Consequences for integration and retention

Language is the key to successful integration. Denmark learned this the hard way back in the 1960s and 70s, as the country failed to integrate an entire generation of immigrants. The first law on Danish language courses was adopted in 1986, and since then thousands of immigrants have seized the opportunity for free Danish classes. But now it is going to cost money to learn Danish.

The direct consequence of these high user fees is that far fewer foreigners will learn Danish. The most likely indirect consequences will be a significant decline in foreigners who permanently settle in Denmark – and those who do will have a much more difficult path to integration. The new policy will have a tangible impact on the lives of foreigners, who will have to struggle even more to establish a foothold in the job market and in everyday life. These impacts will also be felt by the Danish business world, where labour is in short supply.

Self-supporting foreigners are by far the largest group of foreigners in Denmark, and they comprise about 70% of students currently enrolled in a Danish course. The new user fees are not the first time that tighter rules have been imposed on this particular group of foreigners.

1.Just two months ago, the government established a new voucher scheme as an incentive to make self-supporting foreigners complete their Danish language courses faster.

2. Six months before that, a deposit of DKK 1,250 was introduced.