Why this guide?

This is an excerpt from the Worktrotter's Guide to Denmark.

We used to speak of Globetrotters, world travellers in pursuit of fun, but nowadays more and more people are travelling for reasons related to work. I call them “Worktrotters“.

Globalisation has accelerated this travelling phenomenon. The international workforce now transcends national boundaries. To achieve an “informational” equilibrium – and also for reasons of cost – jobs and skills are increasingly moving across borders. This will occur even more in the future (i.e. internationalisation), with higher levels of competition for skilled or specialised individuals, a dynamic that used to be confined within one country.

People also travel more in their free time, as well as study abroad. So it is not surprising that there are more and more intercultural couples. Given that many of them are well educated, this group will play a greater role in the future as competition for qualified labour intensifies. These couples will build up a life together in the country that offers the best opportunities for both of them.

After some deliberation, we made a decision in 2006: I would move to Copenhagen to live with my “Danish prince” in Copenhagen; as a software engineer there were more computers for me there than ships in southern Germany for him (as a
naval architect).

Before moving, I felt confident that I was well-equipped for my move to Denmark.
For one because my heritage and upbringing is multi-cultural: my ancestors come from Luxembourg, I am German, born in Romania and I grew up tri-lingual. Secondly, I had experience living in several countries already (Germany,
Romania, Sweden, and the USA), and had worked for the large international IT company IBM for many years. In my career I worked with teams from many countries, and thus I considered myself familiar with all kinds of cultures. Moreover, I made enquiries about Denmark as much as possible prior to the relocation. And ultimately, you learn best by experience, don’t you? So, off I went.

Looking back, there are many things I would have liked to have known beforehand and possibly been spared. Nothing dramatic, but I often found myself in surprising situations. The first major surprise came when I read on
my payslip that a 60 percent tax rate had been applied to my salary because I didn‘t hand in my tax card at work. Good grief! I had ordered it, but in the confusion of the first few days, I had forgotten to pass it on to the accounting department. Many other confusing situations followed.

If only I had known more about Denmark, I could have avoided so many mistakes and pitfalls ...
At some point I started to think it would be a pity if my experience was of no use to others. This is what motivated me to write this practical guide. It is my hope that the information collected in this book will help you transition into the Danish way of life.

And now let me introduce you to “my“ Denmark.

Welcome! Best of luck in Denmark!
Velkommen! Held og lykke i Danmark!

Dagmar Fink

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