Labour market information: Denmark

Danish employment initiatives and the public employment service are based in 94 municipal job centres. Since 1 January 2015, the country has also been divided into three regional labour market offices [arbejdsmarkedskontorer – AMK]: AMK Central North [AMK Midt-Nord], AMK South [AMK Syd] and AMK East [AMK Øst]. All job centres can provide help and guidance to citizens from the EU/EEA. This also includes providing information on which services the public employment service – Workindenmark – can offer non-national job-seekers and Danish businesses.

Workindenmark supplements the efforts of the job centres. Workindenmark consists of the home page workindenmark.dk and a service centre in Odense.

Workindenmark

Workindenmark helps non-national job-seekers, among others, to find employment in Denmark. This applies to both non-nationals already in Denmark and those applying from their own countries. Workindenmark helps Danish businesses that need to find highly qualified employees outside Denmark. Find out more at www.workindenmark.dk.

International Citizen Service

International Citizen Service is the Danish authorities’ one-stop-shop for persons entering Denmark. At the International Citizen Service, non-national job-seekers and their families can get help with paperwork (for example, when submitting an application for and receiving an EU residence document, CPR number, health insurance card and tax card, etc.). For further information, please visit: https://lifeindenmark.borger.dk/

Workindenmark.dk is Denmark’s official portal for international recruitment. The portal contains a job database, together with all relevant information for Danish employers and non-national workers (both before and after arrival in Denmark) in English.

Lifeindenmark.dk provides all relevant information on moving to and living and working in Denmark for foreign citizens moving to Denmark.

The supply of Danish labour to other EU/EEA countries is mainly carried out by Workindenmark and EURES advisers in designated job centres. For further information, visit http://www.eures.dk/.

Because of COVID-19, large parts of the Danish society was locked down throughout 2020 and 2021.The lockdowns have led to a drop in employment and an increase in unemployment. The final restrictions were lifted 31^st of January 2022, and since the the labour market has gradually improved.

In December 2021, 2 844 100 people were employed, and overall employment is up 78 400, equivalent to a 2.8% increase, since the fourth quarter of 2020. This is the largest amount of people in employment ever in Denmark.

Unemployment in Denmark in December 2021 was 4.4%, according to Eurostat. This is a decrease of 1.4 percent points compared with the same month in the previous year.

The Danish unemployment rate is well below the European average of 6.2%, according to Eurostat.

The labour market, along with the rest of the Danish economy, enters an uncertain period due to the war in Ukraine, high prices on fuel and commodities, as well as the largest amount of refugees since the Second World War. The war in Ukraine is expected to weaken the development in employment. However, the level of employment is expected to stay high throughout 2022 and 2023. To a limited extent, arriving Ukrainians are able to help with the current shortage of labour.

Denmark has a population of 5.9 million inhabitants and the labour force is around 3.0 million. The country is a service and knowledge society. Around two thirds of the labour force are employed in the private sector. About 2% of the labour force is employed in agriculture. Denmark has a well-developed, tax-financed welfare system. This means that around a third of the labour force is employed in the public sector.

Denmark is characterised by a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises, and the country has increased its competitiveness during recent years. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitive Report 2021, Denmark ranks as the third most competitive country in the world.

Well-known businesses include names such as Maersk (shipping and oil production), ARLA (dairy products), Novo Nordisk (pharmaceuticals), Brandtex (clothing), Bang & Olufsen (radio/TV), Danfoss (air conditioning and heating), Grundfos (pumps), Velux (windows), Lego (toys) and Vestas (one of the world’s largest wind turbine producers).

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Denmark has a current shortage of labour in several sectors: in the first quarter of 2022, 42% of companies reported of recruitment challenges. This shortage is especially present regarding a variety of skilled labour and highly skilled employees in the private sector, e.g. engineers, and specialists in the IT, biotechnology/pharmaceutical and financial sectors as well as doctors and nurses. There is also great shortage within the industry, construction and hospitality sector.

