In my first analysis in the Copenhagen Post, called “Who are the internationals in Denmark, and where do they come from”, I provided some observations that can be used as supportive foundations to this discussion.
Who are the internationals in Denmark, and where do they come from?
In the second part, I will cast a light upon two questions when you consider the future of immigration and its consequences to Denmark.
One is what directions and outcomes the presence of foreigners in Denmark hold?
Another is what can be done today and soon to promote better prospects of foreigners in Denmark, both to the foreigners and to Denmark?
Lots of published work on migration
Let us dive into the academic research of immigration, foreigners, expatriates, refugees and internationals.
It is an interdisciplinary subject involving many different fields of study.
For example: public health, education, sociology, history, and culture studies to name a few.
Respectively, the research reports, manuscripts and books which are focused on this population are scattered between different publishers and venues.
Some venues are specific to our topic such as “Journal of Migration History”, “International Migration Review” or “Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies”.
Other publications can be found in journals focused on broader fields, such as those mentioned above.
If you managed to wrap your head around this, be proud of yourself. The numbers of published work on migration which reference Denmark are over 15,000 just from this year.
An opportunity and a problem
Observing the most relevant and recent ones, it appears that migration is mostly considered as both an opportunity and a problem.
A problem in the sense that immigrants are a weaker group in the society, requiring different treatment, as can be seen for example in:” Public support for affirmative action policies favouring women and migrants in recruitment processes: An international survey experiment” or this one:” Climate Protection for Migration Prevention: Comparison of Policy Discourses on Climate Change and Migration in Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden”.
Migration is also an opportunity, in more than a single fashion.
The most obvious one is as another group in the society which is different than the local population, for example: “Contemporary Mobility Decisions of International and Danish Students in Denmark Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic” or: “Incidence of atrial fibrillation and flutter in Denmark in relation to country of origin: a nationwide register-based study”.
In this way foreigners are used to promote the understanding of the locals, on various aspects of their own lives.
Another opportunity is financial. The foreigners potential contribution to the society is not fully materialized and their capital contribution to the economy is lower than it can be: “How Does Overeducation Depend on Immigrants’ Admission Class?”.
There are many more ways where migration is an opportunity, yet to conclude this part we focus on the integration process and the advantages it brings to the table:
“Experiences of access to healthcare among newly arrived immigrants in Denmark: Examining the role of residence permit” where the public health-care system accessibility is observed, thus allowing the betterment of the services it provides to the entire residential population.
To conclude this part of the review, having a thriving group of foreigners in Denmark has consequences that are both broader and deeper than one would have expected by just observing the news and the media for example.
Immigrants and foreigners portrayed in public-media
Observing media coverage, internationals are mentioned quite frequently, at least on a weekly basis in one of the major media venues in Danish.
They are mentioned either as a collective, or divided to groups based on their country, or region of origin such as either Europeans or non-westerns or religion like Muslims for example.
There are several commonalities to how the media discuss them.
One is the internationals involvement in the labor market which is a highly popular topic. Their gross financial contribution, participation rates, the specific municipalities that rely heavily on them, and their role in the future job growth in Denmark are among the perspectives that were covered this year.
Sometimes as a unified group, and more often with regards to their country or region of origin, and the municipalities they inhabit.
Second, the discussion about international related policies is another common theme. How citizenship should be obtained?
What should be the screening criteria for assimilation?
What profiles of immigrants Denmark needs and wants?
What profiles of immigrants Denmark interested in helping to stay and integrate?
How far should integration go when the foreign identity clashes with the Danish liberal values and way of life?
And what is considered a successful integration?
These were some of the policy related perspectives that were discussed as well as the source of occasional debates between opposing political parties.
Playing upon fears
Third is the perspective of playing upon the readers’ darker emotions such as fear. Immigrants, and specially of Muslim or African origins are depicted as overrepresented in violent crimes.
There are opposing opinions, as well as calls to facilitate simpler ways to deport them, or ban their practices of faith.
Other angles of this kind of manipulation can be seen in predictions of major increase in numbers of non-western immigrants or the overtaking of Danish men by male immigrants on the labor market.
More foreigners that are buying a summer house in Denmark can conclude this perspective with a grin.
