Denmark: tripartite agreement over integrating refugees through work

One in two refugees in work. That’s the government’s goal in an agreement concluded on 17 March between the social partners over integrating refugees via employment. Key to the agreement is the provision on training and work put forward by the country’s main employers and trade union confederation bodies. Other new elements include an assessment of refugees’ competences once they are official asylum seekers, bolstering employment centers’ resources to facilitate refugees meetings with companies, and encouraging companies to hire refugees via a specific bonus system.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

“With this agreement we are aiming to fundamentally change Denmark’s integration effort and wipe the slate clean after decades of failure. As of now refugee integration will be based on refugees’ active contribution in Danish companies as opposed to they simply adhering to passive programs,” explained Jørn Neergaard Larsen, Minister for Labor. Thus it is ‘mission accomplished’ for the tripartite negotiations that got underway between government and the social partners on 11 February 2016 (c.f.

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
The major trends of 2026
New regulations coming into force, economic uncertainty, evolving skills requirements… More than ever, the HR function will play a strategic role within organizations in 2026. mind HR...
Germany: collective bargaining negotiations begin in chemical industry
Collective bargaining talks in Germany’s chemical and pharmaceutical industries are due to open this week, covering nearly 580,000 employees across around 1,700 companies. With the sector facing...
3 February 2026
Argentina: labour law reform debate kicks off
Argentina’s Congress has begun debating President Javier Milei’s highly contentious labour reform package, which includes proposals to scrap overtime pay, curb the right to strike and give...
3 February 2026
France: Uber ordered to pay €1.7 billion for undeclared work
According to the publication Revue21, the employer contributions collection agency (URSSAF) has sent a 142-page document to the ride-hailing platform Uber demanding the sum of €1.7 billion...
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Oliver Dietrich (IG Metall): “The advent of AI can be a means of deepening social partnership within companies”
In Germany, trade unions want to influence how AI is deployed in companies. Oliver Dietrich is an AI project manager at the regional office of the IG Metall trade union in North Rhine-Westphalia...
2
Germany: collective bargaining negotiations begin in chemical industry
Collective bargaining talks in Germany’s chemical and pharmaceutical industries are due to open this week, covering nearly 580,000 employees across around 1,700 companies. With the sector facing...
3 February 2026
3
Italy: collective agreement for rubber and plastics sector focuses on new skills
A month ahead of schedule, the Federazione Gomma Plastica employers' organisation and the Filctem-Cgil, Femca-Cisl and Uiltec trade unions have renewed the collective agreement for the rubber and...
5 January 2026
4
Italy: new generational renewal agreement penned at UniCredit
The agreement signed on 30 December by UniCredit, Italy’s second-largest banking group, with the Fabi, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, Uilca and Unisin trade unions aims to continue generational...
5
France: social partner talks extend far beyond contractual terminations
After a false start on 3 December, French social partners resumed talks on 7 January 2026 on potential changes to the unemployment insurance agreement, including the rules governing compensation...
12 January 2026
6
EU: banking sector social partners commit to combating violence and harassment
On 15 January, the trade union federation UNI Europa Finance and three employers’ associations in the banking sector signed a joint statement on preventing violence and harassment in the...