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The government of Denmark has announced a new agreement aimed at facilitating increased migration for individuals seeking employment in the country’s social care sector.
This collaborative effort with a parliamentary majority expands the positive list scheme, allowing foreign workers, particularly health workers or “sosu-hjælpere” in Danish, to obtain permits.
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The Ministry of Education and Research disclosed that this initiative is in response to a projected shortage of 15,000 workers in the social care sector by 2035, with the agreement setting a quota to fill 1,000 positions with foreign staff through work permits granted via the positive list.
This agreement represents an initial step in Denmark’s efforts to address the labor shortage in the social care sector by considering foreign workers.
The immigration minister emphasized the importance of the agreement in addressing recruitment challenges, clarifying that it is not a relaxation of immigration policy but rather a strategic move to meet the growing demand for social care workers.
Despite past skepticism from the governing Social Democrats about attracting additional foreign labor to Denmark, the immigration minister stressed the separation of immigration policy from foreign labor, emphasizing the issuance of tens of thousands of residence permits to workers annually.
Furthermore, Denmark aims to ease the application process for foreign nationals, particularly in the healthcare sector. The Health and Interior Minister, Sophie Løhde, acknowledged the country’s need for more foreign talent and highlighted the importance of simplifying the authorization process.
She noted that existing regulations pose obstacles for skilled foreign nurses and doctors, hindering their effective contribution to the Danish healthcare system.
To expedite the recruitment of foreign medical professionals, proposed changes to the authorization process include a shortcut authorization process.
This streamlined approach allows step 5, involving working at two hospitals for evaluation over one year, to run concurrently with other steps, thereby reducing the overall authorization time. The changes aim to attract and integrate skilled healthcare professionals from non-EU countries into the Danish workforce more efficiently.
