A recent interview in Berlingske with a Bangladeshi student has reignited the debate surrounding study visas in Denmark, with concerns raised that they are being exploited as a backdoor to the Danish labor market. Politicians are calling for immediate action and investigation.
Nishith Datta, a 28-year-old student from Bangladesh studying at the University of Southern Denmark, stated that up to 90% of Bangladeshi students use their study visas to access the Danish labor market, attracted by better earning opportunities than in their home country.
Under current regulations, non-EU students with study visas are permitted to work 20 hours per week and can bring a spouse who is allowed to work full-time. This has sparked worries among politicians, including Mikkel Bjørn (DF) and Sandra Skalvig (Liberal Alliance), who believe the system is being abused.
Bjørn insists that the study visa is a cover for labor market access and calls for immediate government intervention, including an investigation into the “meeting culture” among students from Nepal and Bangladesh. He expressed concerns about students remaining in Denmark permanently after completing their studies, potentially leading to culturally foreign immigration.
Skalvig echoed these concerns, stating that the situation confirms fears that the study program is being used to circumvent immigration rules for permanent residency. The Liberal Alliance has requested a consultation with the Minister for Higher Education and Science and the Minister for Immigration and Integration to address the issue and close the “hole in the system”.
Datta, while admitting to using the available opportunities, claims that studying remains his primary motivation.
The debate initially arose in March when Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek (S) aimed to close a loophole allowing students from Bangladesh and Nepal on specific study permits to grant their spouses unrestricted access to the Danish labor market. This action was prompted by reports indicating that these permits were being used contrary to their intended purpose.
The minister initially addressed the issue by closing the loophole for non-state-approved educational institutions. However, an analysis by 3F revealed that the problem extended to state-approved universities as well, with the number of employees from Bangladesh increasing by 162% between June 2022 and June 2024.
Reports suggest that agencies are luring students with promises of access to the Danish labor market, sometimes exploiting them by withholding passports and study papers if they refuse to pay exorbitant fees.
Dybvad Bek has indicated he is open to changing the rules for state-approved educations, emphasizing the need to address agencies profiting from facilitating immigration through study visas. He awaits input from relevant institutions before making a final decision.