If you are considering moving to this country, you also need to know the pros and cons of living in Denmark: the chances of finding a job are good, salaries are high, and career paths are not determined by personal acquaintances and friends, but solely by performance.
Salaries are agreed between the social partners in both the public and private sectors, and all salaries are equalized (upward). In Denmark, there are no politicians or managers drawing stratospheric salaries, and the differences between salaries for highly skilled and manual jobs are small.
Danes are excellent workers and love to do their work well in the allotted time (37.5 hours). They rarely work overtime and offices are empty at 5pm. No one will encourage you to work beyond the set hours, and if you tend to stay late, they will encourage you to go home.
This means you will have more time to spend with your family (if you have one) or your favorite hobbies. You are entitled to 5 weeks of paid leave per year, and the expected maternity/paternity leave is 12 months.
In Denmark, as everywhere, there are different professional roles and relative hierarchies, but what changes are the relationships between people. Authoritarian behavior is not accepted, as there is a tendency to respect the dignity of all people, regardless of their social or economic position; a superior who exercises his authority with disregard for the dignity of others is automatically excluded from the group and marginalized.
Denmark, like the rest of the Scandinavian countries, has one of the most developed welfare systems in the world, accounting for more than 50% of the country’s spending. It is no coincidence that more than half of the population receives some form of support from the state: To maintain the high level of the social system, taxes are high, but salaries are reasonable. No one likes to pay taxes, but if some of the fruits of their labor are well spent, they are much more willing to pay them.
The relationship between Danes and immigrants is relaxed, especially in the workplace, but that does not mean they are interested in inviting you to their home for dinner.
In Denmark, everyone learns English from a young age, so everyone speaks it correctly, but with friends they prefer to speak Danish. So if you want to have a chance to make friends and be socially integrated, fulfilled and active, you should definitely learn the language, and if you are interested in making Danish friends, it is best to join a group (sporting, religious, political, etc.) or get involved in volunteering.
People are trustworthy, when they say something, they usually do it. Danes are more reserved and introverted than Latinos. They usually only say hello and few words. This can sometimes lead to misunderstandings because you expect certain reactions, but they often do not happen because of the different culture and mentality.
It takes time to understand the cultural differences of a new country and learn how to behave in different situations. And most importantly, you have to understand the behavior and reactions of people who can be very different from what we are used to.
Bureaucracy is fast, almost everything can be done via the Internet. Denmark is one of the most digital nations in the world. Corruption is practically non-existent. In public and private offices, employees are friendly, smiling and ready to solve your problems, unlike many other countries where you have to stand in line at all offices, argue with smart alecks who do not respect the queues, and deal with nervous, frustrated and unhelpful employees.
Public transportation is efficient and modern. Bicycle lanes are everywhere, although the bicycle is certainly not the best means of transportation given the terrible weather in the country. But Danes are used to it and you will see them riding in any weather. Motorists and cyclists live peacefully side by side. The legal system is very fair and transparent, and you do not run the risk of getting bogged down in useless and lengthy legal disputes.
As in the best traditions of European social democracies, there is a form of equality and respect between all: men or women, students or teachers, highly skilled workers or ordinary employees, politicians and citizens. In Denmark, both parents are expected to work outside the home, so an excellent public and private childcare system has been created.The school system is good and practically free.
The school system is good and practically free. Universities are also free and there are various forms of economic grants for students. To receive these grants (SU) you must work 10-12 hours per week (at least 42 per month) and have a gross monthly income of no more than 12,000 crowns. You can receive SU even without working.
Health and hospital services are excellent. All citizens are registered in the public health system, and life in Denmark is expensive. For example, the car is a real luxury with very high taxes and maintenance costs.
Denmark, like all Nordic countries, is the kingdom of food rich in saturated fats. This has nothing to do with the Mediterranean cuisine.
The Danish climate is not the best, it is grey, rainy and cold in autumn and winter, with few hours of daylight and long hours of darkness. In spring and summer you can be lucky and even have periods of good weather, or it can be grey, rainy and cold all summer.
Denmark is not an overly cultural country. Many consider funding cultural spending for its own sake to be wasted money because it does not yield a return.
Living and working in Denmark pros and cons
Living in Denmark, pros
• Good job opportunities
• Social justice and prosperity
• Free education
• Free medical care
• Excellent services (transportation, school, etc.
• Fast bureaucracy
• Respect for the environment
Living in Denmark, cons
• Social integration difficult
• Poor social life
• Gray and rainy weather
• Not the best food
Living in Denmark, conclusion
For people coming from the south, the climate, the cuisine and the culture being so different can be a problem, but when you look at the job opportunities, the salary level, the benefits and the services that work “almost” perfectly, you can really consider Denmark as a destination for a possible move.
For those who want start a family with children and willing to belong to the middle class, Denmark is one of the best countries to live in. There is: excellent health care, free education, unemployment benefits and family aids.
If you want all the information on how to work in Denmark I suggest you read the article: Working in Denmark
If you want all the information on how to move to Denmark you can read the article: Moving to Denmark
