It is good business for Denmark to take in immigrants from Western countries such as the EU countries, Norway, the US and Canada. Western immigrants contribute with no less than 3.8 billion per year, and that number is estimated to increase to 9.1 billion in 2050, according to a new study from the Rockwool Foundation.  

The story is less positive when it comes to non-Western immigrants.  According to the study, those immigrants cost Denmark 16.6 billion a year. But in 2050 that number is expected to decrease to only six billion because of an increased in non-Western immigrants joining the job market. The study also shows that for every 5,000 new immigrants from non-Western countries that enter Denmark, the societal cost is 2.1 billion per year.

Regulation or integration
Venstre’s spokesperson on integration, Karsten Lauritzen, wants to set up new demands to make sure that immigrants can provide for themselves.

“The study shows that a large part of new immigrants present an economical burden on the society. In the future we have to make a concrete demand for self-reliance to immigrants. And to a larger extent we have to receive immigrants who can and will contribute to the economy,” he told Jyllands-Posten newspaper.

But Socialdemokraterne's spokesperson on integration, Mette Reissmann, rejected a stricter regulation on immigrants.

“Denmark is not pure business. We have a policy where we follow the international conventions. We should focus on better integration,” she said to Jyllands-Posten.