Immigration to Denmark from Muslim countries has surged by 124% since 2019, according to new figures from the Ministry of Immigration and Integration. This represents a significant increase from 4,805 immigrants in 2019 to 10,804 in 2024.

Mikkel Bjørn, immigration spokesman for the Danish People’s Party, has labeled this increase as “alarming,” accusing the current government of pursuing a lax immigration policy despite claims to the contrary. Bjørn asserts that this influx, regardless of whether immigrants are students or workers, leads to negative cultural consequences like ghettoization and social control.

Kaare Dybvad Bek, the Minister for Immigration and Integration, acknowledges the relevance of cultural concerns but emphasizes that a large proportion of the immigrants are students who are expected to return home after completing their studies. He also points out that asylum numbers are generally low and that the government has initiated measures to limit study schemes from non-Western countries. The Minister also noted that an increasing group from the MENAPT countries are on labor schemes, and the government must keep an eye on that.

The increase is primarily driven by a rise in students from Bangladesh. This has raised concerns that some individuals are using study stays as a cover for obtaining work permits for themselves and their spouses.