WORKING AND LIVING IN DENMARK
With Helping Ukraine, we have established an initiative to help IT-professionals from Ukraine to find their way into the Danish labor market. Since IT-professionals have been a demanded resource in Denmark for years, you will play an important role in evolving IT within some of Denmark’s largest companies.
Most companies in Denmark are experiencing troubles finding IT-professionals. Therefore, it is very common for large companies to outsource IT-departments and work closely together with IT-professionals from Ukraine.
REasons to live and work in denmark
work life balance
Even though Danes are known as one of the most productive and hardworking workforces in Europe the Danish working culture is identified by a high degree of flexibility and work-life balance.
Social security
Denmark is known for having a strong welfare system. Most foreign nationalities who are working in Denmark in a permanent position are covered by the social security system.
Family life
Working approximately 37 hours per week, you'll have the freedom to pick up your children from daycare every day. Employees in Denmark also earn the right to five weeks paid holiday per year.
Education
Education is one of the quater stones in the danish society. Most educations are tax-financed and free of charge for the student. It is common for students to begin working in their future job roles while they are still studying.
Life in Denmark
In this video HRH Princess Marie of Denmark gives an insight about the best things about living and working in Denmark.
In addition, other expats from all over the world share their perspective of how Denmark has a great work-life-balance, is family-oriented and values social security to ensure a healthy lifestyle of the population.
Working and living in denmark
Working
Wages: Some monthly salaries are fixed by collective agreements and others are negotiated. The below estimates are very rough estimates of average salary without extra qualifications, benefits like pension scheme and so forth. Different kinds of benefits are common – especially in the private sector.
Examples of wages: IT/ Engineer €6.000/6.700
Taxes in Denmark: The Danish taxes fund one of the strongest welfare systems in the world. Everyone working in Denmark pay income tax. The tax system is progressive which means that the more you earn the higher percentage you pay in income tax. The average citizen pays almost half of their salary in tax.
Click here to calculate your taxes
Living
Cost of living: Living in Region Copenhagen and Zealand reflects that is very popular to live there and it is expensive as in other metropoles. The average monthly rent in 2018 of an 80 m2 flat was €800 /11.000 in Region Copenhagen – and 20 to 30 pct. lower in Region Zealand, but it can vary a lot from flat to flat.
Danish workplace-culture: Is characterized by among others a flat hierarchy, working in a team, flexible working hours, acting proactive and informal tone of communication and can be very different from what you are used to from home. Understanding it will make it easier for you to adjust to a new workplace culture and interact with your new colleagues.
FAQ
Place of residence
You can choose yourself, where you want to live. If you do not have family or friends and do not know people in Denmark, we recommend you to contact asylum centers e.g. Center Sandholm:
Here you can stay until you are granted with a residence in a municipality in Denmark. If you can handle in an employment contract, you can be granted a residence near your workplace due to the Residence by special law.
Residence by special law
To be granted residence in Denmark by special law, you must fill out the following:
Apply for a job
If you do not speak English, we recommend you contact Jobindex: https://www.jobindex.dk/cms/jobs-for-ukraine-jobseekers
If you know English at an understandable level so that we can find the perfect match with a company and ensure the correct training, please register here or give Alina Protsyk a call on +45 81 88 72 83 or apk@convision.dk. It is important that you fill out the whole registration for us to be able to match you with a potential job.
Employment contract
If you have an employment contract before a Social Security Number, ypu must send the contract to SIRI to get a residence near the workplace.
Tax
If you do not have a Social Security Number but have applied for residence permit and have an employment contract, you can apply for a Social Security Number on Skat’s website: Skat.dk: Коли ви отримали роботу в Данії. In this way you will be able to work in Denmark.
If you already have a Social Security Number and a job, you must remember to order a Tax card to avoid paying 55% in taxes: Skat.dk: Коли ви отримали роботу в Данії
Bank
You will get a bank account when you have a Social Security Number and NemID.
Free and quick, digital bank for Ukrainian refugees: Account for Ukrainian Refugees – Ukrainian — Lunar
Registration of children in daycare and school
Information in English: Life in Denmark – Home (borger.dk)
The Children’s Phone can be contacted for questions about registration in daycare and school and other concerns regarding children: Дитяча Телефонна Лінія – YouTube
Free clothes, shoes, toys, and hygiene products
You can pick up free clothes, shoes etc. in a donation store on Vesterbrogade 6D, 1606 København V. just across the main train station. There are Ukranian flags in the window.
Call us if you cannot find us on +45 70 10 09 44 and ask for Alina Protsyk.
The store is open Monday till Friday from 10.00-15.00. The donation store is established by TEMP-TEAM, Convision and volunteers from the local organization Lastivka-København and Hjælp Ukrainske børn (Help Ukrainian Children).
Further information
Information to Ukrainians who have come to Denmark due to the war: New to Denmark (nyidanmark.dk)
Medical help during the stay in Denmark: Вы и ваше здоровье (sst.dk) , Caritas Klinikken – Caritas Danmark
Registration of pets: Pets and the situation in Ukraine (foedevarestyrelsen.dk)
Information regarding insurance for Ukrainian refugees in Denmark: Ukrainsk – F&P (fogp.dk)
Information to new citizens in Denmark: Life in Denmark – Home (borger.dk)