Resources for employers in Denmark
Resources for employers in Denmark
We use “refugees” as a term encompassing forcibly displaced people with different legal statuses, such as refugees, subsidiary protection holders, temporary protection holders, asylum seekers and other persons in need of international protection.
In cases where differentiating information relating to each status is essential (i.e. regarding the right to work), this is clearly indicated.
Why hire refugees and stateless people in Denmark?
Denmark is one of the countries in Europe with the highest inclusion of refugees in the labor market. The aim of Danish policy is currently to help refugees who arrive in the country to become self-reliant and independent as soon as possible. The government offers two programs: a self-sufficiency and repatriation program and an induction program, which are conducted through the local municipalities. These are responsible for cooperating with employers to find jobs for refugees and integrating them via job centres and integration workers within 1 year. With the arrival of many Ukrainians fleeing from the war in Ukraine, in early 2022 the government joined forces with trade unions, employer associations, academics, municipalities and regions for the Partnership for Ukrainians in Jobs, which also aims to expedite the inclusion of Ukrainians on the labor market as fast as possible through the platform JobguideUkraine.dk.
See a list of resources for employers on the JobguideUkraine website and the New in Denmark platform
In this context, businesses play a very important role in partnership with municipalities in order to facilitate the economic inclusion of refugees, empowering them to meet their needs in a safe, sustainable and dignified manner, and avoiding aid-dependency. The private sector can support newcomers by offering trainings, mentorship programs, internships and apprenticeships, and in return refugees can contribute by filling in labor shortages. According to an OECD report, 42% of Danish businesses have reported staff shortages in 2022, with sectors such as construction, ICT, and healthcare reporting the most acute recruitment needs. Hiring refugees has been proven to result in good retention and stronger recruitment pipelines, as well as to help create more socially responsible brands which appeal to consumers.
Read more in the reports by TENT: “Refugees as Employees: Good Retention, Strong Recruitment” and “How hiring refugees helps brands: Europe 2023”
DEAS is a Danish company which leases and operates properties and their associated green areas and was facing a shortage of gardeners in their recruitment efforts. The company participated in a job matching event for Ukrainian refugees in Copenhagen in June 2023 and after speaking with 40-50 applicants, it ended up hiring four new employees aged 25-55. All new hires had relevant experience and two of them had relevant education as well. Read more about the success story of DEAS on the JobGuideUkraine platform.
How many refugees and stateless people are there in Denmark?
In mid-2024, there were 64,388 refugees in Denmark, 2,319 asylum-seekers, as well as 8,535 stateless persons. The main countries of origin of refugees include Ukraine (33,780), Syria (16,219) and Eritrea (6,002). As of mid-2024, there were 8,535 recorded stateless people and people of undetermined nationality in Denmark.
Visit the Refugee Data Finder to learn more
How many of them are working?
Refugees have a relatively high labor market participation in Denmark, thanks to the country’s efforts towards labor market inclusion. According to an OECD report, around half of Ukrainian refugees had found employment in Denmark by mid-2023 and made a significant contribution to employment growth in the country. As of August 2024, 58% of Ukrainian refugees of working age are in employment and almost 90% of those without a job are actively looking for a job or will soon start looking for one. The employment rate among the so-called “non-Western” migrants and refugees is similar, with 55.8% in employment as of 2022. The sectors with the highest increase in workers include healthcare, travel, cleaning, trade, and industry sectors.
Visit the Integration Barometer for more statistics on refugees and integration matters
What are the main challenges?
A series of focus group discussions led by UNHCR in 2023 with Ukrainian refugees highlighted that refugees are usually surprised and disappointed by the difficulties they face in finding employment. Some of the contributing factors include: 1) the language barrier; 2) skill mismatches which lead to refugees ending up accepting menial jobs in the cleaning or construction industries, even though many held higher level professions in their home country; 3) the exclusion of older refugees from the job market; 4) and the challenging process of acquiring the necessary accreditation to work in their own field, for example for refugees with prior experience in nursing or elderly care.
Stateless individuals in Denmark encounter several challenges regarding their right to work, primarily due to the absence of a formal statelessness determination procedure and the lack of a clear legal definition of statelessness in national legislation. This ambiguity can lead to difficulties in obtaining the necessary documentation and legal status required for lawful employment. Without recognized status, stateless persons may struggle to access social services, including healthcare and education, which can further impede their ability to secure and maintain employment.
Read more in the report "If you really want to stay, you do what is required": Dialogue with Refugees from Ukraine in the Nordic Countries
Did you know?
The inclusion of women in the labour market has been a strong contributing factor to the overall increase in employment rates among refugees in recent years. One of the interventions which has facilitated this is the program "More immigrant women in employment (KIB)" by the Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). 15 municipalities with a total of 1,664 women participated in the project in the period 2019-2022 and half of the participants achieved full or partial employment during the project period. Learnings and best practices from the project can be found here.
