Download the final survey report
In the many discussions I have had with foreigners as part of my role in leading activities aimed at cultural integration in Denmark, I got the impression more and more that certain challenges have not really been explored yet. It is often the case that well-educated foreigners leave Denmark due to not being fully capable of settling properly. The reason usually mentioned is that they have a strong difficulty in becoming a part of the community, and building a social network. Families become isolated and are unable to find their “place” here.
However, many people mentioned that not only do they struggle with integrating they also feel that they are not wanted in the country. That was the trigger to look more closely into this topic and served as the motivation for conducting this survey and to determine if the related experiences of not feeling welcome were singular and only the experience of a few or if it is the experience of many. By examining the experience of a large number of people it is my hope that problems can be identified and solutions found to help bridge the gap between Danes and the international community.
The result: 46% of the participants don't feel welcome versus 26% who do. 28% gave a neutral answer. Considering that 98% of the 703 survey participants are well-educated, this is a very worrying result especially as Denmark claims the need for well-educated work-force from abroad.
The result of the survey gives a strong signal that there seems to be a problem, that foreigners don’t feel wanted here. This is not only unpleasant for the foreigners themselves and can influence them to leave the country (which in fact many do), but it can also have serious consequences for Denmark and its economy.
Openness, friendliness, “hygge”, and treating people equally is the Danish way.
Or do we have to say “was” the Danish way? Considering the results of the survey, many foreigners don’t seem to experience these Danish qualities. Hopefully they will not get lost in the current focus of protecting Denmark.
Download the final survey report
Best,
Dagmar Fink
Comments
I have a lot of contacts to other expats and I think the prejudice on the job market is what turns off people most. I know SO with a PhD in chemistry from Berkeley, unemployed, SO with a MB and several years of employment in upper mnagement in the computer industry, unemployed, SO with a PhD in nuclear physics from Max-Planck institute, no job in Denmark, SO with a MSc in economics, no job, SO with a PhD in biology, no job, I could go on and on. Nearly all these people came with their partner and believe me, these people won't stay because after two years they realize staying in Denmark would mean a dead end for their career.
I think the mistake Danes make is that they still seem to think that foreigner is foreigner. They are used to foreigners that come to Denmark in order to ask for asylum or as economic refugee, people that in a way are solicitants. They don't understand that highly educated expads are no solicitants, but people who are incredibly flexible when it comes to job search and as quickly as expads come to Denmark as quickly do these people leave if they can't see any purpose to stay. And unfortunately Denmark doesn't give them much purpose.
I joined the forum, cause I thought it could give me some usefull info. Instead I found a forum for bitter, self absorbed people, spitting out their venom.. I am really shocked! The funniest thing is how many accuse the Danes of being racists, while they themselves find it acceptable to judge and shitmouth the Danes.. Isn't that the definition of racism? Hating and judging people because of their origins or culture??
I'm Portuguese and I've been living in Denmark for now 6 years. I love Copenhagen, and I love Denmark. Being a foreigner has actually opened doors for me, in the sense that I've got a job, I would never be considered for at home.
I've been living in both France and the UK before, and I find Denmark to be the most welcoming, effeciant and flexible country for a foreigner... Most people speak English, and if I would, I actually could do without learning the language. That would never work in neither Portugal, France or the UK - as people in those countries only speak their own language - so if you don't speak it, you can piss off. That is not the case in Denmark...
Furthermore, I have to say that the accusations I read here, are exactly the same as the ones I heard from foreigners in the other countries I lived.. It IS tough to be a foreigner - and no matter where you go, you will always be a foreigner. That is NOT a typical Danish thing, nor the Dane's fault..
So stop playing the victim and go out and mingle.. It's NOT that hard - especially in Denmark where people are actually willing to meet you and a foreign language (as English IS a foreign language to them).
My wife moved here to study and live with me and has been met with superiority and dismissive behaviour from the people who were suppose to welcome her expertise.
I'm a Dane myself and I made the move to Copenhagen with my wife when she came to the country and I have to make something clear: Sealand, and ESPECIALLY Copenhagen, has a general air of hostility, even towards other Danes! You don't have to be a foreigner to feel like the odd man out in Copenhagen, but seeing as they promote Copenhagen as a "foreign-friendly, multicultural city" they odd to change their attitude.
