As Denmark faces a historic shortage of healthcare professionals—particularly in general practice and in hospitals—a growing number of qualified foreign healthcare workers, especially from non-EU countries, are left waiting, hoping, and struggling to access the Danish labour market. A lengthy, opaque, and for many overwhelming authorizations process stands in the way, and many end up leaving the country, despite their professional skills and willingness to integrate.
By Lea Monrad Post
A current citizens’ proposal from January 2025 sheds light on this issue. The petition title: “Keep foreign healthcare professionals in Denmark. They want to work, learn, and strengthen our healthcare system”, calls for a more flexible and targeted model for approving and integrating foreign healthcare professionals. Among its proposals is allowing parts of the authorization process to be completed in parallel rather than sequentially and involving Danish employers much earlier in the process. For many applicants, the road to recognition is obstructed by bureaucratic requirements, long waiting times, and expectations that fail to reflect the reality of Denmark’s healthcare needs.
A citizens’ proposal advocating for improved rights and a more streamlined process for foreign healthcare professionals in Denmark. Credits: Lea Monrad Post.
According to the Danish Patient Safety Authority, applicants from outside the EU/EEA – EU/EEA countries refer to the member states of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA), must go through several steps before they can be authorized to work in Denmark. These include documentation of educational qualifications, passing Danish language exams, theoretical and practical evaluations, and a final approval process. The entire process can take four to five years. Many applicants are ultimately rejected after years of effort, despite having passed exams, learned the language, and searched in vain for evaluation placements.
When the System Hinders, Not Helps
Barbara Diklev, a reading and homework tutor for migrants in Denmark and co-initiator of the citizens’ proposal has witnessed firsthand how the system blocks highly qualified individuals. She describes the authorization process as “a convoluted system,” where “the municipality has no influence.”
The process is centrally controlled, leaving local actors with little opportunity to support or accelerate the journey. Diklev emphasizes that integration into the Danish healthcare system is not just about language, but also about understanding cultural and professional context:
“It’s not just about a Danish language course, but also about workplace understanding—how to interact with patients and colleagues in a Danish context. This requires targeted, local support—but also a system ready to provide it.” Barbara Diklev explains.
| – Since 2021, approximately 1,750 foreign nurses, primarily from Iran, have been granted residency in Denmark. However, only 310 have secured the necessary probationary employment to progress towards full authorization. – At least 40 nurses have left Denmark since 2021 because they couldn’t complete the authorization process in time, leading to the departure of 96 individuals, including 28 children. Projected Shortage in Healthcare Workforce: – By 2045, Denmark anticipates a need for up to 100,000 additional healthcare professionals to meet the demands of its aging population. – There are currently around 5,000 unfilled positions in Danish hospitals, highlighting the immediate need for qualified healthcare workers. Authorization Process Bottlenecks: – The authorization process for foreign healthcare professionals can take up to four to five years, involving multiple steps such as documentation verification, language proficiency exams, theoretical and practical evaluations, and final approval. Sources: Danmarks Statistik, Folketinget Statsrevisorerne og Dansk Sygepleje Råd. |
One of the major bottlenecks is access to clinical evaluation placements—a crucial part of the authorization process where applicants gain practical experience in the Danish system. Currently, it is up to individual municipalities or regions to offer these placements, and many decline due to limited resources.
“There’s no national strategy,” says Diklev.
“It really depends on the individual municipality and how much they choose to invest.” She further explains.
This means people with the same qualifications can have vastly different opportunities depending on their location. At the same time, cultural understanding is an often invisible, but essential factor.
“Of course language is a barrier,” Diklev notes, “but it’s also about culture—how you handle hierarchies, how you communicate in a healthcare team.”
Without this understanding, misunderstandings and errors can occur, and talented professionals may never get to apply their skills.
Political Attention and a New Reform on the Horizon
This week, the issue was once again raised at the political level. At a major healthcare seminar —attended by Health Minister Sophie Løhde—ongoing reforms of the authorization system were discussed. The event brought together municipal leaders, civil servants, and healthcare organizations. It was announced that a new legislative proposal is on the way, aiming to overhaul current laws and offer foreign healthcare professionals a clearer, more streamlined path into the workforce. The bill is expected before the summer break and promises more flexibility and stronger local involvement in the integration process.
Denmark’s healthcare system is in the middle of a crisis—not only due to a lack of personnel, but because the system itself prevents the use of willing and qualified hands. When skilled doctors, nurses, and midwives are pushed into unemployment or choose to leave Denmark—not because they don’t want to help, but because they’re not allowed to— it’s not just their loss. It´s Denmark´s and ultimately it’s the patient´s.