The last type of media coverage is produced by official public institutions such as Folketinget, government or Danmarks Statistik for example.
Questions Danish politician asked the immigration and integration committee were for example about anti Muslim insinuations in political campaigns, or fertility of internationals compared with Danes.
The ministry of justice published how involved immigrants are among convicted criminals, while the ministry of immigration and integration published about Danish citizens with dual citizenship.
Ambivalent attitude towards immigrants
Danmarks Statistik was the provider of all the facts mentioned in the last four paragraphs and many more, in a remarkable report named “Immigrants in Denmark 2023”.
To conclude this part, again we see an ambivalent attitude towards immigrants, where they are either appreciated due to their economic contribution to the society, feared for being different, violent and increasing in numbers, or a source of conflict and political gain.
When taken to the extreme, foreigners in Denmark are almost demonized as a destabilizing agent in the society, threatening the core values and traditional ways of life.
How do these different approaches to the foreigners in Denmark affect them?
What experiences do foreigners in Denmark have?
Three questions
In the survey we held some of our (foreigner) readers answered three questions we asked regarding that:
- What do you like the most about Denmark?
- What has been difficult about living in Denmark?
- What do you think could improve life in Denmark?
The survey was open for answers from mid-June for three months and was answered by 238 individuals who are all foreigners residing in Denmark.
The analysis of the responses to the survey’s questions was done by looking at the most common themes and key words that appeared in more than one response.
Let’s review the results by observing every question separately, first.
- What do you like the most about Denmark?
The most frequent themes focus on life, work life balance and quality of life.
These are supported by other findings that Denmark is without a doubt one of the best places to live in these days. Next in line come culture, people, freedom, safety, and weather (!!!).
Foreigners like living in Denmark, they like the things Denmark has to offer and some even like the harsh weather.
Interestingly, the socialist system, parental leave, or free healthcare were not mentioned.
When looking at these themes as reasons to come to Denmark, foreigners are far less greedy and opportunistic than they are sometimes portrayed in the media, or the public opinion.
2. What has been difficult about living in Denmark?
This difficult questions’ results are not surprising, with the common themes: learning the language, making Danish friends, and finding a job which crowns the list.
Family and weather were also mentioned more than 20 times, and the Danes were mentioned 17 times.
Again, these findings are corroborated both by self-testimonies of locals and by perceptions and common opinions about Danes and other Scandinavians.
These themes can be seen as obstacles towards self-fulfillment and integration and if tackled right bare significant improvement to the experience of being a foreigner in Denmark.
3. What do you think could improve life in Denmark?
Speaking Danish is by far the most frequently mentioned theme, followed by having or improving job and then better integration, more openness and the Danish society.
Time is also mentioned and is an important factor emphasizing a request for patience, tolerance and understanding.
To conclude, the ways foreigners are seen by the media, the administration, and from a scientific and academic point of view, it seems that the multidimensional perspective tends to be positive and more optimistic than one might think just from the public media and opinion.
There are difficulties, but some of them are considered also as advantages, and in any case, it suggests that successful integration is a two ways street.
It seems that both the foreigners and the local population can benefit from more understanding, openness, patience and facilitation of more ways to integrate.
Firstly, by making the language learning experience more diverse and enjoyable.
As another incentive to do that, it can also benefit existing difficulties with the Danish language within the local younger population.
Denmark should be more vigilant and patient
Another step can be taking the time to open to the exciting possibilities of multiculturalism.
Carefully raising our gaze to look around, it seems like Denmark will continue to be a source of attraction to global immigrants.
If the current means of integration will not accommodate softer and easier ways to integrate, the contribution of them to the society and economy will continue to be sub-optimal.
Moreover, an immigrant choosing to leave Denmark means not only ones failed attempt at a better life, but also a loss of a valuable resource to Denmark, which will have to be replaced by someone new, starting over, with all the costs and prices this entails.
Being a small country Denmark should be more vigilant, patient and successful with the experience it provides dreamers who come here.
When considering the global climate and political changes this issue even becomes more urgent.
I would like to thank Elizabeth Williams Ørberg for her insightful comments on the survey questions.