While COVID-19 did have an effect on employment rates, the labour market has more than recovered since then. In the period between May 2021 and April 2022 (both months included), 406 837 posts were advertised on Jobnet, the Danish public labour exchange. Compared with the same period a year before, this represented an increase of 41%.

The following occupational groups have had the most new vacancies advertised during the period.

Health and social care

Academic occupation

Sales and marketing

Transportation, postal, and machine workers

Job possibilities in each occupational group varies from region to region.

Unemployment in Denmark in December 2021 was 4.4%, according to Eurostat. This is the lowest level of unemployment since June 2008 just before the financial crisis. Since the fall of 2021, this decrease has slowed down. However, according to Danish statistics, unemployment is still at a very low level in March 2022.

Unemployment is generally largely dependent on the level of education and seniority of people in the labour market. Unemployment is highest among people with very little or no training. In addition, unemployment is high among young people without education and young recent graduates who have not had their first job.

At a national level, there were 133 800 registered unemployed on December 2021. This is a decrease of 41 300 since December 2020. This decrease was expected, however, as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

In December 2021, 2 844 100 people were employed. This marks an increase of 78 400 wage earners since December 2020. The development in employment, as well as unemployment, is expected to slow down during 2022 and 2023, due to a rapid growth in employment in 2021.

Given the low unemployment and the high shortage of workers, no sectors have a significant number of unemployed.

The four sectors with the most newly registered unemployed were:

• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services
• Trade
• Health and social care
• Hotels and restaurants

East Denmark – comprising the Capital Region, including Bornholm and the Zealand Region – has 2 683 832 inhabitants. The labour force consists of 1 384 000 people, of whom 985 000 are located in the Capital Region and 399 000 in the Zealand Region.

The labour market in East Denmark is characterised by a large number of commuters, mainly travelling to Copenhagen, but also from surrounding labour catchment areas to larger towns on Zealand.

The Capital Region, in particular Copenhagen and its surrounding municipalities, has a different business structure from the rest of East Denmark, with a relatively large number of jobs in the private services sector and relatively few in manufacturing. The Zealand Region is characterised by a relatively large number of jobs in agriculture, industry and building and construction.

The Capital Region

In the Capital Region there are around 932 000 employees. The 5 largest sectors are: ‘Public administration’ (33%), ‘trade and transport’ (21% of employees), ‘business services’ (13%), ‘industry’ (9%), and ‘information and communication’ (6%).

Employment

Those employed in the Capital Region are increasingly tending to be qualified workers. Today, 71% of those employed have skilled or further education, compared to 65% 10 years ago. 27% of those employed have no skills training.

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Cautionary note: the following information on the labour market is subject to uncertainty as a result of COVID-19.

The area of the capital within the Capital Region

The labour market in the capital is affected by the situation in the airport and the difficult times for the entertainment industry resulting from COVID-19. However, the labour market is also dynamic, with many job vacancies and growth areas looking for employees. This applies among others to the building and construction sector. There is also growth in the number of posts advertised in watch-keeping, security and surveillance and in the educational, social and health sector.

Since 9 March 2020, 143 617 people have newly registered as unemployed. In the same period, 124 467 people have come off the register. As of 7 February, 61 378 were registered as unemployed in the capital.

Even though the labour market has been affected by COVID-19, more posts were created in the Capital Region in the whole of 2020 than in the preceding years. From 9 March 2020 to 14 March 2021. 97 830 posts were advertised on Jobnet, the Danish public labour exchange. Compared with the average in the same period in 2015-2019, this represented an increase of 0.8%.

The following business sectors have had the most new vacancies in the Capital Region advertised during the period.

• Public administration, defence and police
• Health and social care
• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services
• Education

Bornholm within the Capital Region

The trend is the same in Bornholm, which is part of the Capital Region. In the period between 9 March and 14 March (both days included), 2 135 posts were advertised on Jobnet, the Danish public labour exchange. Compared with the average in the same period in 2015-2019, this represented an increase of 38.8%.

The following business sectors have had the most new vacancies in Bornholm advertised during the period.

