According to Eurostat's Migration and migrant population statistics, as of 1 January 2022 there were approximately 364 700 third-country nationals (TCNs) living in Denmark, representing 3.5% of its population, and further 173 300 EU citizens (1.6%).

Danish statistics use terms which differ from EU categories. For instance, a person is not considered ‘Danish’ for holding a Danish passport, but rather if they have at least one parent who is a Danish citizen and was born in Denmark. Anyone else is defined as an 'immigrant' or 'descendant', and further divided into two categories: Western and non-Western. In 2021, the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration introduced a new statistical category called MENAPT which specifically refers to Muslim migrants from Africa and the Middle East.

In 2022, according to Danish government statistics, the majority of residence permits were granted for work (24 600), study (15 700) and family reunification (3 400) reasons. Beneficiaries of international protection permits were issued to 1% of newcomers (1 400).

Among Danish citizens (who make up 89.5% of the country’s total population), 74% have Danish origin, while 300 000 obtained Danish citizenship after migrating to Denmark or being born in the country to foreign parents. There are approximately 15 000 adult descendants without Danish citizenship.

Due to increasingly strict naturalisation requirements, the number of people living in Denmark without Danish citizenship is rising sharply. In 2022, the number of new citizens dropped to its lowest level in 40 years, with only 1 400 people being granted citizenship that year.

As of October 2023, Denmark is hosting a total of 35 749 non-EU citizens who have fled the war against Ukraine and are under the temporary protection – see monthly updates in the numbers of temporary protection beneficiaries on Eurostat.

The recent OECD/EC Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2023: Settling In report provides further breakdowns of the composition of migrant populations and households in Denmark, including in terms of immigration flows by legal category, concentration in densely populated areas, duration of stay and household composition.

In Denmark, integration policies operate at both national and local level. The first significant institutional development occurred with the Integration Act, adopted on 1 January 1999, which delegated the responsibility of integration to municipalities.

In 2000, the government presented a regulatory Immigrant Package with the goal of putting forward actions to speed up labour market integration. In 2002, Danish language tests became prerequisites for acquiring citizenship, with civic tests also introduced four years later.

Participation in the labour market is the main focus of the Danish integration policy, as it is seen as the principal channel of integration. The goal is to limit the number of people "living in parallel societies" without contact with Danish society. In 2010 full-time employment became a condition for the acquisition of permanent residence, then in 2016 it became a pre-requisite for citizenship.

Since 2019, there has been a shift towards a more stringent policy approach. According to the new legislative framework laid out by the Danish government, greater focus should be placed on the return of beneficiaries of international protection (as soon as the situation allows it), rather than on their integration (Paradigm shift). As a consequence, the term "integration" has been replaced with "self-support and return".

Despite this new outlook, the integration programme maintains the same structure and includes Danish language classes and mandatory job-activation actions for unemployed migrants. Non-participation may result in the withdrawal of benefits. The programme consists of job-centred activities such as counselling, skills-upgrading courses, internships and, sometimes, subsidised employment.

Beneficiaries of international protection and their family members are not free to choose where to settle in Denmark: every year, they are allocated to different municipalities based on specific criteria and quotas. The municipality is then responsible for the implementation of the integration programme for new arrivals. If individuals decide to move to another municipality of their own accord before the end of the integration programme, the new municipality is not required to take over.

Despite having gone through several amendments and updates over the years, this remains the only integration programme ever established in Denmark. Individual integration contracts were, for example, introduced in 2006, and are signed by newly arrived migrants and asylum seekers with the municipality in which they are based. The goal of these contracts is to confirm migrants’ commitment to observing the necessary integration measures. The integration initiatives stipulated in the contract differ according to category of migrant. In 2016, the programme was extended from 3 years to a flexible period of 1 to 5 years.

