Working in Denmark

Denmark has a small population of just slightly over five million which is made up largely of elderly people and children. This means that the remaining population that can work  actively in various sectors of the country’s economy is small. Therefore, Denmark is a good country to look out for by anyone interested in starting or continuing a career in an entirely different environment.

Denmark receives a substantial number of immigrants coming to fill up various professional, skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled job opportunities around. Something that makes working in Denmark worth trying is its progressive labour regulations that set minimum wage for sectors as well as requiring that foreigners must be treated the same way as any Danish employee as far as work conditions go.

The labour laws means that at any one time that a foreigner decides to seek employment in any position, the salary and contact will have the same provisions as it would be in case a Danish citizen was to fill it up. 

How to get Employment in Denmark

There are different ways that anyone can follow to get through to work in Denmark. One way that highly qualified foreigners use is to identify  the organization that they are interested in working, check the various vacancies and send an application indicating their status as being outside the country.

You must have a verifiable track record of performance supported by a reliable list of referees. Just to boost your connection to the employing company, it is okay to also have a preliminary conversation with an executive in the company through email expressing your interest in what they do.

Generally, employers in Denmark value networks which means that once you establish contact with them, it is easier to get referrals. Foreigners who attend international conferences and presentations where Danish organizations are represented have a chance to strike a rapport with them as a first step in inching towards a possible employment in the future. 

The positive list in Denmark

Denmark is a very service or labour conscious country which is the reason every year it gives out a list of occupations that face scarcity of labour. The list dubbed positive list shows  all the fields of employment in Denmark where the current demand exceeds available expertise. Such jobs in the positive list are always for professionals who have a high-level certification and demonstrated ability.

Every year on 1 January and 1 July, the government publishes the positive list. Typically, the jobs require people with higher education and excellent skills relevant to the Danish standards. When you apply for an employment in a job listed in the positive list and succeed in getting a contract, your chances of being granted a Danish residence and work permit are very high.

As you can imagine, in this case, it is Denmark that badly needs you to plug in the gap they have in their workforce. For someone with very high qualifications and specialization, it would be great to check out the regulated jobs in Denmark which also come with attractive employment terms. 

Seasonal jobs in Denmark 

Every season, Danish companies offer job opportunities for up to one year in the farming or industrial sectors. These jobs are meant to improve productivity or prevent loss of produce in the farm especially where the crops can only be handled by direct human labour such as picking or plucking.

Such seasonal jobs are mostly available in the agricultural sector and provide some of the best experiences for immigrant workers whose main interest is making some money for a short time while at the same time getting to experience the advanced Danish farming systems.

The level of experience that one gets while working on the seasonal jobs and the wage levels make them worth trying. Every Summer in Denmark, there are multiple job opportunities for fruit pickers including picking apples, cherries, strawberries. These jobs run through the months of June, July, August, September. Again there are temporary seasonal jobs in the hotel and hospitality sector during summer.  

Working in Denmark as au pair 

Denmark likes to give people an opportunity to experience its culture and language. Being a small country, it is in their best interest to open up to the rest of the world and allow its culture to spread. One way of getting to interact with the deep Danish culture is registering as an au pair. Au pair scheme allows you as an adult to live with a Danish family like one of their own, help with a few activities, learn their cuisine, language, and many more.

The au pair period lasts for 24 months which means that at the end of the two years, you are expected to return to your home country or get a different status in the country as a worker, student or maybe marriage. When you have found a family to take you in and completed all the necessary paperwork, you are expected to send an application for a residence permit to SIRI. 

Student Jobs in Denmark 

As a student in Denmark, you have an opportunity to look for and get a job which will keep you busy for up to 20 hours per week. The terms and conditions for student work is similar to any other worker except for the fact that the jobs are highly flexible to allow you to coordinate your studies well.

Most of the student jobs may not be necessarily professional and include working in restaurants, cleaning, summer houses, warehouse, production companies and many other fields that do not require you to be present throughout the day.

Upon completion of your studies, however, you will be given an initial two years to get a job on an establishment card which will be extended by one more year if you are lucky enough to get employed in a job relevant with your education. 

Benefits of working in Denmark 

Working in Denmark does not only allow you an opportunity to enjoy some of the most progressive labour requirements but also a chance to learn on the job. As you may expect, almost every workplace in Denmark will show you something new which builds you at a personal level.

Even for a job that requires least skills and professionalism, there is an extent to which automation and efficiency has been set so that you learn something even as you get paid for working. Anyone interested in skill development and sharpening their abilities, Denmark is a good place to start from.

You will surely be all round and excellent at whatever it is that you do. You will get the best wage rates, unemployment benefits, holiday package, travelling allowance, tax returns and many more benefits which keep you satisfied to wake up every morning to work.