Danish government reintroduces bill to lower foreign labor salary threshold

Denmark's government is pushing forward with a controversial bill to lower the salary threshold for attracting foreign workers from 16 non-EU nations. The proposal seeks to reduce the minimum annual salary required for work and residence permits from 552,000 kroner to 322,000 kroner.

This legislative effort is part of the government's agenda to address labor shortages, though it has historically been a point of contention. The former Social Democrats (S) expressed more reservations about foreign labor compared to their coalition partners, particularly the Moderates, who had strongly advocated for increased foreign recruitment. The bill was initially part of an agreement by the previous SVM government but failed to pass before a snap election was called.

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It is well known that we in the Social Democrats are more critical of foreign labor than others.

Despite past disagreements, the current government, including new partners like the Socialist People's Party (SF) and the Social Liberals (De Radikale), has managed to secure support for the bill. The 16 targeted countries include major economies like the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, China, and India, as well as several Eastern European nations outside the EU. The initiative is projected to boost the labor supply by an estimated 550 individuals by 2030.

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I would have liked the prime minister to wait with calling the election.