Lack of foreigners will lead to Danish job exodus

Big companies considering moving activities abroad

Denmark's biggest companies warn that a lack of qualified workers will become an increasing problem and will cost Danish jobs and stunt growth, according to a new survey by Berlingske Research.

The survey showed that a third of the 38 heads of HR at the nation's biggest companies said that in the future they would consider moving more of their Danish activities abroad due to a lack of qualified talent at their disposal in Denmark.

“It means that a greater part of the job growth – including the specialist areas – will take place abroad,” Claus Rasmussen, the head of HR at the jewellery giant Pandora, told Berlingske.

In total, 29 of the HR heads evaluated that the lack of qualified workers “significantly” or “to some extent” become an increasing economic problem for Denmark.

READ MORE: Politicians agree to international recruitment reform

New reform critical
But despite calling for more foreign highly-skilled workers, the HR bosses were unsure of what political decisions needed to be taken in order to attract more foreigners.

In July this year, the government revealed a new international recruitment reform that would strengthen Denmark's ability to attract and retain highly-skilled foreigners.

The reform had four central aims: make it easier for companies to recruit internationally; ensure equal opportunities for international labour; strengthen the attraction and retention of international labour; and become better at retaining international students already in Denmark.





  • How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    Being part of a trade union is a long-established norm for Danes. But many internationals do not join unions – instead enduring workers’ rights violations. Find out how joining a union could benefit you, and how to go about it.

  • Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals are overrepresented in the lowest-paid fields of agriculture, transport, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, and construction – industries that classically lack collective agreements. A new analysis from the Workers’ Union’s Business Council suggests that internationals rarely join trade unions – but if they did, it would generate better industry standards.

  • Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    The numbers are especially striking amongst the 3,477 business and economics students polled, of whom 31 percent elected Novo Nordisk as their favorite, compared with 20 percent last year.