Several mayors have expressed concerns that the government’s new agreement on foreign labor is insufficient to address the significant labor shortages facing Danish municipalities. The agreement aims to ease access to foreign labor by lowering the salary threshold for workers from 16 selected countries, provided their workplaces are covered by collective agreements. However, mayors fear the projected 550 foreign workers by 2030 is far too low.

According to the Association of Local Authorities in Denmark, the country will be short 90,000 skilled workers by 2030. Ole Vive, mayor of Faxe Municipality, stated that the agreement is not enough to reach that goal. He clarified that he’s not suggesting the need for 90,000 foreign workers, but rather that other solutions are also needed.

Vive suggested integrating more people with disabilities and diagnoses into the workforce, encouraging part-time workers to transition to full-time employment, and improving youth employment rates. Municipalities are particularly struggling to recruit staff in welfare professions such as nursing assistants, home helpers, and nurses, which could lead to cuts in welfare services or poorer treatment for citizens. Vive hopes the government will revisit the agreement and make further adjustments, such as easing requirements for bringing families or expanding the list of eligible countries.

Other mayors echoed these concerns, with Ringkøbing-Skjern’s mayor, Hans Østergaard, calling the agreement “a drop in the ocean.” The agreement stems from a government pledge to ease access to foreign labor during periods of low unemployment. The salary threshold for foreign workers from outside the EU has been lowered from DKK 514,000 to DKK 300,000 per year, with no ceiling on the number of hires as long as unemployment remains below 4.25 percent.

While Minister for Economic Affairs Stephanie Lose stated that companies can theoretically hire as many foreign employees as they want, the agreement projects only 550 full-time positions by 2030. Minister for Employment Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen defended the agreement, emphasizing its focus on combating social dumping and ensuring orderly conditions through collective agreements and careful selection of countries. Halsboe-Jørgensen rejected calls to expand the agreement, believing the government has struck the right balance.

In contrast to the current concerns, Maja Højgaard, mayor of Brøndby, previously warned against repeating the integration problems of the 1970s with guest workers. Vive, however, is less worried about cohesion in his municipality and believes the situation can be managed effectively.