Finding a job in Denmark

If you are going to work in Denmark, there are some things you should know and consider. When you are employed, a number of employment conditions apply. Here you can find short information on employment contracts, weekly hours, trade unions, etc.
There is legislation concerning the working environment, holiday, equal treatment and equal pay. You can find more information on Workindenmark which is the official Danish website for international recruitment. The website is in English, German and Danish. There is also an abbreviated version in Polish.

• Workindenmark (new window)

You can also obtain more information from the Danish Working Environment Authority:

• Danish Working Environment Authority (new window)

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There are various ways in which you can have your foreign education and training assessed and recognised in Denmark. The Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education provides assessments of non-Danish degrees, diplomas and certificates – comparing qualifications with the nearest Danish equivalent so that your CV makes sense to a Danish employer.
If your profession is regulated by law, you do not need to ask for a qualification assessment. Instead, you need to apply for an authorisation in order to work within your profession. This rule applies if you work with, for instance, various hazardous materials or heavy machinery, and if you work in certain health-care professions.
If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA Member State and only work in Denmark for short periods of time, it may be sufficient to send a report to the public authority that regulates the sector you work in.
You will find more information about diploma recognition on the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science:

• Guide to diploma recognition (new window)

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In some cases, you must obtain a Danish authorisation. For example, foreign-trained doctors must be authorised by the Danish Patient Safety Authority.
Read more about authorisation for foreign-trained doctors on the website of the Danish Patient Safety Authority:

• Application for registration as a medical doctor - Danish Patient Safety Authority (new window)
• Registration of healthcare professionals - Danish Patient Safety Authority (new window)

Read more about access to regulated professions on the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science:

• Access to regulated professions (new window)

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When you negotiate pay and employment terms, it is an advantage to know a little about the special aspects of the Danish labour market. At the majority of Danish workplaces, pay and employment conditions are regulated via collective agreements between trade unions and employer associations. Therefore, there is no statutory minimum wage in Denmark. The social partners are responsible for compliance with the collective agreements that have been concluded.
The vast majority of Danes are members of a trade union, and as a foreign employee you can join a trade union.
More information about trade unions:

• Workindenmark - Trade unions (new window)

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A total of 91 job centres are placed throughout all of Denmark. Basically, there is one job centre in each municipality in Denmark.
In each job centre, you will find free access to computers as well as information on how to find a job in Denmark. Please take special notice that the job centres do not have the capacity to translate CVs or job vacancies. The concept is self-service, which means that the job centres provide resources enabling you to find work, and an IT system to advertise job vacancies for employers by using a job and CV database called "Jobnet".
This can be accessed through the job centre computers or via the following website:

• Jobnet - English (new window)

To see a map of Danish job centres (all names are in Danish):

• Map and jobcenters (new window)

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In contrast to other forms of social security in Denmark, the Danish unemployment insurance system is a voluntary insurance scheme. It means that you are not automatically insured against unemployment.
If you want to be insured against unemployment when working in Denmark, you have to join a Danish unemployment insurance fund. Once you have joined an unemployment insurance fund, you must pay contributions.
An unemployment insurance policy is taken out from an unemployment insurance fund, also known as an "A-kasse". These are private associations.

• List of unemployment insurance funds (new window - in Danish)

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If you become unemployed as a member of an unemployment insurance fund, you will under certain conditions receive unemployment benefits. You can contact an unemployment insurance fund within your field of work and get more information about membership and your rights.
You are only eligible to receive unemployment benefits when you have been member of an unemployment insurance fund for at least 12 months. The amount of time that you have been insured in your home country may be recognized if you remember to submit documentation for this to your Danish “A-kasse” within 8 weeks after arrival to Denmark.”
You choose whether you want to join an interdisciplinary unemployment insurance fund or an unemployment insurance fund which operates within specific occupational fields.
It is also possible to be a member of an unemployment insurance fund if you are a self-employed person.
To see a list of Danish unemployment insurance funds:

• List of unemployment insurance funds (new window - in Danish)

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