be an introduction to how Danish culture typically differs from that of other countries.

The International Staff Unit applies for residence and work permits for all AAU's international staff and visiting researchers (including interns), and based on this, we have extensive knowledge and experience with rules and laws in the area of residence and work permits and EU residence permits for staff and visiting researchers.

Contact us at isu.hr@adm.aau.dk for questions and sparring in connection with new hires and extensions of residence and work permits.

Click here for an overview of different residence and work permits.

VISA OR RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMIT?
Researchers from non-EU/EEA countries staying in Denmark for less than 90 days in connection with a collaboration at AAU do not need a residence and work permit but an entry visa. Some countries are visa-free, while others require a visa application. The institute inviting the researcher is responsible for applying for a visa.

• See list of visa-required and visa-free countries.

Researchers from non-EU/EEA countries who will be staying in Denmark for more than 90 days must have a residence and work permit before they can start work. ISU is responsible at AAU for applying for a residence and work permit.

APPLICATION FOR WORK AND RESIDENCE PERMITS (NON EU/EEA) 
Application for residence and work permits is initiated when ISU receives a completed recommendation form for the new employee or guest. Please note that the process typically takes 2-3 months, including the processing time at the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI).

For paid employees, the recommendation form is sent to your HR Service Centre, while the recommendation form for visiting PhD students and visiting researchers who are not paid by AAU is sent directly to  isu.hr@adm.aau.dk. 

You can also find an overview of the different types of applications on the Danish Immigration Service's website. 

Random checks of permits (non-EU/EEA)
The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) continuously checks that the conditions for granting a residence and work permit have been met. If the conditions are not met, SIRI requires documentation that AAU has employed the employee in accordance with the conditions of the permit throughout the employment relationship.

EU RESIDENCE CERTIFICATE - DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
EU citizens do not need to apply for a residence and work permit, but must obtain an EU residence certificate upon arrival in Denmark before they can obtain a Danish CPR number. The EU residence certificate is issued by SIRI, where the employee and any accompanying family must appear in person and bring selected documents.

Read detailed information about registration for EU citizens at this link. 

The international employee is referred to the ISU in case of questions.

GUEST RESEARCHERS
A guest researcher is defined in relation to Residence and Work Permits as a researcher who performs unpaid research collaboration with the university. A visiting researcher is not in an employment relationship with AAU and does not receive a salary. In this regard, it is important that the department is aware:

• The researcher must have at least a Master's degree
• The purpose of the stay must be research (not teaching)
• The researcher must be able to experiment during the period
• A collaboration agreement must be drawn up between the university and the researcher, stating the period, department and purpose of the visit. In addition, what Aalborg University makes available (e.g. workstation). This document can be used as an "invitation letter", which must be attached to the application for a residence and work permit
• The researcher is covered by Aalborg University's accident insurance/property damage insurance, i.e. in the event of injury to the researcher caused by conditions at Aalborg University during working hours, the guest researcher is covered if the insurance provisions are met (does not include free time). The guest is generally not covered by AAU's industrial injury insurance (should be covered by their employer's insurance). 

ASSOCIATE EMPLOYMENT FOR NON-EU/EEA CITIZENS
Non-EU/EEA citizens who are already working in Denmark and are going to perform a secondary employment at Aalborg University must present a valid residence and work permit, which also authorises them to perform secondary employment.
This authorisation must ALWAYS be approved by the International Staff Unit (ISU).
If the person does not have a secondary employment permit, the ISU must apply for a separate authorisation for this.

Contact the ISU if you have any questions or doubts about work permits in connection with international employees' secondary employment.

VOLUNTARY WORK
The new rules imply a right to perform unpaid voluntary work alongside main employment and any secondary employment. The unpaid voluntary work may not replace paid labour, and it is therefore a prerequisite that it is customary for the work in question to be unpaid and voluntary. 

The right to carry out unpaid voluntary work does not require the submission of an application, but will be included in the original residence and work permit for the purpose of employment.

The Executive Board has decided that AAU must pay for legal costs in connection with applications for residence and work permits for all new (and only new!) international employees. The legal costs include:

• Processing fee for submitting an electronic application to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration
• Taking biometrics at the Danish embassy in the applicant's home country - may vary but costs approximately DKK 1,400

The university does not pay for the costs of applying for extensions of residence and work permits.

It has also been decided that AAU can offer to pay the corresponding expenses for accompanying family members. 

• Processing fee for submitting an electronic application to the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration
• Taking biometrics at the Danish embassy in the applicant's home country - may vary but costs approx. DKK 1,400 per family member

AAU is authorised to pay reasonable travel and relocation expenses for academic staff in connection with recruitment.

This means that departments have the opportunity to pay for travel and relocation expenses out of their own budget.

