Labour Market Information: Denmark

National level - Denmark

^{* The years referenced in this report vary, as the data is based on the most up-to-date information available for each indicator, as of December 2024.}

Labour market

As of 1 January 2024, about 6 million people lived in Denmark. The gross domestic product per inhabitant was EUR 64 400 in 2022, 81.9% higher than the average of EUR 35 400 per inhabitant in the EU27. Between 2018 and 2022, the GDP per capita increased by 23%.

^{Note: nama_10r_2gdp, Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu)}

In 2023, more than 3.2 million people were active on the labour market in Denmark. The employment rate was 76.6%, 6.2 percentage points higher than the EU27 average and 2.5 percentage points higher compared to 2018.In 2023, for women, the employment rate was 74.2%, for men, the employment rate was 78.9%, and for youth, the employment rate was 57%, all above the EU average.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfe2emprt, data refer to working age population (15-64), youth age group (15-24)  Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu)}

In 2023, the unemployment rate was nearly matching the level registered in 2022. In 2023, the unemployment rate returned to the level before the pandemic, when it equaled 5.3% in 2018, and 5.1% in 2019. The unemployment rate is consistently below the EU27 average. In 2023, it was 0.9 percentage points lower in Denmark than in the EU27, nearly matching the EU27 average.

In 2023, 88.9% of the active workforce were from Denmark, 3.7% from other EU Member States and 7.4 from third countries. In the EU27, as of 2023, the highest proportion of the workforce comes from the respective country (85% on average), while on average a smaller portion is from foreign countries (4.3% from other EU Member States, and 10.5% from third countries).

In 2022, most employees worked in wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (22.4%), followed by manufacturing (15.3%), construction (9.2%) and professional, scientific and technical activities (8.8%). In terms of number of enterprises, most can be found in financial and insurance activities (23.7%), professional, scientific and technical activities (11.3%), and wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (11.3%).

In Denmark, the highest proportion of employees (35.5%) worked in large companies with more than 250 employees. These companies accounted for only 0.2% of all enterprises in the country, with just 892 of such businesses. 21.3% of persons employed worked in medium companies with 50 to 249 employees, 20% of persons employed worked in micro companies with up to 9 employees, 13.7% of persons employed worked in small companies with 20 to 49 employees and 9.6% of persons employed worked in small companies with 10 to 19 employees.

Vacancies

In 2024, in Denmark, the occupational groups with the highest occurrence of shortage occupations were: science and engineering associate professionals, science and engineering professionals and business and administration associate professionals. On the other hand, the occupational groups with the highest occurrence of surplus occupations were: legal, social and cultural professionals, science and engineering professionals and personal service workers.

Read more about labour shortages and surpluses in Europe: Labour shortages and surpluses in Europe 2023 | European Labour Authority (europa.eu)

The sectors with the highest vacancy rates were: human health and social work activities; education; arts, entertainment and recreation; public administration and defence; compulsory social security; administrative and support services.

^{Note: jvs_a_rate_r2, Statistics | Eurostat}

Widely used job portals

Wages

Minimum wage

As of 2024, Denmark did not have a statutory minimum wage and relied on collective bargaining to set wage floors. As collective bargaining in Denmark is high at 82% (OECD-ICTWSS), most workers are covered by some form of wage floor.

Monthly average gross and net earnings

In 2023, the gross average earnings of a single person stood at EUR 5459, while the EU27 average was EUR 3417. The equivalent net wage was EUR 3 494 in Denmark, compared to EUR 2351 in the EU27. Compared to 2018, gross average earnings increased by 16% in Denmark and by 19.8% in the EU27. During the same period, the net wages have increased by 15.5% in Denmark and by 22.1% in the EU27.