• Public administration, defence and police
• Property sale and renting
• Health and social care

Unemployment (continued)

Cautionary note: the following information on the labour market is subject to uncertainty as a result of COVID-19.

The latest register-based unemployment in the Capital Region from June 2020 was 5.5%.

The area of the capital within the Capital Region

As of 14 March 2021, there were 59 351 registered unemployed in the area of the capital. This was an increase of 38.9% compared with the number on 8 March 2020. The area of the capital is the most severely affected by COVID-19 among the regions, which is probably due to the fact that many people are employed in aviation, tourism, and the restaurant sector, etc.

In the period between 9 March 2020 and 14 March 2021, 155 257 newly-unemployed people were registered. Employees between 30 and 49 constituted 38.5.% of all the newly unemployed, while young people up to 29 accounted for 27.4%.

The three sectors with the most newly-registered unemployed were:

• Health and social care.
• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services.
• Hotels and restaurants

Bornholm within the Capital Region

Bornholm is also part of the Capital Region and there were 1 263 registered unemployed in Bornholm on 14 March 2021. This was an increase of 26.8% compared with the number on 8 March.

In the period between 9 March 2020 and 14 August 2021, 3 398 newly-unemployed people were registered.

Employees between 30 and 49 constituted 20% of all the newly unemployed, while young people up to 29 accounted for 36.9%.

The three sectors with the most newly-registered unemployed were:

• Industry
• Hotels and restaurants
• Health and social care

With 2 683 832 inhabitants, East Denmark – comprising the Capital Region, Bornholm and the Zealand Region – makes up just under half of Denmark's population. The labour force consists of 1 384 000 people, of whom 985 000 are located in the Capital Region and 399 000 in the Zealand Region.

The labour market in East Denmark is characterised by a large number of commuters, mainly travelling to Copenhagen, but also from surrounding labour catchment areas to larger towns on Zealand.

The Capital Region, in particular Copenhagen and its surrounding municipalities, has a different business structure from the rest of East Denmark, with a relatively large number of jobs in the private services sector and relatively few in manufacturing. The Zealand Region is characterised by a relatively large number of jobs in agriculture, industry and building and construction.

Zealand Region

In the Zealand Region there are almost just under 400 000 full-time employees. The five largest sectors in the Zealand Region are: ‘Public administration’ (31% of employees), ‘trade’ (27%), ‘industry’ (12%) ‘business services’ (9%), and ‘building and construction’ (9%).

Employment

Those employed in the Zealand Region are increasingly tending to be qualified. Today, 70% of those employed have skilled or further education, compared to 65% 10 years ago. 30% have no skills training.

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Cautionary note: the following information on the labour market is subject to uncertainty as a result of COVID-19.

Despite COVID-19, more jobs are currently being advertised. In the period between 9 March 2020 and 14 March 2021 (both days included), 31 449 posts were advertised on Jobnet, the Danish public labour exchange. Compared with the average in the same period in 2015-2019, this represented an increase of 16.9%.

The following business sectors have had the most new vacancies in the Zealand region advertised during the period.

• Healthcare, social care and personal care
• Education, social and ecclesiastical work
• Sales, purchasing and marketing
• Graduate occupations

Cautionary note: the following information on the labour market is subject to uncertainty as a result of COVID-19.

The latest register-based unemployment in the Zealand region from June 2020 was 4.8%.

As of 14 March 2021, there were 21 953 registered unemployed in the Zealand region. This was an increase of 27.4% compared with the number on 8 March 2020.

In the period between 9 March 2020 and 14 August 2021, 63 607 newly-unemployed people were registered.

Employees between 30 and 49 constituted 28.6% of all the newly unemployed, while young people up to 29 accounted for 16.5%.

The three sectors with the most newly-registered unemployed were:

• Transport
• Trade
• Hotels and restaurants

Geographically, South Denmark covers the island of Funen plus South Jutland, from the border with Germany up to and including the municipalities of Vejle, Billund and Varde. The largest town in South Denmark is Odense on Funen. Other large towns are Esbjerg, Vejle, Kolding, Fredericia, Sønderborg, Svendborg, Middelfart, Aabenraa and Haderslev. As at the first quarter of 2021, South Denmark has a population of 1 223 634.

