Potential halt in nurse hiring from non-European Union nations for Denmark
In a move aimed at ensuring quality standards and proper integration, Denmark is planning to cap the recruitment of nurses from non-EU countries. This decision comes despite recent government policies that have favored international labor.
The new measures include the reinstatement of the Danish 3 Exam (PD3) for most non-EU nurses, making the authorization process more stringent and limiting the inflow of foreign nurses. This move is part of an effort to focus on quality and manage the integration of foreign-educated nurses rather than unrestricted recruitment.
Additionally, Denmark's labor immigration system includes a pay limit scheme requiring foreign workers, including nurses, to meet minimum salary thresholds. In 2025, this threshold stands at DKK 514,000 per year. This increase in salary requirements can indirectly reduce recruitment from non-EU countries by limiting eligibility for work permits under the Fast Track scheme.
Despite these measures, Denmark continues to facilitate international recruitment through mechanisms like employer certification by SIRI and streamlined work permit processes. The policy, therefore, balances international labor market openness with controlled and quality-assured recruitment from non-EU countries.
No recent public statement explicitly explains the cap, but the regulatory context and increased requirements suggest a strategy emphasizing quality control and managed integration over unregulated numeric expansion.
This decision has been met with criticism, particularly from countries like India and the Philippines, where a shortage of nurses exists. A loss of personnel from the healthcare sector to take jobs in Denmark could put the health systems in these countries under strain, according to analysts.
As of now, a new bill is set to introduce quotas for nurses and other healthcare professionals from non-EU countries who apply for their qualifications to be authorized in Denmark. The new rules could take effect as early as October 1st.
Minister for the Interior and Health, Sophie Løhde, stated that Denmark no longer needs to recruit nurses from overseas due to a better position in the healthcare system. She also noted that many applicants struggle to obtain Danish authorization and often have to return home disappointed, which she considers an undesirable situation.
The number of applications for professional authorization to work as a nurse in Denmark from non-EU countries increased significantly last year and in the first five months of 2025, with 7,310 applications reported by Berlingske. However, the new policies aim to address these numbers and ensure a more controlled and quality-assured workforce.
- In an attempt to foster quality and manage integration, Denmark is preparing to impose quotas for art, science, and health-and-wellness professionals from non-EU countries, similar to the planned restrictive measures for nurses.
- As Denmark adjusts its immigration policies to prioritize quality control and managed integration, there is speculation that the country might also consider imposing limits on the recruitment of skilled workers from non-EU countries in fields like news and art.