^{Note: earn_nt_net, Single person earning 100% average, annual rates transformed into 12 monthly payments. Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu)}

Trends

Go directly to Green transition | Immigration | Insufficient number of jobseekers with the required skills | Remote work

Green Transition

Denmark has set some of the most ambitious climate goals in the world, guided by the principle of sustainability and a commitment to the Paris Agreement. However, the green transition is facing significant challenges due to labour shortages, which are making it difficult to implement the necessary changes to move towards a more sustainable economy. Several factors contribute to this challenge, of which skilled labour shortages in renewable energy sectors is one of the most significant. The green transition requires a large-scale expansion of renewable energy infrastructure. However, there is a shortage of skilled workers in these sectors, particularly in fields like engineering, installation, and maintenance of renewable energy systems. Furthermore, there is a growing gap between the skills of the workforce and the specific expertise required for the green transition. Many workers in traditional industries, such as oil and gas or coal-based energy, may not have the skills or training needed for jobs in renewable energy or green technologies. In addition, Denmark is experiencing an aging population, and younger generations are not always filling the gaps in sectors like construction, engineering, or manufacturing, where the green transition needs the most labour.

Immigration (from the EU, from third countries)

In total, foreign nationals (both EU and non-EU) constitute around 12–13% of the workforce in Denmark. These numbers reflect the growing role of international talent in Denmark. The Danish labour market is generally open to foreign workers, especially those with skills in high-demand fields. As Denmark invests in the green economy there is a significant demand for workers with specialized knowledge and skills in clean technologies. Denmark has had difficulty meeting these demands with its domestic labour force, making international workers a crucial part of the solution. The largest group of foreign workers in Denmark is still from other EU countries, especially neighbouring countries like Sweden and Germany but also from Poland and other Eastern European countries. Non-EU citizens also make up an important portion of the workforce, though the percentage is smaller compared to EU citizens.

Insufficient number of jobseekers with the required skills

Denmark, like many other economies, is facing labour shortages in key sectors due to an aging population, low birth rates, and a competitive labour market. These shortages are particularly pronounced in sectors that are critical to the green transition, but also other areas of technology as well as biotech/pharma and healthcare. To fill these gaps, Denmark has increasingly turned to international talent. In the coming years, Denmark will continue to lack highly qualified labour in the private sector, such as IT specialists and engineers. In addition, there will continue to be a shortage of doctors and healthcare staff.

Remote work

In 2023, 28.9% of employed persons in Denmark sometimes worked from home, compared to 13.3% in the EU27. Additionally, 7.9% of employed persons in Denmark usually worked from home, while in the EU27 it was 8.9%.

^{Note: lfsa_ehomp, Product - Datasets - Eurostat}

Capital (Hovedstaden)

With 1 891 871 inhabitants, Capital represented about 31.9% of the population in Denmark in 2023.

The gross domestic product per capita, adjusted for price levels (PPS) in Capital was 255.4% of the EU27 average, well above the national average of 181.9%.

The Capital Region has a diverse labour market, strongly influenced by both national and international companies. The dominant sectors include health and life sciences, IT and tech, finance, as well as tourism and culture. The region is home to large companies such as Novo Nordisk, A.P. Møller-Maersk and Danske Bank. Recruitment often takes place locally but also internationally, especially within specialized roles. The University of Copenhagen and DTU contribute to international research and technology. Employers are open to both Danish and English as working languages, and many offer flexible working hours and telecommuting to attract talent in a competitive market

In 2023, more than 1 079 400 people were active in the labour market in Capital. 51.2% had tertiary education, 33.3% had secondary education, and 15.1% had primary education. The employment rate in Capital was 64.3 % in 2023, 3.9 percentage points higher than the national average in Denmark and in line with 2022 figures.

The employment rate for women in 2023 was 61.1%, men had an employment rate of 67.6%, and for the youth the employment rate was 57.2%, all above the national average.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfe2emprt, Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu), data refer to age group 15 years or over}

The unemployment rate in Capital was 5.2% in 2023, in line with the national average in the same year and in line with the previous year.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfu3rt, Statistics | Eurostat, data refer to age group 15 years or over}

Vacancies

There is a great demand for professionals within the health sector, IT, construction and finance. IT specialists, engineers and nurses experience many job opportunities across both large and medium-sized companies. In addition, the job offer in green technology and sustainability is growing, which requires new specialized qualifications and competences.