In particular, there is still a shortage of individuals with skilled or further education in South Denmark, while demand for unskilled labour is expected to continue to decline in the long term.

South Denmark is a border region that also has a tradition of using foreign labour.

This may be in sectors such as agriculture, gardening, industry, as well as building and construction.  There will continue to be a need for foreign labour in the future, also in deficit fields such as engineers, highly qualified IT staff and doctors.

Important large businesses in the region include the offshore industry in Esbjerg, the robotics industry on the island of Funen, the Danfoss Group, including the mechatronics industry on the island of Als, Legoland in Billund, Gumlink in Vejle and Ecco shoes in Tønder. In general, however, the region is characterised by a large number of small and medium-sized companies. This means that well-qualified people within the iron and metal sectors, as well as other industrial sectors, can find opportunities in this southern part of Denmark. There are also major public enterprises. These include the large hospitals in Odense, Kolding, Esbjerg and Vejle. Throughout South Denmark, the public sector frequently experiences shortages of nurses and doctors, among others.

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Large parts of society were locked down in the middle of March until the end of April as a consequence of COVID-19, and again from the middle of December to contain the second wave of COVID-19. Society has been gradually reopening from the end of March 2021. The lockdowns have led to a drop in employment and an increase in unemployment, but there is still demand for employees in the labour market.

People with a vocational qualification or further education will in general be in greatest demand in South Denmark.

Funen in the South Denmark region

Even though the labour market has been affected by COVID-19, more posts were created in Funen in the South Denmark Region in the whole of 2020 than in the preceding years. In 2020 as a whole, 19 383 posts were advertised on Jobnet, the Danish public labour exchange. Compared with the average in the same period in 2015-2019, this represented an increase of 14%.

South Jutland in the South Denmark region

The trend is the same in South Jutland. In 2020 as a whole, 33,821 posts were advertised on Jobnet, the Danish public labour exchange. Compared with the average in the same period in 2015-2019, this represented an increase of 12%.

The current data on job descriptions with good job prospects which were updated in December 2020 does not allow for the consequences of the lockdown of parts of society in December as a result of COVID-19. The following job descriptions had good job prospects before the second lockdown of society:

• Night school teacher
• Landscape gardener
• Biologist
• Shop assistant
• Carpenter and joiner
• Driver, freight, distribution, mixed driving
• College teacher
• Electrician
• Film photographer
• Primary and lower-secondary school teacher
• Photographer
• Hairdresser
• Disabled support assistant
• Engineer, design and innovation
• Legal professional
• Drain plumber
• Communication employee
• Office assistant
• Clerical officer
• Parish clerk
• Quality employee
• Chef
• Mechanic
• Offshore worker
• PhD student, health sciences
• Postal employee
• Press photographer
• Fitter
• Accounting assistant
• Service technician, cleaning and facility management
• Social educator
• Sous-chef, kitchen
• Welder
• Dentist
• Dental hygienist
• Telemarketing employee
• Carpenter
• Lecturer, business academy
• Window cleaner

Cautionary note: the following information on the labour market is subject to uncertainty as a result of COVID-19.

Unemployment in the South Denmark region is generally lowest for occupational groups within the health service, engineers and electricians, while unemployment is highest among the unskilled and those with limited training. Unemployment is generally largely dependent on the level of education and seniority of people in the labour market. Unemployment is highest among people with very little or no training. In addition, unemployment is higher among young people with no training and young recent graduates who have not had their first job.

The latest register-based unemployment in the South Denmark region from January 2021 was 4.8%.

Funen in the South Denmark region

As of 14 March 2021, there were 13 030 registered unemployed in Funen in the South Denmark region. This was an increase of 14.7% compared with the number on 8 March 2020.

