
When it comes to immigration and asylum, Denmark can legally 'opt-out' of following EU policies and design its own legislation instead. This led to the creation of its Special Act for displaced persons from Ukraine as soon as the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive in 2022. Since then, the Danish parliament has extended the duration of all permits for those displaced from Ukraine twice, most recently in November 2024, with an end date of 17 March 2026.
The number of people arriving from Ukraine to Denmark rose steeply in the months immediately following Russia’s initial invasion, until July 2022. Since then their number has risen more steadily, with approximately 600 - 1 000 new arrivals per month and slightly more in 2024 than in 2023. The total number of people granted a stay under the Special Act is now 50 500, although it is estimated that only 40 000 of these are currently living in Denmark: some have already left the country and others travel in and out.
1 200 applications for protection under the Special Act have been rejected, most commonly because applicants had already been granted permits in other 'safe' countries. Approximately 650 people displaced from Ukraine, most of whom already hold a permit under the Special Act, have also applied for asylum, but these cases have not yet been assessed: the minister for integration has the authority to put asylum applications from those displaced from Ukraine on hold, as long as the applicants have indeed already been granted protection under the Special Act.
Those displaced from Ukraine have had several advantages in the protection process compared to refugees arriving to Denmark from other countries, although they also face one specific disadvantage: their rights under the Special Act do not include the right to apply for permanent residence in Denmark. This can be a problem for young people and children in particular, as it renders their future in the country uncertain.
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