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New model helps refugees find jobs in Denmark: DA

Increasing numbers of refugees have found success in finding work in Denmark, according to a newly-released analysis.

Published: 12 April 2017 10:59 CEST
New model helps refugees find jobs in Denmark: DA
Photo: Iris/Scanpix

The Confederation of Danish Employers (Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening, DA) says the positive news can in part be put down to the tripartite agreement the government entered into with businesses and union representatives last year.

Under the agreement, a new so-called ‘basic integration education programme’ (integrationsgrunduddannelse, IGU), was introduced, aiming to put refugees in short-term jobs at an apprentice salary level of between 50 to 120 kroner ($7-$17) per hour.

The IGU jobs can last for up to two years and refugees are offered skill development or education courses of up to 20 weeks. 

Asylum seekers cost the Danish state an average net total of 163,000 kroner ($23,000) per person in 2014, according to figures published by the Ministry of Finance on Monday.

But other numbers released by the report paint a more positive picture.

Refugees have come a long way as far as finding work in Denmark goes, with more people finding work more quickly in recent years, according to the figures.

“There are a lot of signs that things are going in the right direction. Refugees are more commonly making it on to the job market, finding employment, wage subsidised work and internships than before,” Berit Toft Fuhl, senior consultant with DA, told newspaper Dagbladet Information.

Much of the improvement in refugees’ employment prospects can be put down to the tripartite agreement, said DA.

READ ALSO: Denmark to refugees: Work first, learn Danish later

Prior to the agreement, only three percent of refugees were considered available for immediate employment. Today, the figure stands at 60 percent, and DA expects it to continue to rise, reports the newspaper.

A significant number of refugees also found work with Danish businesses last year, according to Confederation of Danish Industry (Dansk Industri) figures, with 3,100 finding full-time employment between March and November last year – an increase of 75 percent.

Another positive development was in the area of welfare-supported internships (virksomhedspraktik), an oft-used intermediate step towards work in the Danish job market. Approximately 6,000 refugees are currently engaged in this type of employment activity with Danish businesses, reports Information.

The introduction of IGU has also helped almost 400 refugees into part-time work, according to the report.

Ministry of Finance figures in turn show that refugees are finding work sooner and that the number of asylum seekers is falling.

In 2015 – the peak year for asylum arrivals in the country – around ten percent of refugees on two-year asylum permits were in work. In 2016, this proportion had increased to 25 percent, according to Dagbladet Information.

“There are, as such, signs that those granted asylum are finding work faster than previously,” writes the ministry in its report, adding that “there is still some way to go to reach the government’s target, whereby half of all asylum seekers should be working three years after arrival in Denmark.”

The ministry also notes that there may be some difference between its own registration-based analysis and figures posted by the Ministry for Immigration.

The anti-immigration Danish People’s Party (DF) recognised the positive signs of the figures but maintained that immigration was a huge drain on the Danish economy.

“We did not support the tripartite agreement because of IGU and the right to social welfare, which is given on a flimsy basis, while others spend several years earning it. And if you look at the report overall then you can see that integration has failed. The bill will continue to increase for many years if we don’t limit the amount of people coming here,” DF party chairperson Peter Skaarup told Dagbladet Information.

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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.

READ ALSO:

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.

READ ALSO:

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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