Employees between 30 and 49 constituted 42.3% of all the newly unemployed, while young people up to 29 accounted for 33%.

People with only primary or secondary education formed the largest group of the newly-unemployed in this period (35.8%).

The three sectors with the most newly-registered unemployed were:

• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services.
• Industry.
• Trade.

South Jutland in the South Denmark region

South Jutland in the South Denmark region had 18 017 registered unemployed. This was an increase of 15.6% compared with the number on 8 March.

Employees between 30 and 49 constituted 43% of all the newly unemployed, while young people up to 29 accounted for 30.6%.

People with only primary or secondary education formed the largest group of the newly-unemployed in this period (39.8%).

The three sectors with the most newly-registered unemployed were:

• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services.
• Industry.
• Trade.

Population

Geographically, North Jutland covers the northernmost part of Jutland. There are 11 municipalities in the North Jutland Region, with a total of 590 439 inhabitants. The North Jutland municipalities vary considerably in size. The smallest, Læsø, has 1 764 inhabitants, while the largest, Aalborg, is home to 219 487. Aalborg is the region’s largest city.

Workforce

376 700 people in North Jutland are aged between 16 and 66. 94 150 of these do not form part of the workforce, whilst 282 550 do form part of the workforce.

Business structure

In the fourth quarter of 2020, public administration, teaching and healthcare was the largest sector in North Jutland (36% of employment). This was followed by trade and transport, etc. (19%), industry, mining/quarrying and utility companies (17%), business services (8%) and building and construction (8%).

North Jutland has a business structure with many small and medium-sized enterprises. There are relatively more employed in primary sectors such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries, as well as in industry and building and construction. Aalborg is the region’s largest business centre, with a significant number of jobs within private and public services as well as some jobs within the metal industry and building and construction.

Demand for labour

Highly qualified specialists

Demand for people with postgraduate education will increase in the years to come. At the same time, supply is expected to rise, meaning that there is no sign of a general shortage of highly educated people. However, there are fields where companies find it difficult to recruit highly trained specialists. This is the case, for example, in the fields of health, IT and telecommunications.

Skilled workers are in demand

Skilled workers represent 39% of the labour force in North Jutland, and not enough people are being trained to meet the demand for skilled labour. Craftsmen will be required for construction work, in addition to a requirement for skilled workers in the metal industry and in industries associated with the environment, energy and marine craftsmanship. There will also be a demand for labour with vocational training for the public sector, e.g. for social and healthcare assistants.

Fewer jobs for those with limited training

There are fewer jobs for people with little formal education or only basic education. However, as a rule there are many vacancies in service occupations such as cleaning assistants and shop workers, although these are not usually full-time jobs.

Commuting

People in North Jutland commute a great deal, particularly to Aalborg, which is the region’s commercial powerhouse, but also down into Central Jutland. There is a great deal of commuting along the north-south axis in the region and less along the east-west axis (Thisted-Aalborg). In net terms, more people commute out of North Jutland than into it.

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There are many good employment opportunities in the following occupational groups in particular: graduate work, building and construction, iron, metal and automotive, as well as healthcare, social care and personal care.

In general, job opportunities are best for people who have completed some form of vocational or further education. There is a steady requirement for well-educated specialists in the health service, business services and IT. For people with limited training, most job opportunities are in the retail trade, hotels and catering and cleaning where job turnover is generally high.

The following business sectors have had the most new vacancies in North Jutland advertised in the last year.

• Health and social care
• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services
• Public administration, defence and police

Unemployment is not related to particular sectors, but is more dependent on the level of training and seniority of people in the labour market. Unemployment is highest among people with very little or no training. In addition, unemployment is high among young people with no training and young recent graduates who have not yet had their first job.

In particular, there is a surplus of unskilled labour.

The latest register-based unemployment from January 2021 was 5.4% of the workforce.

Unemployment has risen in North Jutland as a result of COVID-19. From January 2020 to January 2021, unemployment has risen by 16%. Unemployment has risen in particular in the sectors transport, culture and leisure, hotels and restaurants and trade.