The 2016 agreement on labour market integration introduced measures targeted at businesses, with language schools now required to offer classes outside business hours in order to allow migrants to combine work and training. In 2016, the government concluded talks with key stakeholders (employers' organisations, unions and local authorities) which resulted in a tripartite agreement aimed at improving the outcomes of employment and integration programmes. Following a "work from day one" principle, the agreement calls for better screening of the competencies of beneficiaries of international protection, combining employment and language classes, and tying job opportunities for beneficiaries of international protection to their geographical location in Denmark. A new job and training programme, Integrationsgrunduddannelse (IGU), was also introduced which ensures the progressive inclusion of newcomers, over a two-year period, into regular employment. This model includes so-called ‘apprentice pay’ and combines work with intensive training. Beneficiaries of international protection joining the programme are paid a salary, work for at least 25 hours per week and take part in 20 weeks of training (such as relevant vocational training, Danish lessons, and other basic skills courses) during the 2-year asylum period. The target group is beneficiaries of international protection and their family members aged between 18 - 40 years old who have been in Denmark for less than 5 years. IGU is meant to present new opportunities to municipalities, beneficiaries of international protection and companies.

Most recently, the Danish government proposed tying the social benefits of migrant women to the completion of 37-hour work weeks in so-called ‘useful jobs’.

For more information on the Danish integration action plan read here a 2020 update on the state of integration published by the government.

Integration outcomes are monitored closely by the government and independent researchers. Key figures and statistics can be found on the government's Integration Barometer. In general, integration trends among beneficiaries of international protection have improved, especially for those arriving since 2014. An increasing number have become economically independent and learned the Danish language. Descendants (children of migrants or beneficiaries of international protection) have higher levels of education, and enter into higher education more often than ethnic Danes with a comparable background. Further, women from five different nationalities were found to have reached a higher level of education and self-sufficiency than young Danish women.

IGU has proven to be a success (view the 2018 evaluation report) and was extended in 2022. However, although the gap is indeed diminishing, beneficiaries of international protection and migrants still have a less stable connection to the labour market than ethnic Danes overall. Key statistics reveal that:

• 65% of all adults taking part in the integration programme have passed a Danish language exam after less than five years in the country;
• 70% of all 20-24 year olds with a "non-Western background" passed their youth education requirements in 2022 (compared with 78% of Danes);
• The gap in employment between people with Danish origin and “non-Western origin” has shrunk to 18%.

Every year, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration carries out a large survey examining active participation in society, equality issues and attitudes. The survey compares data related to people with both ethnic Danish and migrant background.

The international Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) points out that Denmark is one of the few countries to move backwards in terms of its migrant integration performance in recent years. The country increasingly focuses on temporary integration, with TCNs enjoying basic rights and equal opportunities but facing obstacles to long-term settlement. The country's integration approach also encourages the local population to keep seeing migrants as foreigners. Denmark scored 49 out of a possible 100 points on the MIPEX 2020 scale, which is the average score across all countries examined.

Denmark’s Ministry of Immigration and Integration was first established in 2002 and dissolved between 2011 and 2015. Today, it is once again active and represents the authority leading the governance of migrant integration in Denmark. It is responsible for coordinating the country’s integration policy, including on issues concerning housing for beneficiaries of international protection, the integration programme, employment and social benefits for newcomers, Danish language tuition, and the prevention of radicalisation and honour-related conflict (two issues often found to be affecting migrant communities in Denmark). The Ministry’s Immigration Service and Agency for International Recruitment and Integration is where newcomers apply for residence permits. Finally, the Division of Integration Policy holds a seat in the European Integration Network (EIN).  

Municipalities also play a crucial role in the implementation of the integration policy and programme. They find housing options, pay social benefits, offer schooling and childcare, and provide access to health care services. They are also responsible for language training, though in practice this task is outsourced to language centres managed by various actors. As noted by the Integration Act, municipalities can decide the level and content of their integration efforts, as long as they fulfil the overall legal requirements. In addition, the 2016 Tripartite Agreement provided a more flexible and cost-effective legal framework to handle their integration effort - see more in the "Evaluation" section.