Shortages

The labour market balance points to significant and structural shortages in the health sector (nurses and doctors), technical professions (electricians, blacksmiths) and the transport sector (truck drivers). The structural nature of these deficiencies is due to the region’s limited supply of trained labour. In addition, large construction projects contribute to a temporary demand for tradesmen

Surpluses

In the Capital Region, there is a smaller surplus of labour, but certain sectors such as retail trade and office administration experience higher unemployment compared to specialized sectors. Young people and recent graduates may face difficulties in the transition to the labour market, which is partly due to a mismatch between their qualifications and the specialized needs of the region

Zealand (Sjælland)

With 849 857 inhabitants, Zealand represented about 14.3% of the population in Denmark in 2023.

The gross domestic product per capita, adjusted for price levels (PPS) in Zealand was 113% of the EU27 average, well below the national average of 181.9%.

Region Zealand’s labour market comprises of industrial production, agriculture, public administration and the health sector. Large employers include public institutions such as the hospitals in Roskilde, Køge and Nykøbing Falster, and private companies in logistics and the food industry. The agricultural sector and seasonal roles, especially in manufacturing and hospitality, also play a major role. The construction of the Fehmarnbelt connection creates great demand within certain industries, primarily building and construction. Roskilde University and business academies contribute to educational opportunities and skills development in the region. Recruitment often happens locally, but certain sectors such as medicine and life science also recruit internationally. The working language is primarily Danish some companies are open to English in technical or specialized roles.

In 2023, more than 431 400 people were active in the labour market in Zealand. 32.4% had tertiary education, 45.9% had secondary education, and 21.5% had primary education. The employment rate in Zealand was 57.2 % in 2023, 3.2 percentage point lower than the national average in Denmark and in line with 2022 figures.

The employment rate for women in 2023 was 54.2%, men had an employment rate of 60.3%, and for the youth the employment rate was 56.2%, all below the national average.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfe2emprt, Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu), data refer to age group 15 years or over}

The unemployment rate in Zealand was 4.6% in 2023, in line with the national average in the same year and in line with the previous year.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfu3rt, Statistics | Eurostat, data refer to age group 15 years or over}

Vacancies

In the region, there are mostly vacancies within healthcare, childcare, industrial manufacturing and transport. Jobs within the public sector, e.g. in hospitals and municipalities, as well as in medium-sized and large private companies, have high frequency. In these areas, there is often a demand for technically and health-related trained labour. The organization differs, but shifts and flexible hours are common in the health sector and hospitality while regular daytime hours are typical in administration and production.

Shortages

The labour market balance points to significant and structural deficiencies within the healthcare sector (nurses and doctors), technical professions (electricians, blacksmiths), construction and the transport sector. The structural nature of these deficiencies is due to the region’s limited supply of skilled labour. In addition, large construction projects contribute to a temporary demand for tradesmen, while seasonal positions in agriculture are often with foreign workers.

Surpluses

Region Zealand has a surplus of unskilled workers and a higher unemployment rate among the elderly and younger people without education. These groups have limited mobility, and efforts are made to increase their skills and move them towards industries with shortages. Competence development and cooperation with companies are part of the regional labour market strategies to solve this challenge.

South Denmark (Syddanmark)

With 1 237 413 inhabitants, South Denmark represented about 20.9% of the population in Denmark in 2023.

The gross domestic product per capita, adjusted for price levels (PPS) in South Denmark was 152.5% of the EU27 average, well below the national average of 181.9%.