Central Jutland is the belt across Jutland, stretching around 200 km from Aarhus in the east to the fishing town of Hvide Sande on the North Sea coast in the west. There are 19 municipalities in the Central Jutland Region, with 1 332 048 inhabitants. Aarhus is the region's largest municipality with approximately 353 000 inhabitants. The region's smallest municipality is Samsø with 3 700 inhabitants.

Workforce

859 000 people in Central Jutland are aged between 16 and 66. Of these, approximately 203 000 do not form part of the workforce, whilst approximately 656 000 do form part of the workforce.

Business structure

In the fourth quarter of 2020, Public administration, teaching and healthcare was the largest sector in Central Jutland (32% of employment). This is followed by trade and transport, etc. (21%), industry, mining/quarrying and utility companies (16%), business services (10%) and building and construction (7%).

The business structure in Central Jutland varies somewhat from east to west. For this reason, the supply of and demand for skills are also determined by the region’s geography.  There are consequently many different ‘work catchment areas’ in the region. The private service sector is prominent in the Aarhus area and is characterised by many knowledge businesses such as IT companies, architects and other types of business services. Aarhus is a university city and also has one of the country’s most specialised hospitals in the Skejby district. In the Norddjurs area, the business structure is characterised by agriculture, industry and craftsmanship, while West Jutland has a business profile characterised by the electronics industry and the iron and metal industry, in addition to agriculture and craftsmanship.

Demand for labour

Highly qualified specialists

Demand for people with postgraduate education will increase in the years to come. At the same time, supply is expected to rise, meaning that there is no sign of a general shortage of highly educated people. However, there are fields where companies find it difficult to recruit highly trained specialists. This is the case, for example, in the fields of health, IT and telecommunications.

Skilled workers are in demand

Skilled workers represent around one third of the labour force in Central Jutland, and not enough people are being trained to meet the demand for skilled labour. There will be a need for craftsmen for construction work as well as for skilled workers, e.g. in the metal industry. There will also be a demand for labour with vocational training for the public sector, e.g. for social and healthcare assistants.

Fewer jobs for those with limited training

There are fewer jobs for people with little formal education or only basic education. However, as a rule there are many vacancies in service occupations such as cleaning assistants and shop workers, although these are not usually full-time jobs.

Commuting

Commuting patterns differ in the eastern and western parts of the region. In the eastern part, there is extensive commuting to Aarhus, so significant net commuting away from most other municipalities takes place. The western part has a more varied commuting pattern.

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There are many good employment opportunities in the following occupational groups in particular: graduate work, building and construction, iron, metal and automotive, as well as healthcare, social care and personal care.

In general, job opportunities are best for people who have completed some form of vocational or further education. There is a steady demand for well-educated specialists in business services and IT, as well as in the health service. For people with limited training, most job opportunities are in the retail trade, hotels, catering and cleaning, as well as other operational service occupations where there is a high staff turnover.

The following business sectors have had the most new vacancies in the eastern part of the Central Jutland Region advertised in the last year.

• Social and healthcare sector
• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services
• Public administration, defence and police

The following business sectors have had the most new vacancies in the western part of the Central Jutland Region advertised in the last year.

• Travel agencies, cleaning and other operational services
• Social and healthcare sector
• Public administration, defence and police

Unemployment is low for several healthcare occupational groups, as well as for several skilled worker groups. In addition, certain graduate groups enjoy very low unemployment. Unemployment is highest among the unskilled and those with limited training. Unemployment is generally largely dependent on the level of education and seniority of people in the labour market. Unemployment is highest among people with very little or no training. In addition, unemployment is high among young people without education and young recent graduates who have not yet had their first job.

In particular, there is a surplus of unskilled labour.

The latest register-based unemployment in the Central Jutland Region from January 2021 was 4.3%.

Unemployment has risen in Central Jutland as a result of COVID-19. From January 2020 to January 2021, unemployment has risen by 18%. Unemployment has risen in particular in the sectors hotels and restaurants, transport and trade.