Citizen in Denmark - Ny i Danmark

Welcome as a new citizen in DenmarkDear new citizenBeginning a new life in a new country often involves considerable upheaval. You willencounter new people and new ways of doing things. In particular, the initial period willprovide numerous challenges and may seem a bit overwhelming.This handbook is intended to help you get started in your new life in Denmark andmake your daily life that little bit easier. It outlines Danish society and provides practicalinformation which you may require as a new citizen in Denmark.Naturally, it is impossible to give a complete overview of Danish society. Like most countries,Denmark is a diverse society comprising many different cultures and ways of life.Having said this, it is crucial that society agrees about certain fundamental values andground rules in order to ensure the individual right of citizens.Denmark is a democratic society that offers freedom, responsibility and equal opportunityfor all regardless of gender, race, cultural background and way of life. Everyone is freeto think, speak and write what they feel, form associations, practise their religion or followan alternative way of life. Personal freedom and equality are fundamental values inDanish society - limited only by the need to respect the personal freedom and equalityof others.Dialogue and co-determination are important at all levels of society. Citizens are encouragedto participate in the democratic process - for example in your municipal authority,in a political party, in your local residential area, in a leisure association or your children’sschool or nursery.6

In Denmark, everyone is, to the best of their ability, required to support themselves andcontribute to society - through education, employment and paying taxes. By means ofits tax system, society is able to perform a number of necessary tasks and offer its citizensnumerous benefits and opportunities. All citizens are entitled to free education and inmost cases financial support during their period of study. Similarly, all citizens are entitledto free medical and hospital treatment, and the elderly and those with disabilities areentitled to special help in their day-to-day lives. Citizens who are able to work but unableto find employment, can receive self-activating assistance so that they can resume anactive life as quickly as possible.Denmark has a modern, well-developed economy and is a leading nation in terms ofenvironmental and biotechnology, design and other areas where skills and know-howare crucial. Denmark is a country offering diverse opportunities to anyone willing toplay their part.It is a challenge for one and all - for both new and native Danes - to retain and develop anopen society offering freedom, progress and opportunity. The diversity which you and othersbring from the outside can lead to increased dynamism and renewed innovation.In the hope that you will become actively involved in the society of which you are now apart, we warmly welcome you to Denmark. Good luck with your new life in Denmark.7

1GEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION

2HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNED

Representative democracyDenmark is a representative democracy*. The most importantdecisions are made by politicians democraticallyelected to the Danish Parliament*, regional councils* andmunicipal councils*.Legislative, executive and judicial powerIn Denmark, legislative, executive and judicial power are whollyindependent of each other. Folketinget, the Danish NationalParliament, passes the laws of the land. The governmentenforces these laws aided by the state administration. Thecourts - i.e. the district courts, high courts and the supremecourt - pass judgement and determine sentences.In Denmark, freedom of speech means a person is free topublish what they feel and think. With due regard, however, tothe courts and legislation in general. You can be prosecutedfor offending a person’s honour or for addressing others in athreatening or degrading manner, for example, on accountof their beliefs or ethnic origin.HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNEDDemocracy was introduced in 1849Danish democracy is based on the Danish constitution of 1849.The constitution has been amended throughout the years,in 1915, for example, when women were granted the rightto vote. The current constitution dates from 1953, but manyof its principles remain unchanged from the original.Constitutional rightsThe Danish constitution contains the fundamental rules relatingto how the state is to be governed and ensures the country’scitizens a number of basic rights and liberties. The Danishconstitution guarantees the right of private ownership, thefreedom to practise all religions, the right to form associations,the right to demonstrate, and freedom of expressionwhether it be in written, oral, or any other form.HRH Queen Margrethe IIHRH Queen Margrethe II has been queen of Denmarksince 1972. The Danish royal family is very popularamongst the population. Many people listen to her NewYear’s speech which is broadcast on radio and televisionon 31 December at 18.00.13

HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNEDThe royal familyThe world’s oldest monarchyThe Danish monarchy is the oldest in the world. For morethan 1,000 years there have been kings, queens, princesand princesses in Denmark. The royal family wields nopolitical power but takes part in public life in various waysand represents Denmark abroad.Legislative powerFolketinget, the Danish National Parliament, debates andenacts Danish legislation. Folketinget has 179 members whohail from different political parties. Members of Parliament areelected to serve for four years at a time. The Prime Minister,however, can dissolve parliament and call for a generalelection before the end of this four-year period.Two of Folketinget’s members are elected in Greenland andtwo in the Faroe Islands.Open to the publicAll parliamentary debates are open to the public and anyoneis free to contact the politicians. Political debates are followedclosely and discussed in the media.Executive powerThe state administrationThe government comprises ministers from one or morepolitical parties. The government is led by the prime minister.Each minister has his own area of responsibility. Together withtheir relevant institutions, the ministries make up the state.Together with the various regions and municipal authorities,the state constitutes the executive power which is referredto as the state administration.The government and the state administration draw up andimplement the laws of the land.Judicial powerIndependent courtsDanish courts are completely independent. Neither thegovernment nor Parliament can decide how the courtsshould act in a given case.The judiciary comprises a supreme court, two high courts and24 district courts. In addition, special courts deal with specificareas. This applies, for example, to the Danish Industrial Court*and the Danish Maritime and Commercial Court*.District courts* and high courtsAs a general rule, cases are first tried in the district courts.The decision of the district court can be appealed in thehigh court.14

HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNEDThe supreme courtThe supreme court is the country’s highest court. The supreme courtis a court of appeal. This means that it mainly deals with appeal casesfrom one of the high courts. The decisions of the supreme courtcannot be appealed.The Special Court of Final AppealIt is possible to appeal a decision to the Special Court of FinalAppeal if a person wishes to have a criminal case reopened. Thismight be because new evidence has come forward in a case thatis already closed.The Integration CouncilMunicipal authorities can establish integration councils. The jobof these councils is to advise municipal authorities about ways inwhich new citizens and ethnic minorities can actively participatein the local community. Your municipal authority can tell youwhether it has an integration council. You can also encourageyour municipal authority to set up an integration council.The local integration councils elect representatives to thenationwide council for ethnic minorities, which advises thegovernment. Find out more by logging onto www.rem.dk15

“In my opinion, it is the duty ofevery immigrant to becomeactively involved to whateverextent they can and pass on thebenefit of personal experience.There are great opportunitiesfor gaining influence at localcommunity level; it’s simply aquestion of using them. I, myself,became active back in the 80sbecause I wanted to commenton what was being said aboutimmigrants in the media. Theexperience taught me a lot; Imet lots of very different peopleand today I have many Danishfriends. By taking an active partin discussions, I have helped toalter the perception of manyDanes towards immigrants andinfluenced integration initiativesin Albertslund MunicipalAuthority.”I think it is our duty tobecome involvedP e r w e z I q b a l left his nativePakistan in 1970 and settled inDenmark. He is co-founder ofnumerous immigrant associations.He has also been a memberof both the integration counciland district council in AlbertslundMunicipal Authority.16

Society founded on the rule of lawHOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNEDDenmark is a democratic society founded on the rule of law*.This means that the government and the state administration,including the police, are subject to democratic control andthat the courts act independently of the government. Allcitizens have certain fundamental rights and liberties, andare bound to respect the law. All citizens have the right tobe treated properly and in accordance with the law by theadministrative authorities and the courts.Duty of secrecyPublic authority employees have duty of secrecy. As ageneral rule, this means that personal information mayonly be passed on to your employer or physician with yourprior consent.Your right and possibilities to complainabout the state administrationThe Danish Public Administration Act contains rules on howthe public authorities are to treat citizens.Among other things, the Act states that the refusal of arequest must be justified. And the Act further states thatthe state administration must advise you of the possibilityof complaining to an alternative authority if such anauthority exists.Access to records*You have the right of access to your own records. Normally,if you apply for records access you will be told what informationis contained in your document records.The Parliamentary OmbudsmandThe Ombudsmand is elected by Parliament and deals withquestions regarding mistakes or negligence on the part ofthe state administration. The Ombudsmand is independentof the government and can initiate his own inquiry.Anyone can contact the Ombudsmand if they feel thatan authority is guilty of breaking a rule or of making anadministrative error. However, all other avenues of complaintshould first have been exhausted. The service provided bythe Ombudsmand is free to all citizens.18

HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNEDFree Legal AidHelp from the stateIf you are involved in legal proceedings and have a lowincome, you can apply for free legal aid. If you are grantedfree legal aid, the state will help to pay for a lawyer andcover your legal costs.Legal AidIf you have a legal problem, you can apply for legal aidor to the Legal Advice Bureau. Here, a jurist will provideanonymous legal counsel. This service is either free orextremely affordable. You can find out more about legalaid or the Legal Advice Bureau by logging onto www.advokatsamfundet.dk.The PoliceAnyone can go to the police.The task of the police is to maintain public order and prevent,investigate and solve crime. Anyone can go to the policefor help and to report an offence. For example, you can goto the police if you have been robbed or attacked or if youhave witnessed a crime. You can also call 112.The SSP scheme*In many areas, the police work with schools and social authoritiesin the so-called SSP scheme. This is a joint initiativeto prevent crime amongst youths.Rules governing the policeThe police are required to follow a number of rules whenarresting or questioning a suspect. They must not use orthreaten to use violence. And they must inform the arrestedparty of his or her rights.20

Denmark and the worldGreat trust in the policeBy and large, Danes have great trust in the police. If a personis dissatisfied with police treatment, they can complain tothe public prosecutor* who, among other things, dealswith complaints regarding police behaviour. There are sixregional public prosecutor offices. To find out more, logonto www.rigsadvokaten.dk.Self-redressIt is forbidden to take the law into your own hands, for example,by hitting someone because they have annoyed you. This isknown as self-redress and is a criminal offence.Many international connectionsDenmark has many international connections. Denmark isa member of the European Union (the EU*), the Councilof Europe, the United Nations (the UN), the North AtlanticTreaty Organisation (NATO*), the Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development (OECD*) and World HealthOrganisation (WHO*).International conventionsDenmark has signed a number of international conventionsregarding the protection of human rights. For example, theUN’s convention against torture, its convention against all formsof racial discrimination, all forms of discrimination againstwomen and its convention regarding children’s rights.HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNEDAs a member of the Council of Europe*, Denmark has joinedthe European Human Rights Convention and incorporatedit into Danish law.The EU*Denmark became a member of the European Union in1973. Since then, EU influence has grown in many areas,considerably affecting the legislation of its member states.Among other things, member states collaborate on theenvironment, consumer issues and free trade in the commonmarket. Some have a common currency, the Euro.Denmark is not part of the Euro zone.The UN*As a member of the United Nations (the UN), Denmarkplays its part in helping those in need, securing peaceand development in the world and promoting respect forhuman rights.21

HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNEDNATO* and OECD*Within the military alliance, NATO, and the economicorganisation, OECD, Denmark works closely with Canada,the United States and numerous other countries.International development co-operationDenmark sends 0.8 percent of its GNP to developmentprojects with poor countries in such continents as Africa,Asia and Latin America.Financial aid is given through the UN and other internationalorganisations and by Denmark direct to the recipientcountry.The resettlement of refugees takes place in communitiesclose to the areas of conflict and in Denmark. Each yearDenmark offers resettlement to 500 refugees in accordancewith its agreement with the UN’s High Commissioner forRefugees (UNHCR). In addition to this number, Denmarkreceives a varying number of people who arrive in thecountry and are granted refugee status.Aid is given on the basis of close collaboration with recipientcountries so they can take responsibility for their owndevelopment.Key words in Danish aid are help to the poorest people, equalityof the sexes, strong government, democracy, human rights,consideration for the environment and sustainability.Help to refugeesDenmark plays its part in helping the world’s refugees. Thisis done, for example, through international peace keepingmissions, support for rebuilding war-torn areas, resettlementof refugees and the repatriation of refugees whenconditions allow.22

Nordic passport-free zoneIf you are a citizen of Norway, Sweden, Finland or Iceland,you can freely enter Denmark and reside in the country foras long as you want. The reason for this is that Denmark hasa special agreement with the other Nordic countries.The Schengen AgreementMost EU member states are part of the Schengen Agreement*.This means that citizens living in the Schengencountries can travel freely between the countries withoutany form of border control.Registration card for EU citizensIf you are a Swiss national or come from a country which isa member of the EU or the EEA*, you can obtain a specialregistration card from the Danish state administration.Denmark is a member of the EU and therefore adheresto the Union’s rules regarding freedom of movement. Forexample, you can enter Denmark and seek employment.Others too, for example people with sufficient means andpensioners, can obtain a registration card and residencein Denmark.At www.nyidanmark.dk you will find a list of the countrieswhose citizens require a visa when visiting Denmark. Youmust apply for a visa before travelling to Denmark. This isdone by applying to the Danish consulate or mission inyour home country. A visa is valid for up to three monthsand does not give you the right to work in Denmark.Under normal circumstances, a visa is valid for the wholeSchengen area.ENTRY AND RESIDENCE IN DENMARKAs an interim measure, special rules apply to citizens fromcertain EU countries seeking paid work in Denmark. Werefer to the section on Employment.VisaIf you come from a country outside Europe with the aim ofparticipating in a cultural event, or if you are visiting Denmarkas a tourist or because you have family here, or if you areon a business trip, it may be necessary to apply for a visa.25

Periods of study abroadAs an EU citizen you are entitled to study in Denmark. If youintend to study in Denmark you will receive a registrationcard. To qualify you must be enrolled at an approved privateor public institution. You must also be able to provide foryourself. You have to apply for a registration card from thestate administration no later than three months followingyour entry into the country. Find out more by logging ontowww.nyidanmark.dkIf you want to study in Denmark and come from a countrywhich is not a member of the EU or the EEA, you must applyfor permission prior to entering the country. You must applyto the Danish consulate or mission in your home countryfor a residence permit.Residence permit to seek employment - green cardIf you finish your further education in Denmark, you areallowed to remain in the country in the six months followingthe conclusion of your studies. You can thus obtain a greencard that gives you the right to seek work in Denmark. Ifyou have been offered employment, you must apply for aresidence and work permit.ENTRY AND RESIDENCE IN DENMARKYou can obtain permission to study in Denmark if you areenrolled in basic education, youth education, a folk highschool or further education. It is, however, a preconditionthat you are able to provide for yourself during your stayand understand the teaching language used on the course.You can find out more about general conditions by loggingonto www.nyidanmark.dk.If you have been granted a residence permit to follow acourse of further education in Denmark, you can apply forpermission to seek a part-time job.27

A s ylumENTRY AND RESIDENCE IN DENMARKIt is possible to seek protection as a refugee in Denmark ifthere is reason to fear that a person will be persecuted forreasons of race, religion, nationality, social status or politicalconvictions. Refugees can also seek asylum if they risk thedeath penalty, torture, inhuman or humiliating treatmentor punishment by returning to their native country.When a person seeks asylum in Denmark, it is the DanishImmigration Service that decides whether the case is to behandled in Denmark or by another EU member state. TheImmigration Service can also decide to refuse to provideasylum and refer the person to a safe third country outsidethe EU.The Immigration Service*The Danish Immigration Service is the name of a publicdepartment under the Ministry for Refugees, Immigrationand Integration. The ministry administers the Danish AliensAct and in this connection handles cases regarding immigrantaccess to residence in Denmark, including asylum, familyreunification and visas. We refer to www.nyidanmark.dk.Yes to asylumIf the Immigration Service assesses that an asylum seekermeets the requirements for obtaining asylum in Denmark,the person will be given refugee status.The municipal authority provides housingIf you are recognised as a refugee, the Immigration Servicewill select the municipal authority where you are to live. Hereyou will be offered a special introductory programme whichincludes Danish language tuition and help to find employment.We refer to Chapter 4, New citizen in Denmark. TheImmigration Service selects the municipal authority whereyou are to live based on your professional skills, family tiesin Denmark and other factors. It is the authority’s job toprovide you with housing.You can choose to move to another municipal authority.But it is a good idea to talk to your authority first if youmove before completing the introductory programme. Thereason for this is that your authority must consent to takingover responsibility for your introductory programme. If theauthority fails to agree, you may risk losing your right to followan introductory programme and with it the right to claimyour introductory payment. The introductory payment is aspecial form of financial assistance which you are entitled toif you are unable to find work immediately. Find out morein Chapter 4, New Citizen in Denmark.28