Now, as mentioned, my wife moved here 2 years ago, she's learned the language and she is doing well in school. Despite all of that she is still met with a "We prefer someone who "speaks" (read: Whose mothertounge is Danish)and understands the language.
And that's Copenhagen in a nuttshell: They don't mind you visiting on holiday, but you staying here without earning money from a company in your home country or somehow fend for yourself by other means is a terrible thing for them.
SO, my suggestion to anyone wanting to move here: Move to Århus, look up the student house "Studenterhuset" and go there as often as you can: Not only do they host both Danes and "foreigners" (it's a café-bar place) but you might also find someone who can help you get a job, learn the language or build a network.
If I could I would help everyone coming to this country, the best thing I can do is tell you to NOT move to Copenhagen but make the move to Århus (on the mainland, 2nd largest city with lots of opportunities) instead.
Know that you have both my thoughts and hopes if you're already here and suffering.
Best regards
Mark - A foreign native.
Did you move home to the UK?
Sorry to hear your story. I know how it works here in Denmark. I've been staying in the US and in Germany, so I know how people can be.
You don't mention where in Denmark you live(d) - I know that some parts are worse than others (ex. Sealand).
Actually I hope that you pursuaded your husband and kids to move back to UK. Danes are very uncertain of themselves. Therefore they (we) can seem very rude etc. - not me in particular - I'm born SO curious that I just HAVE to ask 1000's of questions about anything! If I see a person who looks foreign, or I hear a foreign language being spoken, I automatically get drawn to the scene. I don't know why . I guess it's because I just love to explore other people, cultures etc.
Stop by Fyn next time - we're supposed to be the kindest people of Denmark.
- Anders
The majority of danes have no idea what an expat is
Most of us only hear about forigners "leeching" the system.
I would love to help anybody if i can in any way.
I have no jobs to offer
But with questions or just to meet up and have a chat.
But I agree that Danmark has a problem with xenophobia, and I'm sure that in some communities racism as well and that Denmark can be a difficult country to be accepted into.
Danes are cold people as well, not just towards foreigners, but generally towards people we don't know. We usually don't say hello or make smalltalk with people we don't know. If you come from a friendlier country and don't know this you might find it weird or rude, or think that people in general don't like you.
My experience of Denmark is that it is the most cold, unfriendly, hideous country ever and despite endless efforts on my part to mix and be open to other danes, it is consistently met with total coldness, rejection and indifference. Even though i am white and educated (god help those that are from other ethnicities) i have experienced direct prejudice from doctors, kommune and so on. Now i am a shadow of the person i was in the UK. All i think about is how to get out of this country as the thought of spending the rest of my life here makes me cry. The thought that my sons will grow up to be like these people scares me to death, unfriendly and totally narrow minded amonsgt many other issues. When i met my danish partner in the Uk he was welcomed by my friends, he made loads of new friends, he loved the vibrant, interesting multinational culture and was welcomed as a foreigner. Sadly we made the terrible decision to move here and spend all our savings setting up home here. As we live here he has started to become more like his danish nationals, increasingly reserved, talking less and less etc. He was a different man living in my country, relaxed and happy, opening up that danish closed mentality. Please think very carefully about settling here. The hype is not true. And i dont care if danes comment back negatively to my post because all of what i say is true. I hate it here, it was the worst mistake of my life and i am saving up to move back to the UK. By all means stay if you want to live a life of lonliness, predjudice and racism, lack of decent employment even if your educated to the hilt because yes you will be bottom of the pile and by all means stay if you also have the wish to endure the most boring culture ever. Lets all stay in our danish homes for the rest of eternity and only meet up with the friends we have made since kindergarden because meeting and allowing new people into our closed circle is like signing their death warrent. No thanks, i may be 40 but im not dead and buried yet. Good luck!
So there is little room for immigrants not understanding us. Go to Sweden. Believe me, they got problems of their own.
