Asylum centres closing as arrival numbers fall

Number of refugees coming to Denmark way lower than expected

Christian Wenande

Aug 29, 2016

The dwindling number of asylum-seekers coming to Denmark has prompted several municipalities to close down centres and cut staff.

In the municipalities of Jammerbugt and Vesthimmerland alone, the centres have been forced to let go 90 employees since June. Meanwhile, the immigration authority, Udlændingestyrelsen, intends to close down a children’s centre in Vester Hjermitslev and the Sommersted asylum centre near Haderslev.

“When the level of activity declines, we are forced to take a look and see whether we have the necessary number of employees to handle the tasks,” Torben Gregersen, the head of asylum centres in Vesthimmerland, told DR Nyheder.

READ MORE: Denmark criticised for not doing enough to assess torture risk for returning asylum-seekers

Fewer than expected
As of today, Jammerbugt Municipality runs ten asylum centres, while Vesthimmerland operates nine, and both municipality are expecting to oversee further asylum centre closures in the future.

The government had expected around 25,000 asylum-seekers would hit Denmark this year, but so far only 5,000 have arrived.

The lower than anticipated asylum-seeker rate has led to cost savings of upwards of 2.6 billion kroner.

Danish Intelligence Service: Threat from Russia has intensified

In the internal Danish waters, Russia will be able to attack underwater infrastructure from all types of vessels. The target could be cables with data, electricity and gas, assesses the Danish Defense Intelligence Service
Denmark to explore screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic sentiments

A few weeks after Alex Vanopslagh’s comments about “right values,” the government announced that an expert committee would be established to examine the feasibility of screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic attitudes.
The Future Copenhagen

The municipality plan encompasses building 40,000 houses by 2036 in order to help drive real estate prices down. But this is not the only huge project that will change the shape of the city: Lynetteholmen, M5 metro line, the Eastern Ring Road, and Jernbanebyen will transform Copenhagen into something different from what we know today
It’s not you: winter depression is affecting many people

Many people in Denmark are facing hard times marked by sadness, anxiety, and apathy. It’s called winter depression, and it’s a widespread phenomenon during the cold months in Nordic countries.
Crime rates are rising, but people are safer

Crime in Denmark is increasing for the second consecutive year, but it is more focused on property, while people appear to be safer than before. Over the past year, there were fewer incidents of violence
Novo Nordisk invests 8.5 billion DKK in new Odense facility

Despite Novo’s announcement that its growth abroad will be larger than in Denmark, the company announced this morning an 8.5 billion DKK investment for a new facility in Odense. This is the first time the company has established a new production site in Denmark this century.

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Career

Internationals are more highly educated than Danes

Internationals living in Denmark have a significantly higher percentage of university degrees than Danes, while the latter excel in vocational training. Among those currently in education, internationals and their descendants show a strong dedication to studying.
Employment levels for internationals are much lower than those of Danes

The Copenhagen Post explored Immigrants in Denmark 2024, the annual report published by Statistics Denmark, which clearly states that having a job in Denmark is much rarer for non-Danish foreigners.
Denmark has highest share of knowledge intensive workers in Nordics

Denmark leads the Nordic countries in knowledge-intensive jobs, with 9.2% of its adult population employed in high-skill sectors like technology, IT, and pharmaceuticals.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Jobs