Family reunificationNo to asylumIf the Immigration Service is unable to approve an applicationfor asylum, a complaint is automatically registered withthe Refugee Board.The Refugee Board*The Refugee Board is an independent, court-like body. Thedecisions of the Board are final and can not be overturnedor amended by others.The Refugee Board can either uphold the decision by theDanish Immigration Service to refuse asylum or overturnthe decision and award asylum status. If the Refugee Boardupholds the decision, the Immigration Service sets a deadlinefor the person to be out of the country. This deadline mustbe observed. If you leave of your own accord, you canseek help from the police and you may also be eligible forfinancial assistance. If you do not leave of your own accord,you will be expelled by the police.Spouse, regular partner and childrenIf you have permanent residence in Denmark, you can bejoined here by your family if you meet certain conditionsin the Danish Aliens Act. You may be joined by your spouse,your regular partner or children under 15. This is known asfamily reunification and it requires that you fulfil a numberof conditions. In special cases, and where it is deemed in thebest interests of the child, children over the age of 15 may beallowed to join their families.Housing, financial and co-habitation requirementsIn order for your spouse, for example, to obtain a residencepermit in Denmark, you must have suitable housing, you mustlive together when your spouse arrives in the country and youmust be able to provide for your spouse. Both of you must beover 24 and have stronger ties to Denmark than any othercountry. The aim of these requirements is to ensure the familya solid foundation in Denmark and to protect very youngpeople from being forced into marriages they do not want. Itis also a requirement that your marriage and co-habitation aregenuine and are not merely a means of securing a residencepermit for the person in question.ENTRY AND RESIDENCE IN DENMARKSpecial conditions apply to the right to family reunification forEU citizens, for example, a citizen from another EU countryworking in Denmark. If you believe you are covered by EUregulations, it is important you draw attention to this factwhen you apply for family reunification.You can find out more about family reunification in accordancewith EU regulations and those of the Danish Alien Actby logging onto www.nyidanmark.dk.29

Duration of residence permitENTRY AND RESIDENCE IN DENMARKPermanentYou can obtain a temporary residence permit or a residencepermit with the option of permanent residency. If you havearrived in Denmark as a refugee or because you have joinedyour family, you will normally be given a residence permitthat can later be extended to permanent residence.If you have a residence permit that can be extended topermanent residence, you can obtain a permanent residencepermit after several years provided you fulfil certainconditions. Among other things, you must have made aneffort to become integrated in Danish society.You must make an effortThis might be that you have had a job or worked for a time,that you pass a Danish language proficiency test, that youdo not owe the state more than a certain sum or that youhave not committed a serious crime.Permanent residence permits for EU citizensIn accordance with special EU regulations, EU citizens andtheir families may obtain permanent residence followingfive years’ legal residence in Denmark. You can find outmore by logging onto www.nyidanmark.dk.The Immigration Service and state administration canadvise you about your rights in connection with permanentresidence. We refer to www.nyidanmark.dk.You can lose your residence permitThe Immigration Service can revoke a temporary residencepermit if the conditions for issue no longer exist. For example,if you have joined your spouse but no longer live togetherwith this person, you can lose your right to a residence permit.You may, however, keep your residence permit if you haveleft your spouse because they have been physically violenttowards you, and if you have been in Denmark so long thatyou have other strong ties with the country, or if you areunable to return to your native country because you haveleft your partner because of physical violence.If you have falsely obtained your residence permit or if youhave been reported to the Schengen information system*as an undesirable, you risk losing your residence permit.This holds true regardless of whether the residence permitis temporary or permanent.An EU citizen’s temporary right to reside in Denmark canalso cease to exist if a person no longer complies with EUregulations or if the person has abused their right.Safe repatriationIf you have arrived in Denmark as a refugee, your residencepermit may be revoked if conditions in your native countrychange so that it is safe for you to return.In this event, you can seek financial repatriation assistance.Read more in Chapter 13, Repatriation.30

If you leave the countryIf you travel home on holiday, this may affect your possibilitiesfor continued residence in Denmark.Your residence permit will be cancelled if you relinquishyour home in Denmark or remain outside the country for6-12 months, regardless of whether your residence permit istemporary or permanent. Whether it is six or twelve monthswill depend on which type of residence permit you haveand how long you have lived in Denmark.ExpulsionIf you are found guilty of committing a serious crime, youmay lose your residence permit or be expelled from thecountry.ENTRY AND RESIDENCE IN DENMARK31