The danes in generel can really be like a community of small friend circles which are not easy to perpetrate. I personally also treasure having close friends, but i regularly try to include new people i meet into my friend circles. And i really think it might say a lot that a good share of my newer friends in the last few years in Copenhagen are foreigners living in Copenhagen, or danes who are also showing great interest in foreigners. But it is definitely reality that many foreigners have trouble befriending typical danes, and that the service level in shops is not on a very high level compared to for example how it is in Japan.
Of course it also has to do with circumstances, that danes are slow in opening up, and that things does not get easier until one can socialize well in danish language, plus you have to be at the right time and the right place to meet the people who share your interests and may become good friends to you.
I am Danish and I am very sorry to hear of your bad experiences and thoughts of us, however there are some things you must understand about us danes.
I, myself, am good at English. I have few of my fellow danes who are. However I have met a great number of danes who are unable to form even the simplest sentences in english correctly. The friends I have that do speak good english are like myself, very afraid to say something incorrectly, and therefor we do not speak much english to foreigners. Not when we fear what we say could be perceived as rude or otherwise hurtful. This might very well be why you find people who do not communicate with you. Also, some of you do arrive here with thick accents, and if every dane is as terrible at finding words in accents as I am, then they can't understand anything you say.
Also, Something else you must understand about danes is that we are very private people. We do not make eye contact with strangers outside, whether they are natives or not. It's simply not in our nature, and I am much too shy to do so.
When it comes to finding jobs and homes, you are not the only ones having issues with that. I'm sixteen and I live in a Ghetto. My mother works in a factory and my father is a bus driver. There are no better jobs for them to find - they are all taken. We cannot find a house because we cannot afford one. Our rent is high, much too high for us to save any money.
I don't know how much else there is to say about danes. All I can ask of you before you mark us all as racist bigots, try to do some research as to how the danish people think and function.
Might I remind you most of us are not racist. We are afraid and pressed in our economy and we worry as much as you do about jobs, friends, family and money.
We are all the same no matter where we're from.
Please keep that in mind.
I consider myself to be an international, as it will make within one year the same amount of time spent in 'foreigh' countries as the length of time spent where I was born.
Danish... are they more racist then other nations? I really think not! However I also think that they are not less then any other nation.
TRULY, everyone at some point in their life's has been a little racist!!!!
I have heard prejudice from every possible side and nationalities alike.
I think prejudice exist regardless of where you live and it comes in many shapes and colours, specially nowadays when you hear NOTHING but the FOREIGNERS are taking our jobs and DAMAGING our economy. You hear it in the media and your neighbours are talking.
In every country I have been. IS the same!!!!!!!!!
THE EXACT SAME I have heard: ' THEY are taking our jobs' 'THEY do not celebrate the same festivities' 'THEY don't speak well our language'
ON THE OTHER HAND: I have heard THEY (emigrants in different parts of the world saying: 'THEY (the nationals) are cold' 'THEY are racist' 'THEY are not accepting us' many of these comments was said by people that did not knew ONE person from the country they were living. (emigrants complaining about nationals not knowing anyone from there and nationals complaining about emigrants not knowing any either!!!!)
SERIOUSLY Most people that say THEY, are finding excuses because 'THEY' are not being able to integrate, to connect with the culture, to accept the differences, to NOT prejudice, to NOT be racist.
I have meet really nice people in Denmark (and YES DANISH), my danish is far from perfect but I tried to speak it and they were happy for my effort. I had DANISH people (nooo not from the opposite sex) telling me to try to find a job and stay longer.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!
PS- Once you speak a bit Danish you will noticed that the way the language is formulated, many times when translated incorrectly in English it will sound EXTREMELY rude.
MOST of the time THEY (Danish) are not being rude is the actual language. For example the same happens with Russian, when a russian speaks in English many people may find the person rude, however the person is just formulating the sentences incorrectly as they do in their native language.
The reason why I choose NOT to Stay has nothing to do with the Danish, but to do with me.
Where I feel home, where I connect easier, where I integrated better.
My advise to all is 'THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!' 'LOOK BEFORE YOU JUDGE' 'LISTEN! to HEAR IS NOT ENOUGH' ' DON'T BLAME OTHER CULTURES FOR YOUR UNSUCESS' The International ;0)
So am packing my things and going back to where people wont call me, second hand citizen, alien or niger.
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