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EMPLOYMENT

Danish labour market continues good form: August figures

Employment increased in both the private and public sectors in Denmark in August, thereby continuing a record spell for the labour market.

Published: 22 October 2018 12:00 CEST
Danish labour market continues good form: August figures
File photo: Mads Joakim Rimer Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

An increase in wage earners in both the private and public sectors mean that a record streak for the labour market goes on, according to newly-published figures from national agency Statistics Denmark.

The total number of people in employment in Denmark increased by 6,500 in August, bringing the overall figure to 2,760,000.

That figure includes a 5,300 increase in the private sector, continuing an ongoing trend of increasing employment seen in the sector for a number of years. An average of 3,500 people every month have found work in the private sector for the last five years, according to Statistics Denmark.

“There were 1,928,300 wage earners in this sector group in August 2018. That is the highest total ever and 24,800 more than in March 2008, when the number of persons with wage-earning positions in companies and organisations reached its peak prior to the (global financial) crisis,” the agency writes on its website.

In the public sector, the number of wage earners increased to 831,400 – a jump of just over 1,000.

“This heavily underlines the economic upturn in Denmark over the last few years. An upturn that, particularly on the jobs market, has been thunderingly strong,” Statistics Denmark wrote.

“There are good reasons to be pleased about this, because it means that more and more people can feel the upturn at close hand,” macroeconomist with Sydbank Søren V. Kristensen told Ritzau.

“At the same time, it is a solid signal that prosperity in Denmark’s economy has kept up steam during the second quarter of the year,” Kristensen added.

Economists from interest organisations said the figures were a sign that more hands were needed on the job market and called for reform to increase labour market resources for employers.

The Danish Chamber of Commerce (Dansk Erhverv) called for easing of rules on hiring from abroad, while the Danish Construction Association (Dansk Byggeri) also said that reforms were needed.

“But it is also important to stress that reform certainly does not always mean using a stick, it can also be with a carrot,” Danish Construction Association lead economist Bo Sandberg said via written comment.

“For example, it might pay to use the budget negotiations to give further tax incitements to get seniors to remain on the labour market for longer,” Sandberg wrote.

READ ALSO: Danish employment levels still rising: 3,400 more in work in latest figures

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JOBS

How much Danish do you need to learn to get a job in Denmark?

Learning a new language like Danish is a process that can take years. So at what level can you test out your new skills and apply for a job in Danish? We spoke to a language teacher to find out.

Published: 8 May 2024 15:38 CEST
How much Danish do you need to learn to get a job in Denmark?

There are many international companies in Denmark where the workplace language is English – opening up opportunities to many nationalities who want to live and work in Denmark. However for some professions, a certain level of Danish is a requirement and for others, working in Danish opens up more doors.

“The level we say you need to get a job is to have passed the Prøve i Dansk 3 (PD3), which is the official exam by the Ministry of Education. It is equivalent to the B2 European Framework level,” Maria-Sophie Schmidt, language consultant at Studieskolen’s private Danish department told The Local.

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language ability. It uses a six-point scale: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, where C2 is for those who are advanced and fluent in the language. It means employers and educational institutions can easily assess language abilities.

“When you pass Prøve i Dansk 3 and are B2 level, you’re not completely fluent but you can function in Danish and read newspaper articles in Danish. Usually I say B2 level is like a driver’s license we give you on your Danish. So you can drive a car but if you want to be a really good driver, you have to go practice in traffic. So after PD3 and with practice and with help perhaps, you should be able to write an application in Danish and go through an interview,” Schmidt said.

“PD3 will always help you get a job because companies appreciate you have the certificate. There’s a worry for some companies that you aren’t fluent.

“It is also helpful because Danes like to socialise in our workplaces such as at julfrokost (Christmas lunch) or fredagsbar (Friday afternoon drinks) and some are uncomfortable having to change their language to English all the time, maybe because we don’t feel we speak it well enough. So if you come as a foreigner and have a certificate of Prøve i Dansk 3, I think it’s a big advantage,” Schmidt added.

Foreign dentists and doctors need to have passed Prøve i dansk 3, as well as other professional tests before being able to start an evaluation period of working. 

However there are some sectors where passing the Danish language exam isn’t a requirement. Due to current pressure on hospital waiting times in Denmark, nurses outside of the EU are no longer asked to pass Prøve i dansk 3. Instead, they can demonstrate their Danish language ability, in line with the requirements used for nurses from EU and EEA countries. This includes a six-month probation period where Danish communication skills are assessed.

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The construction industry and engineering, as well as hospitality are other sectors where Danish language skills won’t necessarily need to be B2 level or need certification. But whether or not you require the Prøve i Dansk 3 certificate, practicing Danish is the key to gaining confidence in the Danish workplace.

“Sign up for a language course or sign up to a sports club and surround yourself with Danish language. Insist on speaking Danish and if you know anyone speaking native Danish, ask to have a coffee and practice your Danish. If you have kids and meet other parents, speak Danish, or volunteer at somewhere like a nursing home,” Schmidt suggested.

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Language schools offer a Module 6 course, called Studieprøve to get to C1 level. Here you learn to read, write and speak more academic Danish. It is a requirement for those wanting to study in Danish but you don’t need it for a job.

“At Studieskolen we offer Classes after PD3 – a conversation class at B2 and C1 level where you don’t focus on grammar and writing but on speaking relevant topics in society such as what’s going on now, newspaper articles, TV shows and practice speaking to colleagues in small talk and more complicated conversations. PD3 is a driver’s license but you often can’t join a conversation spontaneously or you may lack confidence and vocabulary, so those classes help that.”

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