4NEW CITIZEN IN DENMARK

Your new lifeInterpreter assistanceOnce you have obtained your residence permit you canembark on your new life and get to know Danish society.You can begin meeting your new fellow citizens where youlive, in associations, at the library and not least at work whenyou begin working.You will be given a civil registration numberOnce you have obtained your residence permit you will beregistered in the Danish national register. This will be done inthe municipal authority where you live. If you have obtaineda residence permit as a refugee, the municipal authorityor Immigration Service will ensure that you are registered.Once you have been registered, you will automatically beassigned a civil registration number. This consists of yourdate and year of birth together with four numbers that areunique to each person. A civil registration number can looksomething like this: 23 (day) 04 (month) 54 (year) - 3476.For women, the last number is always an even number (inthis case 6) and for men, an uneven number.You will need your civil registration number in your contactwith civil authorities and institutions.If you can not yet speak Danish, you may be able to obtainthe services of an interpreter in many situations that involvecontact with your municipal authority or other civil authority.It is the public authorities that assess whether there is a needfor an interpreter. They are also responsible for procuringthe services of the interpreter.The interpreter is neutralYou will be given an interpreter, who will help you. Theinterpreter is responsible for translating everything thatis said as accurately as possible, and the interpreter mustnot omit anything deliberately. The interpreter has a dutyof confidentiality and must be neutral and unbiased. Theinterpreter may only become involved in the discussion inorder to clarify a misunderstanding.Good advice - about using an interpreter:• Do not speak to the interpreter but to the personwhom you are actually addressing.• Speak slowly and clearly.• Only say what you want the interpreter tocommunicate.NEW CITIZEN IN DENMARKYou will be given a healthcare cardOnce you are registered with your municipal authority youwill receive a healthcare card. This is a yellow plastic cardwhich you will need to take with you if you visit the doctoror go to the hopsital. Read more about this in Chapter 11,Health and sickness33

Danish and social studies for adultsNEW CITIZEN IN DENMARKIf you are over 18, have a residence permit in Denmarkand have been assigned a civil registration number, youhave the right to receive three years’ education in Danish.Danish education includes Danish language tuition andDanish social studies.Your municipal authority is required to offer you Danishlanguage tuition no later than one month following yourapplication for this. Tuition can take place at a language centreor at an alternative approved Danish education centre.You have the right to receive Danish language tuition untilyou have passed a final Danish proficiency test. This must,however, take place within a three-year period.Can be combined with workDanish language tuition is there to help you quickly findwork if you do not already have a job. You can combinetuition with work, practical training and other education.You can find out more about starting work in Chapter 8,Working lifeThree Danish education programmesThere are three types of Danish education programmes.The language centre makes sure that you are enrolledwith the programme that best suits your objectives andcapabilities.Danish education programme 1Danish education programme 1 is for people who havenot learned to read and write in their mother tongue. Thisprogramme places special emphasis on oral Danish. But youwill also learn to read and write simple texts. The aim is toenable you to find unskilled work so that you can providefor yourself as an active citizen in Denmark.Danish education programme 2This programme is for people who have spent a short timeat school or who have basic training skills from their nativecountry. You will learn to understand, speak and read Danishso you can get by at work and on a daily basis. You will alsopractise writing simple texts in Danish. The aim is to helpyou find a job as quickly as possible so you can become anactive citizen in Denmark.After completing the Danish education programme you willhave learned sufficient Danish to follow a number of trainingcourses on an equal footing with other Danes.Danish education programme 3This programme is for the person who has completedmedium to long-term education, for example, businesstraining, upper secondary education or someone with afurther education qualification. The speed and level are34

higher than that of Danish education programme 2. Theaim is to help you find a job as quickly as possible or for youto pursue further education so you can become an activecitizen in Denmark.Culture and social conditionsIn all three programmes, students receive Danish languagetuition as well as instruction in Danish culture and socialconditions. Here, for example, you will find subjects likethe welfare society, democracy, the labour market andseeking employment.NEW CITIZEN IN DENMARKEnds with testDanish education programmes 1 and 2 can end with DanishProficiency Tests 1 and 2. Danish education programme 3ends with the Danish Proficiency Test 3 or the Studies Test. Apassed studies test is a prerequisite for beginning a numberof programmes of higher education.How much does education cost?Your municipal authority pays for your education in Danish.Your authority may decide to ask for a participant fee. This,however, will not apply if you receive your Danish languagetuition as part of your introductory programme. In that case,your authority may not ask for a fee. Read more about theintroductory programme and the integration contract inthe following section.35

“When you speak Danish, it opensan endless number of doors.You get out and about insteadof sitting indoors and feelingthat life is passing you by. Noone wants to live that kind oflife. At the language school, Ididn’t just learn the language andpass Danish Proficiency Test 3. Ialso learned a lot about Danishsociety and went on lots of tripsto museums and different places.And I also met one of my verybest friends.”Speaking thelanguage opens alot of doorsAmna Amin came to Denmarkfrom Iraq in 1997 and was grantedasylum in 1999. While she waitedfor asylum she worked as a RedCross volunteer. Now, she workswith women’s integration in amunicipal authority.36

