A surge in Bangladeshi students at Danish universities, particularly Roskilde University (RUC), is sparking debate about potential loopholes in immigration policies. Politicians are raising concerns that study stays are being exploited as a back door to the Danish labor market, circumventing established regulations for international workers.

Data from RUC reveals a dramatic increase in students from Bangladesh, with admissions jumping from nine in 2020 to 300 in 2024. This significant rise has prompted calls for immediate investigation and potential policy changes.

The issue centers around the fact that student visas allow both the student and their accompanying spouse to access the Danish labor market, bypassing standard business schemes designed to regulate foreign labor. This has led to a substantial increase in the number of employed individuals from Bangladesh, rising by 162 percent between June 2022 and June 2024.

Politicians from various parties are expressing worry over these developments. Some are calling for state-approved educations to be subject to the same restrictions as non-state-approved institutions, which recently had their labor market access restricted for students and spouses.

RUC acknowledges the increased interest from Bangladeshi applicants and is in communication with the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. Danish Universities, the cooperation organization for the eight Danish universities, considers the situation “a point of attention,” highlighting the importance of diversity in admissions.

The Minister for Immigration and Integration, Kaare Dybvad Bek, is aware of the issue and open to considering changes to the rules for state educations. He emphasized that the primary purpose of a study visa should be education, not employment.