Denmark is, like many other countries, dependant on qualified labour in order to create and maintain growth and prosperity. Having access to international employees with the required skills and competences is crucial for Danish-based companies. This is a demand that will only increase in the coming years.
Foreigners’ crucial role
The projections for the Danish economy show that future growth in the workforce will, to a large extent, be due to foreigners who have chosen Denmark as their work destination.
In 2015, there are 145,000 full-time foreigners working in Denmark. Moreover, over the past five years, there has been an increase of 45 percent in the number of foreigners who work full-time in Denmark – hereby adding to a diverse pool of talents.
A considerable amount of the growth in Denmark is due to foreign labour.
From 2010 to 2014, the Danish economy increased by 34 billion kroner. Foreign labour contributed with 24 billion kroner, which means that two-thirds of the Danish growth since 2010 can be assigned to foreign labour.
A hindrance to growth
It is crucial that we continue to attract foreign employees with the required skills and competences if we wish to continue with this growth in our society.
This requires strengthening Denmark’s position as an attractive country to live, work and study in.
Any administrative burden that complicates companies’ ability to recruit and retain foreign employees is a hindrance to Denmark’s possible growth.
Policies that make life in Denmark difficult for foreign employees are obstacles in the way of increasing prosperity.
A top priority
A skilled foreign workforce is an asset that must be highly prioritised.
Ensuring that Denmark as a career destination is attractive and enhancing companies’ ability to attract and retain the talents they need will be a challenging endeavour, but one we as a society need to face – and overcome.