Introductory programme and the integration contractIf you are a refugee or have joined your family and are acitizen of a country outside the EU and Nordic region, youwill be offered an introductory programme by your municipalauthority, and together you will agree on the introductoryprogramme content. This must take the form of an integrationcontract. The introductory programme includes Danishlanguage tuition - and if required - a number of otherthings that can help you find work or begin a programmeof education that can provide you with the qualificationsto enable you to find work.However, not all members of a reunified family are offered anintroductory programme and sign an integration contract.If the person you have joined has a residence permit inDenmark in connection with a specific job or, for example,as a researcher, student, an embassy employee or missionary,you will not be offered an introductory programme and anintegration contract. But you can take part in Danish languagetuition and other ordinary social courses.It is up to the Immigration Service to decide whether youare covered by the Danish Alien Act and thus eligible for anintroductory programme and an integration contract.The integration contract - a binding agreementThe integration contract is a binding agreement betweenyou and your municipal authority. For this reason you mustdraw it up together. The contract must contain a plan foryour first three years in Denmark. This is why it is so importantfor you as a new citizen.Your contract must specify your introductory programmecontent. For example, this might be the level of your Danisheducation programme, which activities you need to commenceyour studies or begin working. The aim of the contractis to make you an active part of Danish society as quickly aspossible and ensure that you can provide for yourself.Before the first monthThe contract must be drawn up before the end of thefirst month from when your municipal authority assumesresponsibility for your introductory programme.Make demands of your contractYour integration contract is a common tool for you and yourmunicipal authority. This is why it is important that you makedemands of your contract. Your contract should contain alist of activities to help you get started, whether you wishto begin an education, start a business or be employed bya company.If you have a jobIf you have a job, the contract must ensure that you canreceive Danish language tuition while continuing to holddown your job. Tuition can take place in the afternoon orevening, for example, when you are not at work.The contract can be changedYour municipal authority must continually monitor thecontract. As you gain new qualifications and experience ornew aims for the future, you can suggest making changesto the activities agreed in the contract.RepatriationThe contract can also make allowances for the fact thatyou may wish to return to your native country, if and whenconditions allow. For example, the contract can stipulate thatyou acquire skills and qualifications that will prove useful ifand when you return to home. Read more in Chapter 13,Repatriation.NEW CITIZEN IN DENMARK37

NEW CITIZEN IN DENMARKDeclaration regarding integrationand active citizenshipAs part of the integration contract, you must sign a declarationregarding integration and active citizenship.The aim of the declaration is to inform you about a numberof values and rules in Danish society. In this way you will knowwhat society expects of you as a new citizen. This handbookis a supplement to and clarifies many of the topics listed inthe declaration.Important to your residence in DenmarkThe introductory programme is an optional offer to you butit is important for your future ability to obtain a permanentresidence permit that you comply wih the contract.Introductory benefitIf you come under the introductory programme schemeand do not find employment immediately or do not have aspouse who can provide for you, you are entitled to specialfinancial assistance. This is called an introductory benefit.To claim the introductory benefit, you must participate inthe introductory programme activities and be availablefor work. Being available for work means actively seekingemployment and accepting a job if you are offered one.Otherwise your municipal authority can cease payment ofyour introductory benefit.Maximum of three yearsThe integration programme, including the Danish educationprogramme, is free but may only run a maximum ofthree years.Find out moreYou can find out more about the integration contract, thedeclaration on integration and active citizenship from yourmunicipal authority. You can read more by logging ontowww.nyidanmark.dk.38

Danish citizensChildren are automatically granted Danish citizenship atbirth if the parents are married and one of them is Danish.The same applies if the parents are not married but themother is Danish.If only the father is Danish, the child will only be grantedDanish citizenship automatically if it is born in Denmark. Or ifthe parents marry before the child reaches the age of 18.Applying for Danish citizenshipOnce you are 18, you can apply for Danish citizenship. Youmust apply to the police in the municipal authority in whichyou live. The police can tell you how long it normally takesto process an application.Parliament decidesIt is the Danish Parliament that decides whether a personcan obtain Danish citizenship. This is done using a speciallaw, which Parliament passes twice a year. In order to obtainDanish citizenship, you must meet with certain conditionsestablished by Parliament.You must learn Danish and passa special citizens test.• You must have obtained a certificate from a languagecentre or an alternative educational institution provingthat you have passed Danish Proficiency Test 3 or anequivalent test. For example, this may be the final primaryand lower secondary school exam, an upper secondaryschool education or a business education. You mustlearn enough about Danish culture, history and socialconditions to pass a special test before obtaining Danishcitizenship. This is called the citizen’s test.• If you are stateless or a refugee, you must have residedin Denmark for eight years.• If you are an immigrant, you must have a permanentresidence permit and have resided in the country fornine years.• You must be able to provide for yourself and prove that youhave been able to do so in four out of the past five years.You are allowed to have received smaller payments fromthe state which are not related to support. This might bespecial help towards transport costs, treatment of illness,medicine, dental treatment or relocation costs. Receivinga state education grant, early retirement pension, statepension or support from your spouse does not bar youfrom obtaining Danish citizenship.NEW CITIZEN IN DENMARK39

NEW CITIZEN IN DENMARK• You must not have outstanding debt with the state.• You must declare that you have not committed crimesagainst the security of the state.• If you have committed a crime, you may have to wait beforebecoming a Danish citizen. This will depend on the natureof the crime.• If you are guilty of committing a very serious offence youcan not become a Danish citizen.You can read all the conditions by logging onto www.nyidanmark.dk.Citizen by declarationYou can become a Danish citizen by declaration if you:• Are a citizen of one of the Nordic countries.• Have previously held Danish citizenship.You can find out more and obtain an application form from thestate administration* in the municipality in which you live.Danish passportOnce you have obtained Danish citizenship, you will be givena Danish passport and you will have the right to vote and standin parliamentary elections.40

5FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE

Renting or owningRented accommodationDifferent kinds of housingMost housing in Denmark consists of multi-storey apartments,terraced houses or detached houses. Housing comprisesrented accommodation, cooperative housing and owneroccupiedhousing. The majority of rented accommodation isto be found in multi-storey buildings. Many are built in largeblocks of flats grouped together in urban areas in the majorcities. Rented accommodation is privately owned or ownedby a subsidised housing association.Owner-occupied apartments and detached housesOwner-occupied apartments, terraced houses and detachedhouses can be purchased. Most detached houses are singlefamilyhomes which have been built on their own plot ofland. In the larger towns and cities, owner-occupied housingis usually very expensive.Check the ads or ask aroundIn many parts of the country, finding accommodation can bedifficult. If you want to find accommodation, you can:•••Consult your municipal authority housing office.Put your name down on a building association waiting list.Check the ads in the daily newspapers, local papers orspecial housing newspapers. You can also place an adstating that you are looking for accommodation.Search the Internet. Here, you can place a free ad. Youcan gain free access to the Internet at your local library.Look up under the “Accommodation section” in theyellow pages of your telephone directory or log ontowww.degulesider.dk.Put a notice up at local supermarkets.Ask family, friends and acquaintances.••••Social or private housingRented accommodation is either privately owned or owned by anon-profit building association. You can put your name down ona waiting list for an apartment. This means that you can rent theapartment when your name appears at the top of the list. But thismay take many years. Ask a housing association.Your municipal authority can refer youYour municipal authority has a number of subsidised housing apartmentsat its disposal. You might be able to find an apartment in thisway. Ask your municipal authority.Privately-owned apartments rarely have waiting listsPrivately-owned housing associations rarely have waiting lists. Here,it is the owner who decides who is to rent the vacant apartment.Tenancy agreementRights and dutiesBoth the tenant and the owner have rights and duties. These areset out in the Danish Rent Act. The Act includes the rules regardingtermination of the lease. As a tenant, you normally have to give threemonths’ notice. And the landlord can not suddenly evict you ontothe street for failing to fulfil your duties.The Danish Rent Act also contains rules relating to the level of rent,apartment maintenance and the number of people who are allowedto live in the apartment.FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE43

FINDING A PLACE TO LIVEMany live in their housesIn Denmark, 63% of the population live in single-familyhouses. This is particularly true of couples with children,the vast majority of whom own their own homes. Mostsingle-family homes have adjoining land. Some areterraced houses.About 30% live in an apartment in a block of flats. Mostblocks of flats are rented accommodation.Many young people share apartments or rent roomsfrom private house owners.Students can rent rooms in a student residence. A studentresidence houses many students with each studenthaving his own room. Usually, each room has its owntoilet and bathroom, while residents share the kitchenand common room.Some live in community housing where each personhas their own room and shares expenses, cooking andother domestic chores.44

You are entitled to a tenancy agreementIn accordance with the Danish Rent Act, it is yourright to demand a tenancy agreement stating theconditions agreed by you and your landlord. Amongother things, the tenancy agreement must state howmuch notice you have to give when terminatingthe lease. And it must state in what condition theapartment must be left when you vacate it.Be sure to have both names onthe tenancy agreementIf you are a husband and wife couple who are tolive together in the same apartment, make sure thatboth your names are on the tenancy agreement.This will ensure that one of the parties can remainin the apartment if the other party leaves or thecouple gets divorced.Check the apartment for faults and flawsDo not sign the tenancy agreement before youhave read the small print. And not before you andthe landlord have gone through the apartment tocheck for any flaws and faults.If the apartment has flaws and faults, write themdown, either in the tenancy agreement or on analternative piece of paper which should then besigned by you and the landlord. If you discover flawsand faults in the apartment after moving in, youshould contact the building caretaker within thefirst 14 days. This will ensure that you will not haveto pay for damage you have not caused.Deposit or lease premiumAgree on the deposit with the landlordYou should expect to pay a deposit or lease premiumbefore or together with the first month’s rent. The sizeof the deposit or premium is to be decided by you andthe landlord.The landlord can use the deposit or premium to coverthe cost of damages to the apartment. However, if youleave the apartment in the same condition as you foundit, the landlord must refund the full deposit or premiumamount when you vacate the apartment.How many tenants?There may be certain limitsIn the tenancy agreement, some landlords stipulatethe maximum number of tenants that can occupy anapartment. And municipal authorities can choose toadopt a policy restricting the number of people in eachliving room area to two people. Ask your municipalauthority about what rules apply.Rent subsidyApply to your local authority fora loan and a rent subsidyYou can apply to your municipal authority for a depositloan for your rented accommodation. The authority willassess your request on the basis of your financial andsocial situation. You are required to pay back the loan.FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE45

Cooperative housingFINDING A PLACE TO LIVEAs a tenant, you can also apply to your municipal authority for arent subsidy. This is called rent subsidy. The authority will calculatethis on the basis of:• The number of people living in the apartment.• The size of the apartment.• The amount of rent.• The size of the total household earnings.Pensioners can apply for a special housing allowance.ComplaintsIf you are dissatisfied with the municipal authority’s decision regardinga deposit loan or rent subsidy, you can complain. The letterfrom the municipal authority must contain complaint guidelinesexplaining where and when you can file your complaint.AdviceSpeak to a housing advisorSome large non-profit housing associations have their ownhousing advisors. Here you can get useful advice regarding youraccommodation and help in understanding letters relating toyour accommodation.You have to pay a share as well as rentA cooperative dwelling consists of one or more houses or oneor more apartments owned and administered by a cooperativehousing society. The cooperative housing society owns theproperty. When you buy a share of the property, you gain theright of use to a part of the property owned by the association.In addition to the share, you must also pay rent to the housingsociety.Rules and activitiesAs a cooperative member, you automatically become a memberof the housing society. As a cooperative housing member youhave the right to participate in and vote at the society’s annualmeeting. At the annual meeting, the members decide whatrules shall apply within the association. The annual meetingalso decides when and how the building is to be maintainedand improved.46

