A recent international study reveals that immigrants in Denmark earn an average of 9.2 percent less than native-born Danes. This disparity is primarily attributed to difficulties in accessing high-paying industries.

The study, published in the journal Nature, analyzed data from 13.5 million employees and employers across nine countries, including Denmark. The research found that, on average, immigrants in these countries earn 17.9 percent less than native-born individuals, placing Denmark below the average wage gap.

Associate Professor Lasse Folke Henriksen from Copenhagen Business School (CBS), a co-author of the study, highlights that the primary challenge for immigrants lies in accessing well-compensated jobs and industries with favorable working conditions. He suggests that factors such as limited networks and a lack of recognition of qualifications, including education and language skills, may contribute to this difficulty.

The study further indicates that when immigrants and native-born Danes hold the same position with the same employer, immigrants still earn 2.3 percent less. This leaves 6.9 percent of the wage gap unexplained by these factors.

Among the nine countries analyzed—Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the USA, and Denmark—Spain exhibits the largest wage difference, with immigrants earning 29.3 percent less than native-born Spaniards.