The Conservative party in Denmark is proposing a new “Traffic Light Model” to regulate foreign labor, categorizing countries based on factors such as employment, crime rates, democratic rights, and gender equality. This marks a significant shift from the party’s previous stance, which generally aligned with the business community’s desire for increased access to foreign workers.

The proposal aims to make it more difficult for citizens from certain countries, particularly those in the MENAPT region (Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, and Turkey), to work in Denmark. Political spokesperson Mette Abildgaard stated that the party wants to limit access from MENAPT countries due to concerns about integration challenges, even if it potentially impacts economic growth.

The “Traffic Light Model” divides countries into three categories: green, yellow, and red. Green countries, such as the United States, Canada, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brazil, and Thailand, would have a lower supplementary salary threshold for workers. Yellow countries would maintain the current salary thresholds. Red countries, including MENAPT nations like Somalia, Syria, and Iraq, would face a significantly higher salary threshold. Countries without repatriation agreements with Denmark would also be automatically categorized as red.

The party envisions the civil service developing a list of countries for each category, based on specific parameters. According to Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen, a professor at the University of Copenhagen, while the division of countries is not a completely new concept, the Conservatives’ proposal is more generalized than existing practices.

Abildgaard acknowledged that the party has adjusted its course due to the increase in labor from MENAPT countries. This represents a departure from the party’s previous collaboration with other political groups advocating for more open access to foreign labor.