| Status | Who it applies to | Right to work? | Process |
| Asylum seeker | An individual who has submitted an application for international protection in Denmark. | Asylum-seekers can apply to the Danish Immigration Service for approval to work for 1 year at a time until they are granted a residence permit, as long as they fulfil a list of requirements (e.g. 6 months must have passed since they applied for asylum). After their first interview at the Immigration Service, they have access to internships (praktik). | Asylum-seekers may not begin working until they have entered into a contract with the Immigration Service specifying the conditions of their approval. If employers employ an asylum-seeker who has not done this, they may be fined or sentenced to up to two years in prison. |
| Refugee (convention status) | Individuals who have a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. Refugees either apply for asylum in Denmark or are relocated through the UN resettlement system (“resettlement refugees” or “quota refugees” which you can learn more about here). | Refugees have the full right to work in Denmark and do not require additional permits. | The process of hiring is the same as with Danish citizens. |
| Refugee with protected status (subsidiary protection) | Individuals who are unable to return to their home country because it would mean they face capital punishment, torture or inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. | Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection have the full right to work in Denmark and do not require additional permits. | The process of hiring is the same as with Danish citizens. |
| Refugee with temporary protected status (temporary protection) | Individuals who face capital punishment, torture or inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment if they return to their home country, and if these risks stem from severe instability and indiscriminate violence against civilians in their home country. | Beneficiaries of temporary protection have the full right to work in Denmark and do not require additional permits. | The process of hiring is the same as with Danish citizens. |
| Displaced person from Ukraine (residence permit under the Special Act) | Displaced individuals from Ukraine who have applied for a residence permit in Denmark in connection to the current war in Ukraine. | Displaced persons from Ukraine have the right to work in Denmark as soon as they have applied for residence permit under the Special Act and they have had their fingerprints and facial image (biometric features) recorded at the Immigration Service’ Citizen Service. | If the application of the displaced person is still being processed, they must send the Danish Immigration Service a copy of their employment contract, as it may have an impact on where they will live if they receive a residence permit. They also must contact the Danish Tax Agency in order to get a tax card. |
| Stateless person | A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a citizen by any country (whether recognized as such or not) | Stateless people with a recognized residence status, such as asylum or another form of protection, have the right to work. |
Bear in mind
In some professions, it is necessary to apply for an authorisation in order to be able to practice in a regulated field. The Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s website indicates the professions/occupations that are regulated in Denmark and are covered by the EU Professional Qualifications Directive, and which regulated professions are governed by special rules (mainly in the fields of transport, justice and policing).
In 2021-2022, almost 900 permits were given under the Special Act for Afghans which is no longer active as of 2024. At least 270 evacuated Afghans left the country afterwards to travel to the UK or the US. The ones who stayed have later applied for asylum when their permits expired so now hold a standard refugee status.
Did you know?
Employers can benefit from the free services of the Danish Agency for Education and Research which assesses foreign educational qualifications and issues a statement explaining how the foreign qualification corresponds to the one in Denmark. In the case of Ukrainian refugees, the agency offers a “turbo assessment” in five days in order to accelerate their inclusion in the labor market. In addition, employers can use a country handbook to understand the education system in different countries, and an assessments database with examples of diplomas from around the world.
How do I connect with refugee and stateless talent?
Several nonprofit organizations work closely with refugees and are able to make referrals to suitable candidates.
The Danish Refugee Council offers a wide variety of services to refugee jobseekers and connects them with a network of qualified employers, reaching an 88% satisfaction rate among companies where refugees have been placed.
The Red Cross works actively with asylum-seekers in accommodation centers, and connects them with employment as a way not only to earn a salary but to also maintain their occupational identity while they are waiting for a decision on their application for asylum.
Equal Access Association works with businesses, municipalities, industry organizations and volunteers, offering mentoring, counselling and courses that are available to refugees and businesses supporting them.
Other NGOs which work with refugees include DFUNK, Trampoline House, Refugees Welcome, Foreningen Nydansker, and Mellefolkeligt Samvirke. Employers can also use the services of consulting agencies such as Lead the Talent which promote workforce diversity. With regards to employment of stateless people, companies can contact UNHCR which provides free legal assistance and advice to stateless persons in Denmark.
What can I do to support refugee and stateless employees?
The Ministry of Immigration and Integration recommends that employers take into account the personal context of refugees in order to shape their work engagement. As many refugees are women with children, it’s useful to offer a degree of flexibility in the employment, such as part-time work. In addition, so that refugees adapt to their new workplace, it’s a good idea to assign a mentor or a language partner who can help them with daily situations. For those dealing with trauma in exile, it can be helpful to have an everyday life with routines, clear structure and responsibilities, good communication, etc, which can create security and peace in the new life situation.
Useful resources
Internships and wage subsidies
Refugees who receive their permits must be offered an “employment-oriented offer” in the form of a 3-month or longer internship or employment with wage subsidy within 1 month, often combined with Danish language classes. When hiring refugees, employers may benefit also from wage subsidies for 50% of the total cost of the employee’s salary.
Basic Integration Education (IGU)
Employers can take advantage of the Basic Integration Education (IGU) program: a 2-year course which combines a paid internship and school. Employers receive a bonus of a total of DKK 40,000 and can have a language partner at the company trained using a subsidy. Employers can also benefit from continuing education allowances like VEU and SVU.
Job matching platforms
Employers interested in connecting with refugee talent can get in touch with their local municipality or local Jobcenters or use platforms like Jobnet by the Agency for Labor Market and Recruitment; Jobindex, where companies can also view CV databases; or the STEM Jobs for Ukrainians for IT and science-related jobs.
A report by the Nordic Council of Ministers on the “Implementation of temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine: A systematic review of the Nordic countries”
An FAQ section and a helpful video on hiring Ukrainian refugees provided by The Business Guide
A 2022 report on Scandinavian Integration Policies for Refugees by Nordic Cooperation with a comparison between Nordic countries