Region Southern Denmark has 1,239,234 inhabitants, of which 779,558 are of working age. There are 22 municipalities in the region, of which Odense Municipality, with 209,690 inhabitants, has the largest population. Odense Municipality is also home to the largest educational institutions – including the University of Southern Denmark. In Region South Jutland, there are 598,504 wage earners. The industries with the most employees are Public administration, education and health, Trade and transport as well as Industry etc. The municipalities, the region and the large educational institutions are among the largest employers. Among private companies with many employees, examples include LEGO, Danfoss and ECCO central to the region’s business life. 33 % of employees in Region Southern Denmark have a vocational education, while 28.4 % have a high education. 39 % have a short degree of education. The number of wage earners with citizenship other than Danish increases year by year in Region Southern Denmark. In 2024, 53,950 foreign nationals were employed in the region, which corresponds to 12 % of all wage earners.

In 2023, more than 632 600 people were active in the labour market in South Denmark. 33.1% had tertiary education, 43.2% had secondary education, and 23.4% had primary education. The employment rate in South Denmark was 57.6 % in 2023, 2.8 percentage points lower than the national average in Denmark and in line with 2022 figures.

The employment rate for women in 2023 was 52.8%, men had an employment rate of 62.5%, and for the youth the employment rate was 58.1%. The employment rates for women and men were below the national average, while the employment rate for the youth was above the national average.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfe2emprt, Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu), data refer to age group 15 years or over}

The unemployment rate in South Denmark was 5.1% in 2023, in line with the national average in the same year and in line with the previous year.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfu3rt, Statistics | Eurostat, data refer to age group 15 years or over}

Vacancies

In the past year, employers in the Southern Denmark Region tried to recruit 261,000 new employees. 10% of the recruitment attempts have been unsuccessful, as the position has not been possessed, while another 13% of the positions have been with new employees who does not have all the required qualifications. The business groups Health, care and personal care and Educational, social and church work, where it is typically the municipality or the region that is the employer, have in the most recent calculation collected the most recruitment attempts. These are often positions that require vocational education or education at professional bachelor’s level, where there are good job opportunities. In the private sector, there are many recruitment attempts within the business groups Sales, purchasing and marketing, Cleaning, property service and renovation, Building and construction, Hotel/restaurant, academic work and Transport. There are good job opportunities for positions that require education at the skilled level and higher across virtually all business areas. There may also be good job opportunities for positions that do not require specific educational qualifications.

Shortages

In Region Southern Denmark, there is, among other things, a lack of skilled labour and a lack of employees with a professional bachelor’s degree aimed at the welfare area. Both areas of deficiency are structural and are expected to be for a number of years. The lack of skilled labour targets, among other things, positions such as electrician, mechanic, blacksmith, cook, social and health assistant and social and health assistant. At professional bachelor’s level, there is, among other things, a shortage of pedagogues and nurses. For employees with long-term higher education, there is, among other things, a shortage of doctors and highly trained people in IT. As unemployment is currently low, there is also a shortage of employees without specific, competence-providing training in some areas. This applies, for example, to driver and warehouse work, machine operators, production workers, employees in hotels/restaurants and cleaning assistants.

Surpluses

The competence requirements on the regional labour market are increasing, and the trend is for the number of employees who do not have a competence-providing education to decrease. Therefore, a surplus of labour is often seen among citizens without competence-giving education. Currently, however, unemployment is very low - also among citizens without a qualification-giving education. The largest surplus of labour is currently among 25-29-year-olds, both for women and men. In this age group, there are many recent graduates. In Region Southern Denmark, there are per September 2024 2,618 newly qualified full-time unemployed, which corresponds to 20% of all insured unemployed. In the Unemployment Insurances, which has many highly educated members, newly qualified people make up 50-60% of the available members. Young graduates are often mobile and willing to move for job opportunities.

Central Jutland (Midtjylland)

With 1 358 879 inhabitants, Central Jutland represented about 22.9% of the population in Denmark in 2023.

The gross domestic product per capita, adjusted for price levels (PPS) in Central Jutland was 159.3% of the EU27 average, well below the national average of 181.9%.

