Remote work and Danish tax, who taxes you?

Tax residence is what matters

Denmark taxes you based on residence, not on where your employer is. If you live in Denmark (broadly, more than six months, or with a home here), you are a full tax resident and must declare worldwide income, including salary from a foreign employer and any foreign accounts.

That means a remote worker in Denmark employed by a company abroad still pays Danish tax on that salary. Double-taxation treaties stop you being taxed twice, see double taxation, but they rarely remove the Danish liability while you live here.

Social security and your employer

The trickier part is social security and payroll. A foreign employer with no Danish presence may need to arrange Danish payroll reporting, or you may need to handle it yourself. Within the EU, A1 rules decide which country social security you pay into. Outside the EU it depends on bilateral agreements. Get this checked, this is the part that catches remote workers out.

If you are employed by a Danish company but work abroad sometimes

Watch the days. If you are a Danish resident under a double-taxation agreement, spending too many workdays abroad can shift taxing rights, and specific schemes (like the expat scheme) have day limits. Keep a record of workdays outside Denmark.

Practical steps

Register correctly, keep your tax card and annual return accurate, and if your setup is anything beyond a simple Danish salary, get professional advice before your first return. Model your take-home with the net salary calculator.

Common questions