The National Council for Integration (DNIR) was established in 1983. The council advises and offers guidance to the integration minister. It is also a consulting body for new political initiatives and action plans related to minority groups, as well as on the work of relevant public bodies and task groups. The council has had 13 members from different backgrounds, appointed by the over 50 local integration councils. Since 2014, 5 members have been appointed by the board of representatives from all 98 municipalities, and the 4 largest municipalities are guaranteed seats. 5 other members (including the chair) are appointed by the integration minister.

NGOs and voluntary groups are generally very strong and firmly established in Denmark, and many focus on the rights of migrants and beneficiaries of international protections. They carry out important work on integration, both locally and at the political level. The two largest, the Danish Refugee Council and Danish Red Cross, run a joint national programme called “Friends Show the Way”, connecting recently arrived beneficiaries of international protection with a voluntary friend or family.

Denmark is the only EU country that does not benefit from the EU's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) due to its opt-out from EU Justice and Home Affairs (1992 Edinburgh Agreement: Denmark holds opt-outs from EU's policies related to citizenship, justice, policing, security, defence, and the adoption of the euro). Non-profit organisations and local authorities receive financing through the national budget and the funds of  national ministries, as well as through other EU funds such as the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).

The Danish state officially spent approximately 6 billion DKR (€800 million) on integration between 2017 and 2019. The exact amount spent on integration is difficult to gauge, as the total figure would include tasks carried out by the state, local municipalities, companies, and some larger NGOs through contracts awarded via public tenders. The Ministry of Immigration and Integration estimated that the net expenditure for migrants and descendants from non-Western countries was 27 billion DKR in 2019 (€3.6 million).

In addition, private foundations offer funding opportunities for service providers and other stakeholders to carry out projects aiming at enhancing integration, often with a focus on vulnerable children and younger people. This expenditure is usually not included in official estimates.

EU funds for integration

European Social Fund (ESF) in Denmark

The national managing authority for the European Social Fund (ESF) in Denmark is the Danish Ministry of Business and Growth (Erhvervsstyrelsen). The ESF budget for the 2014 - 2020 period was approximately €400 million, with a EU co-financing of over 50%.

Other EU funds for integration available in Denmark

ERASMUS+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe

National managing authority: Ministry of Higher Education and Science (Uddannelses- og Forskningsministeriet)

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the EU by correcting regional imbalances

National managing authority: Danish Business Authority (Erhvervsstyrelsen)

Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), offering material assistance to the most vulnerable or in need

National managing authority: National Social Board (Social- og Boligstyrelsen)

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), supporting the development of rural economies and communities

National managing authority: Danish Agricultural Agency (Landbrugsstyrelsen)

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

National managing authority: Danish Fisheries Agency (Fiskeristyrelsen); the EMFF supports coastal communities in diversifying their economies and finances projects that create jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts

Other funds

Other public funding in Denmark

State funding for integration is available from the Ministry of Immigration and Integration.

Private funding in Denmark

• Egmont Fonden
• Lauritzen Fonden
• A. P. Møller Fonden
• Veluxfonden
• Tryg Fonden
• Bikuben Fonden
• Rockwool Fonden
• Tuborgfondet
• Nordea-fonden
• OAK Foundation
• Novo Nordisk Foundation

Providing integration services

• DRC Danish Refugee Council
• Danish Red Cross
• Ungdommens Røde Kors
• Venner viser vej
• Venligboerne (Facebook)
• DFUNK  

Implementing the integration programme

• DRC Integration

Campaigning

• Foreningen LigeAdgang
• MS Action Aid
• Refugees Welcome
• REFUGEES.DK
• DFUNK  
• Sameksistens
• Børns Vilkår
• Børnerådet
• Red Barnet

Publishing statistics

• Statistics Denmark
• Rockwool Fonden
• Danish Immigration Service
• Danish Ministry of Integration
• Integrationsbarometeret
• Integrationsviden, SIRI