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Denmark is losing popularity as a relocation choice for EU citizens

The increase in foreign labour in Denmark is at its lowest rate since 2013.

Published: 20 February 2020 13:56 CET
Denmark is losing popularity as a relocation choice for EU citizens
File photo: Jeppe Vejlø/Ritzau Scanpix

The reduction in the number of people relocating to the country to work could have consequences for the Danish economy, newspaper Børsen reported on Wednesday.

EU nationals have in particular begun to choose Denmark less frequently for work relocation. During the last nine months of 2019, there was no net increase in EU citizens working in the country.

That trend is a concerning one, according to Niklas Praefke, head economist with Ledernes Hovedorganisation (LH), a trade union for management professionals.

“If this trend was to be continue such that we actually lose foreign labour, this would be a very serious headache for the Danish economy,” Praefke told Børsen.

Recent years have seen a significant influx of foreign labour to Denmark.

There are currently around 290,000 foreign nationals on the Danish labour market. But the influx has now slowed down.

In 2019, 9476 foreign nationals entered the Danish labour market, a decrease from 2018’s figure of 17,365 and the first time since 2013 that the growth of foreign labour is below 10,000 people.

The trend is even more marked when EU citizens are taken in isolation. In 2019, a total of 1,416 new workers came to Denmark from the EU, while the previous year saw 8,462 EU newcomers.

Michael Svarer, a professor of economics at Aarhus University said that the slowdown is fast, in particular with regard to people from Eastern European countries.

“Foreign labour fulfils demands when Danish labour is unable to,” Svarer told Børsen.

“And if we can't bring in foreigners, this increases the risk of bottlenecks and weakens the competitiveness of companies,” he added.

LH called for politicians to ease the issue by making it easier for companies to recruit from outside the EU.

Alternatively, reforms should be implemented to encourage Danes to work more in order to avert lower growth, the organisation said.

READ ALSO: Denmark's proposal to recruit skilled foreign labour falls apart

Member comments

  1. If the government can’t see the fact that as a foreigner you begin with nothing (especially if under 30, and single etc.) and that high taxes, rent costs and cost of living, as well as other things you don’t get benefit that residents get by default, then I don’t know what does.

    How does Denmark help foreigners who start with nothing to not become a rent-slave. I have to pay half my salary after taxes to rent. I can’t find cheap rent, nor can’t afford to get a loan to buy a house because I am not old enough to afford it yet. I also am supposed to be high earning, but when it comes to other potential countries, I don’t get more ‘in hand’. This won’t continue for too long as i am sure others feel the same.

    Propose tax cuts to young foreign workers if you hope to keep them in Denmark.

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For members

WORKING IN DENMARK

Ten ways to improve your chances of finding a job in Denmark

Job searching in Denmark can be a daunting and lengthy process with many hurdles to overcome. The Local spoke to Kay Xander Mellish, author of 'How to Work in Denmark', for her tips on submitting a successful CV and application.

Published: 12 January 2023 09:44 CET
Updated: 24 October 2023 16:36 CEST
Ten ways to improve your chances of finding a job in Denmark

CVs in Denmark often have certain aspects of layout, presentation and content in common. By writing a CV that sticks to some of these recognisable customs, you may improve your chances of catching the eye of a potential employer.

1. Length

“Keep it to one excellent page, or two if you’re more senior. I’d say if you’re aged 30 and under, one page will be enough. Only add the jobs that are relevant. Employers don’t want to hear about that restaurant server or babysitting job if it’s not relevant to the role,” Mellish said.

2. Format

At the top of your CV, a paragraph describing your experience, skills, education and character is a common way to lead into a CV. This text can be adapted depending on the job you’re applying for and how you want to present your skills.

“Add three adjectives about yourself that you can support with an example, rather than ten adjectives with no story. For example, say you are innovative for this reason. People don’t like hot air in Denmark,” Mellish said.

Aside from the profile text, chronological lists of qualifications, relevant employment history and other relevant experience should be kept brief enough to fit the one to two pages.

3. Show your personal side and a photo

It is expected that applicants include a section about their hobbies, even family situation on their CV in Denmark, as well as a photo, to give a sense of who they are as a person.

“Danish employers are interested in you as a human, more so than employers in other countries so include information about yourself, including your age and your hobbies.

“Choose a good quality photo that is not too serious but shows you looking friendly and approachable,” Mellish said.

4. Story telling

“Think in terms of story telling”, Mellish advised. “Pure letters and numbers don’t mean a lot to employers in Denmark, they need to know what projects you’ve done, what role you played and what kind of person you are through your CV.

“So rather than writing ‘I have these grades’, it’s better to say ‘I worked on this project, it took this long, I achieved this'”, Mellish said.

5. Hit the ground running

Mellish called this “plug and play”, where you show you will slot right into the company and get going with the role.

“When employers are reading your CV, they want to know what you can do on day one of the job. Sell your ability to solve someone’s problem. You need to give the impression you can add value straight away.

“In Denmark the average length of time in a job is two and a half years, because you can take your pension when you move, so employers don’t want someone they need to spend time training,” Mellish told The Local.

READ ALSO: Five tips for writing an effective Danish CV

6. Teamwork

“Group work is very important in Denmark, more than individual achievements. So talk about your teamwork and how you worked with a group to produce a good business result. It shouldn’t be ‘me, me, me’ – that’s a turn off,” Mellish said.

7. LinkedIn

“People in Denmark love LinkedIn so you need a fabulous LinkedIn profile with a good picture. Before anyone calls you for an interview they’ll have looked at your LinkedIn profile.

“In your profile, include the storytelling, explaining the projects you’ve worked on. If your job involves a uniform, I recommend wearing it in your LinkedIn photo so people get that impression of you right away. Your background photo should also be work-related, not rainbows or puppies. Use it to tell the story of who you are,” Mellish advised.

8. Unsolicited application

This is when you approach a company or department you would like to work for, without a job being advertised. The Danish term for it is uopfordret ansøgning. 

“Many people make contact on LinkedIn and ask to meet for a coffee, where they chat and rather than pitch for a job, they ask if the person knows anyone looking for someone like them. Danish employers welcome this and many people are hired this way,” Mellish said.

Another way to network is to join a union, Mellish advised. They often have career events but can also help read your contract when you get a job offer, or help with any problems in the workplace. 

9. Ring the recruiter

The phone number of the hiring manager will often be in the job advert. Mellish advised finding a quiet place to ring them from and spending ten to fifteen minutes asking some good business questions.

“This also helps you work out if you might want to work for this person,” Mellish said.

“Send your CV within 24 hours of the phone call and mention you spoke to them in your application,” she added.

10. Patience

“On average it can take six months to find a job in Denmark. If it’s under this, you’re lucky. If it takes a year, it’s not you, it just takes a long time because employers are looking for someone to fit into their team.

“I wrote 100 letters, I got ten responses, three interviews and one job which I had for eight years,” Mellish told The Local.

“Danish employers are not always good at getting back to you. If you don’t hear anything, just keep applying for other jobs. If you sent an application on June 1st, you could send a follow-up email on June 15th, then you’ll have to leave it and move on,” she advised. 

Kay Xander Mellish’s book ‘How to Work in Denmark’ offers both job-searching advice and tips on how to succeed in the Danish workplace.

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