Minimum Wage in Denmark
Every move aboard comes with surprises, both good and bad, and one of the main ways to stay successful is to learn as much as you can about the new country, especially when it comes to your professional life. Working in Denmark can be extremely rewarding. Whichever business you’re in, you need to be an independent thinker and a team player, most Danish people speak English so well that knowing the language will not help you, unlike any other country you go to. If you are looking to build a career and grow in Denmark, start learning the local language and study workplace ethics.
Paying your taxes in Denmark means that the country’s social security system will protect you and give you a lot of benefits when it comes to maternity, unemployment, illness, and more, whether you have your own company or you are an employee. Most companies in Demark work Monday through Friday and the average gross salary in the country is DKK 47,000 a month. However, after taxes that number can easily drop by half.
Working in Denmark
As an outsider, there are many potential opportunities in Denmark, but with tons of people applying for the same job, the competition out there is tough. To be eligible for a job in Denmark, first, you need to apply for a work visa and a permit. If you are an EU citizen then you don’t require a visa; all you need is to be properly registered with a CPR number as well as a health card if you’re staying longer than three months. Individuals from Nordic countries will only need to register after being in Denmark for six months.
The second thing you need to take into account is securing a job. Every country has a list called the Positive List, which is uploaded twice a year and includes all the professions that are in-demand in the country. Have a look at this list and see if the job role you want is on it.
The list includes everything from IT, engineering, church services, civil engineers, nurses, doctors, teachers, journalists, and more. The key here is to pick up skills or take a course in subjects that your future job would really need and that would separate you from the rest, like learning a new language besides English or even knowing Danish would be a certain plus point and it is a must for some jobs.
Keep your resume up-to-date, research, and ask around what kind of skills they normally look for in Denmark. Make sure you acquire those skills and also polish your resume to suit the Danish market. Besides your personal details, add a friendly-looking picture of you (skip the serious one), and include a personal summary mentioning your personal and social qualities as well as your professional experience and qualifications. Keep it short and crisp and add any hidden talents, languages and hobbies.
Average salary in Denmark
The average salary is around DKK 47,000, with the highest going up to DKK 53,000 in Copenhagen. This is taken on average with the taxes that go up to 50%, the number can go down by half. Unlike most other European countries, Denmark does now have a fixed salary level, employees are paid depending on the collective labor market agreement which is agreed between the union and employer association.
So, what constitutes a good salary in Denmark? Your salary should be comfortable enough to live and manage your daily essentials. Some examples of a good salary are accountants that get DKK 250,000, architects DKK 400,000, and marketing managers DKK 427,000. Professions like these as well as nurses, software engineers, teachers, and web developers are in high demand. If you want to build a company of your own, make sure you have the proper visa type and any other permits and documentation that you may require for the same. Being self-employed in Denmark requires a person to follow a number of laws. First off, you need to register your new company, the tax you will pay, location, name, and more, as well as employee contracts, tax rates, security benefits, and so on.
Some of the top self-employed jobs or ‘freelance’ jobs in Denmark are photographers, journalists, artists, designers, translators, and more. Besides this, you have musicians, consultants, as well as accountants. Self-employed workers can avail of the same benefits as employees like sick leave, maternity leave as well as unemployment. As a rule, self-employed professionals need to have had a professional activity for the last 52 weeks in 3 years.
A typical work week in Denmark is Mondays through Fridays, as they believe in balancing work and personal life. You start early and leave around 4 pm or 5 pm every day. For more formal sectors, employees are expected to wear a formal dress code while others can wear casual or smart clothes to their workplace.
Work benefits in Denmark
You might have heard of a social security number; this number is needed for any kind of process in the country as well as its benefits. With social security, you can avail of protection, maternity benefits, child and childcare benefits, health such as sick leave, home care, illness, injury or even taking care of sick relatives. You can even avail of retirement funds and the old-age pension. Having a social security number is extremely important if you live in Denmark and pay your taxes.
The Bottom Line
If you are planning of relocating to Denmark for a professional career, do your fair share of research and plan accordingly. Shifting to a new country can be scary especially when you need to take so many things into consideration like moving your family, children, and sometimes even pets. Keep in mind while looking for a job, that it’s always good to start early in your career especially in Denmark, so you can avail of several opportunities that come your way. As an outsider, social security is one of the most crucial things you need. Hence, the faster you get that sorted, the better.