The department can offer to pay for the following expenses:

• Travel expenses in connection with the job interview and joining for the applicant and accompanying family
• Reasonable moving costs

Read more about coverage of moving expenses in AAU's guidelines on payment of salary, fees and reimbursement of expenses to persons with academic ties to AAU.

AAU International Accommodation Office (IAO)

AAU International Accommodation Office (IAO) can help arrange furnished accommodation for international staff and PhD students. The contact to IAO goes through the department and not the international employee. IAO has a number of housing options available that can be passed on.

Therefore, contact IAO when you are sure that the employee is coming to AAU. IAO has an application deadline of no later than 6 weeks before expected arrival, if possible.

The IAO website has an overview of apartment types and other relevant information such as what is in the apartments and what the employee should bring with them.

Around the start of the academic year in February and September, there are challenges in finding accommodation for everyone. Employees are therefore encouraged to try to find accommodation themselves.

All salaried employees and PhD students at AAU must generally pay tax in Denmark. Some may be exempt from Danish taxation, while others can choose between different tax schemes.

RESEARCH TAXATION
Employees from Post Doc level and above can apply for researcher taxation if other conditions are met. Please note that scientific assistants are not eligible to apply for researcher taxation.

TAX CARD (NOT RESEARCHER TAXATION):
New international employees staying in Denmark for more than 3 months must apply for a tax card at SKAT.

EMPLOYED AT AAU WITH RESIDENCE AND FIXED WORKPLACE OUTSIDE DK
Whether tax must be paid to DK during a stay in DK depends, among other things, on:

• Double taxation rules between DK and country of residence
• Purpose of stay

PH.D. STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS FROM ABROAD
PhD students with scholarships from abroad must contact SKAT to clarify any taxation or exemption from taxation of foreign scholarships.

Contact ISU if you have questions about taxation. 

The International Staff Unit (ISU) offers help and service to new international employees in connection with recruitment, relocation and onboarding. The ISU also acts as a sparring partner and support for departments in connection with the recruitment and onboarding of new international employees.

Below we have compiled a number of tips that can support you at the department when you receive new international employees.

BUDDY/MENTOR ORDER
ISU recommends that the department organises a buddy/mentor scheme for the new international employee. Experience shows that new employees often benefit greatly from having a Danish or international colleague to lean on and ask for advice during the initial period of employment. Having a permanent contact person provides a sense of security, and the other employees can act as ambassadors who take the new employees into the workplace culture, but also into Danish culture and the everyday life of Danes. A buddy can act as a bridge between the workplace and life outside of AAU, and in many cases this can alleviate questions and frustrations in the start-up phase. ISU is happy to help with advice and guidance in the process.

SOCIAL EVENTS
As a new employee, and especially as a new international employee, it is important that invitations (formal and informal) reach the new international employee so that they are included in the social life and culture of the workplace from the start. New employees are not yet familiar with written and unwritten rules, nor are they familiar with the ‘we care’ culture. It is therefore a good idea to always follow up on whether your new employee has received (and understood) formal and informal invitations from colleagues.

TAL DANSK
The International Staff Unit encourages all new international employees to sign up for Danish lessons as soon as they have received their CPR number. Juggling a new language and culture can be challenging, while the new job also requires a lot of attention. Nevertheless, ISU recommends that employees and colleagues speak Danish during breaks and other social situations to new international employees whenever possible. Language plays an important role in ensuring good social integration and retention in the workplace, and experience shows that it is important that international employees are given the opportunity to actively use their newly acquired language quickly and as much as possible. Therefore, support your new international employees by giving them the opportunity to practise their new language skills.

CODE OF CONDUCT IN THE WORKPLACE
Many of AAU's new international employees come from cultures and work cultures that differ significantly from the Danish work culture. The International Staff Unit invites new employees to cultural training in order to ease the transition to a new culture and prepare new employees for the Danish culture. However, the ISU also encourages departments to help new employees understand the flat hierarchy that characterises the Danish labour market culture, the informal tone and dress code, the principles of gender equality, work-life balance, trust in each other and other expectations associated with new employees.

As a Danish employee, it can be difficult to recognise and put into words all the implicit demands and expectations we have of each other in the workplace. New international employees can find it even more difficult to navigate when they do not come with the same preconceptions and experience as Danish employees. ISU therefore encourages Danish colleagues to help new international colleagues in the best possible way.

ASK ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE'S ACCOMPANYING PARTNER AND/OR FAMILY
Many experiences indicate that the new international employee's well-being largely depends on whether the employee's partner and family also feel welcome and settled in their new Danish surroundings. ISU encourages the department to also focus on the accompanying partner/family, asking about their well-being and possibly involving them in events etc. where possible. ISU is happy to provide guidance and support to accompanying partners and families.