Integration in Denmark - Statistics & Facts
Since World War II, and especially since the 1980s, Denmark registered a higher number of immigrants than emigrants. For several decades, most of the immigrants arrived from non-western countries, but since several Eastern European countries joined the European Union in the mid 2000s, more people from these started immigrating to Denmark. For instance, as of the beginning of 2023, the largest number of immigrants residing in Denmark were Polish. After falling since 2015, the number of people immigrating to Denmark reached a new record in 2022. This is because because of refugees fleeing Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country in February that year. In recent years, Danish governments, both social democratic and liberal-conservative, have sharpened asylum laws significantly, setting a target of zero asylum applications.
As the number of immigrants living in Denmark increased, so has the number of pupils and students in education. For instance, whereas 2.7 percent of the pupils in primary and lower secondary school were immigrants in 2012, nearly six percent were immigrants in 2022. Also the number of students completing a master's degree who were born outside of Denmark increased significantly over the past 10 years. Interestingly, the share of immigrants who had completed a master's degree is higher than it is among among people of Danish origin.
Despite these differences, the social inclusion of immigrants and their ancestors in Denmark seemed to be improving in the years before COVID-19 hit the country, making it more difficult to meet in associations or political parties. While the share is still higher among the population with a Danish origin, around 50 percent of immigrants and their descendants from non-western countries are a member of an association in the country, and more than 60 percent are politically active.
Lower employment rates among immigrants and descendants
Denmark has not received as much media attention for a lack of integration as its neighbor Sweden, and is often considered to be one of the European countries with a more successful integration policy. However, there are significant differences between the part of the population with a Danish origin and the part with a foreign background. For instance, while people of Danish origin had an employment rate of nearly 80 percent in 2021, immigrants from western countries had an employment rate of 72 percent. Moreover, it was almost 10 percentage points lower among immigrants from non-western countries. The differences are not only visible between Danes and foreign citizens, but also between different groups among immigrants; unemployment rates tend to be higher among foreign women than men, and the same rate was nearly seven percentage points higher among people with an African origin than those from Oceania.As the number of immigrants living in Denmark increased, so has the number of pupils and students in education. For instance, whereas 2.7 percent of the pupils in primary and lower secondary school were immigrants in 2012, nearly six percent were immigrants in 2022. Also the number of students completing a master's degree who were born outside of Denmark increased significantly over the past 10 years. Interestingly, the share of immigrants who had completed a master's degree is higher than it is among among people of Danish origin.
Higher poverty rates among foreigners
Differences between the Danish-born and foreign-born population could also be observed when looking at the living conditions in Denmark, but the differences were clear between people born within and outside of the EU, too: For several years, the share of people living at risk of poverty was significantly higher among immigrants from outside the EU than those from within, but the difference decreased since 2020. Moreover, over 14 percent of the population born abroad lived at risk of material and social deprivation, compared to six percent of Danes.Despite these differences, the social inclusion of immigrants and their ancestors in Denmark seemed to be improving in the years before COVID-19 hit the country, making it more difficult to meet in associations or political parties. While the share is still higher among the population with a Danish origin, around 50 percent of immigrants and their descendants from non-western countries are a member of an association in the country, and more than 60 percent are politically active.
