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Minister’s call for more foreign labour 'extremely positive': DI

The Local Denmark
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Minister’s call for more foreign labour 'extremely positive': DI
Troels Lund Poulsen. File photo: Jakob Jørgensen/Polfoto/Ritzau

Minister of Employment Troels Lund Poulsen’s recent comments that the government supports improved access to the Danish job market for foreigners are highly commendable, says the Confederation of Danish Industry.

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Such an initiative is at the top of many companies’ wish lists, writes dibusiness.dk.

The business confederation has on several recent occasions stressed the difficulty Danish companies are experiencing filling positions.

Many may therefore been pleased to hear the news that Minister of Employment Troels Lund Poulsen is calling for parliament to intensify efforts to make it easier for Danish companies to acquire foreign labour.

“It is extremely positive to hear that the minister intends to take steps to help companies remedy the shortage of qualified workers, given that this is the biggest challenge that companies and the Danish economy are currently facing,” said Steen Nielsen, deputy director with the Confederation of Danish Industry (Dansk Industri, DI).

Prior to the Christmas break, Finans.dk reported that Poulsen was heralding a new strategy for international recruitment. The new strategy is aimed at making it easier for individuals outside the EU to enter the Danish job market as well as attracting workers from the EU.

The minister notes that an increasing number of companies are forced to turn down orders and some even consider moving parts of the company abroad.

“We’ve reached the point where the labour shortage has started to cost Denmark jobs, and that is something parliament needs to address,” Poulsen told Finans.

Several studies and analyses carried out by DI have shown that Danish companies are increasingly suffering from a lack of qualified employees. Skilled foreign workers can help remedy that issue, the group says.

“If growth is to continue in 2018, we will need all types of workers.

“There are therefore good opportunities for getting more unemployed Danes and those receiving benefits into work. At the same time, we will also be needing more foreign workers,” Nielsen said.

The DI deputy director emphasised that foreign workers will not stand in the way of Danes who are looking for jobs.

“Skilled foreign workers are absolutely vital for companies. It will be a huge help if we can get more foreigners, both from the EU and from countries outside the EU, to come to Denmark for work. What’s more, larger numbers of foreign workers will not change the fact that great job opportunities also exist for Danes,” Nielsen said.

READ ALSO: More must be done to draw international workers to Denmark: DI

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