Central Jutland has 1,367,809 inhabitants, of which 881,950 are of working age. There are 19 municipalities in the region, of which Aarhus Municipality, with 368,131 inhabitants, has the largest population. Aarhus Municipality is home to Aarhus University, which is the second largest in Denmark. VIA University College has campuses in eight different locations in Central Jutland. In Central Jutland there are 678,892 wage earners. The industries with the most employees are Public administration, education and health, Trade and transport as well as Industry etc. The municipalities, the region and the large educational institutions are among the largest employers. Examples of private companies with many employees include Bestseller, Danish Crown, Grundfos and Vestas. 31.3% of employees in Central Jutland have a vocational education, while 39.2% have a higher education. 29.4% have a short degree of education. The number of wage earners with citizenship other than Danish increases year by year in Central Jutland. In 2024, 79,861 foreign nationals were employed in the region, which is slightly more than 10% of all wage earners.

In 2023, more than 729 600 people were active in the labour market in Central Jutland. 37.3% had tertiary education, 42.4% had secondary education, and 20.1% had primary education. The employment rate in Central Jutland was 60.7 % in 2023, in line with the national average and in line with 2022 figures.

The employment rate for women in 2023 was 57.3%, men had an employment rate of 64%, and for the youth the employment rate was 56.1%. The employment rate for women was above the national average, while the employment rates for men and the youth were below the national average.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfe2emprt, Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu), data refer to age group 15 years or over}

The unemployment rate in Central Jutland was 5.4% in 2023, in line with the national average in the same year and an increase from 4.1% in the previous year.

^{Note: lfst_r_lfu3rt, Statistics | Eurostat, data refer to age group 15 years or over}

Vacancies

In the past year, employers in Central Jutland tried to recruit 153,607 new employees. 10% of the recruitment attempts have been unsuccessful, as the position has not been filled, while another 11% of the positions have been possessed by a new employee who did not have all the required qualifications. The business groups Health, care and personal care and Educational, social and church work, where it is typically the municipality or region that is the employer, both have more than 12,000 annual recruitment attempts. These are often positions that require vocational education or education at professional bachelor’s level, where there are good job opportunities. In the private sector, there are many recruitment attempts within the business groups Sales, purchasing and marketing, Cleaning, property service and renovation and Building and construction. There are good job opportunities for positions that require education at a skilled level. There may also be good job opportunities for positions that do not require specific educational qualifications.

Shortages

In Central Jutland, there is a shortage of skilled labour and a shortage of employees with a professional bachelor’s degree aimed at the welfare area. Both areas of deficiency are structural and are expected to be for a number of years. The lack of skilled labour targets, among other things, positions such as electrician, mechanic, blacksmith, cook, social and health assistant and social and health assistant. At professional bachelor’s level, there is, among other things, a shortage of pedagogues and nurses. For employees with long-term higher education, there is, among other things, a shortage of doctors, highly trained people in IT and specialists in various fields. As unemployment is currently low, there is also a shortage of employees without specific, competence-providing training in some areas. This applies, for example, to day care workers, driver and warehouse work, machine operators, production workers and cleaning assistants.

Surpluses

The competence requirements on the regional labour market are increasing, and the trend is for the number of employees who do not have a competence-providing education to decrease. Therefore, a surplus of labour is often seen among citizens without competence-giving education. Currently, however, unemployment is low – also among citizens without a qualification-giving education. The largest surplus of labour is currently among 25-29-year-olds, both for women and men. In this age group there are many recent graduates. In Central Jutland there are per September 2024 4,070 insured, newly qualified full-time unemployed, which corresponds to 25% of all insured unemployed. In unemployment insurance fund, which has many highly educated members, newly qualified people make up 50-60% of the available members. Young graduates are often mobile and willing to move for job opportunities. Approximately half of the unemployed graduates in Central Jutland have a long higher education.