Subletting and exchangingapartmentsOwner-occupied housingLetting from the tenantIt is possible to rent an apartment from a tenant or a cooperativehousing member. This is known as “subletting” andis allowed for a period of two years. Or longer, if the owneror the rules allow.Exchanging with a tenantIn some rental properties and cooperative housing it ispossible to exchange your apartment with other tenants orcooperative housing members. In other words, if you havean apartment you can exchange it with one that is smalleror larger. Or for an apartment in another neighbourhood.Enquire at the building’s administration office or ask thecooperative society board whether you can exchangeyour apartment.An owner-occupied dwelling can be a house or an apartmentyou buy.Permission to buy real propertyIf you do not reside in Denmark or have not previouslylived in the country for a minimum of five years, you willneed permission from the Ministry of Justice to purchasean owner-occupied home. You must send an applicationto the Ministry of Justice, enclosing information about theproperty you wish to purchase together with a copy of yourresidence permit. You can expect to be granted permissionif you intend to use the property as your permanentresidence. If you are an EU citizen, you can purchase yourowner-occupied property without permission from theMinistry of Justice if you intend to use the property as yourpermanent residence.FINDING A PLACE TO LIVEEstate agentsMost owner-occupied properties are sold through an estateagent. Check ads in the newspapers, on the Internet, orcheck with an estate agent in the area where you intendto buy the property.The estate agent is first and foremost the seller’s representativebut can also advise the buyer about his purchase rights.Always use a lawyerIt is a good idea to use a lawyer. This will ensure that yourinterests are safeguarded.47

Electricity, heating andwaterFINDING A PLACE TO LIVELoan - bank or mortgage creditYou can borrow money from a mortgage lender* to buyyour house or apartment. You can borrow money from abank to buy your housing society dwelling. The mortgagelender or bank will assess your ability to repay the loanbefore approving it. It is important that you are employedand earn a regular salary.In addition to rent, loan or mortgage payment, you will haveto pay for electricity, heating and water. You pay accordingto the amount you use. There are meters on the property.Electricity is supplied by a private electricity company, whileheating comes from a municipal or private heating plant.Large residential buildings may have their own heating plant.If you own your home, you will normally pay your water billtogether with your property tax.Costs are highIn Denmark, electricity, water and heating are expensive.This is because society wants to limit energy consumptionin order to protect the environment. You can save onelectricity, water and heating by:• Turning off the light when you leave a room.• Using low-energy light bulbs. They are more expensivethan standard light bulbs but they last ten times as long.• Take a shower instead of a bath.• Wash up using a washing-up basin - instead of runningwater.• Buy refrigerators, freezers and washing machines thatonly use a small amount of water and energy. Theappliance energy labelling will specify the amount ofenergy and water used as well as the efficiency of theappliance. Energy consumption uses a scale from Ato G, where A stands for the lowest energy consumption.Read more about energy labelling in Chapter 9,Economy and consumption.48

Joint expensesResident democracyIf you live in an apartment which you own or rent, or if youlive in a cooperative housing society property, you and yourneighbours jointly pay towards the cost of a caretaker andthe maintenance of the building and the common areas. Ifyou live in rented accommodation, the joint expenses areincluded in the rent.CaretakerMost rented accommodation and cooperative housingsocieties have a caretaker who is responsible for lookingafter practical tasks such as the maintenance of commonareas. In subsidised housing, the caretaker may also carryout minor repairs to apartments or call in a tradesman tocarry out the work.In subsidised housingSubsidised housing operates a policy of tenant democracy.This means that the tenants elect representatives to a tenantcommittee or a tenants’ association* board. Tenant representativescan approve house rules and initiate commonactivities. They may also influence the design and appearanceof common areas.Tenant influence in private buildingsIn large rental housing projects, tenants can elect representativesto represent their interests in relation to thelandlord. Tenant representatives have the right to examinethe property accounts and must be consulted before thelandlord can increase the rent or begin carrying out majorrenovation.FINDING A PLACE TO LIVEYou can play a partAs a housing estate tenant, you can help elect representatives todifferent kinds of tenant groups. For example, it might be a tenantcommittee in a rental housing building, a board in a cooperative housingsociety or a homeowner’s association* for private homeowners. Youcan take part in meetings and activities arranged by the tenants. Andyou can be active, either as an elected tenant representative or bysuggesting activities for children and adults. In this way you can getto meet your neighbours and help to shape your housing area.49

Tenant areas and commonroomsHousing and housing arearegulationsFINDING A PLACE TO LIVEFor meetings and partiesSome private and housing association projects and themajority of subsidised housing projects have their owntenant areas and common rooms where tenants can meet.Tenants can often rent these areas if, for example, they wantto hold a party.If in doubt, askMost rental housing and housing societies have their own houserules. These are either established by the owner or by the tenants.House rules typically deal with such issues as the washingof stairs, pets, noise, parking of bicycles and prams.If you are in doubt about the rules, ask your caretaker or aneighbour.Conflicts can be resolvedWherever there are people, the potential exists for conflict.If you come into conflict with your neighbour, try and talk tothem as soon as possible. If this does not work, speak to thecaretaker or the board, if one exists. Or with the homeowner’sassociation or housing association, depending on the kind ofbuilding in which you live.Get helpIf you have a disagreement with your landlord regarding maintenance,property exchange or subletting, for example, try andseek help from your caretaker or board in resolving the conflict.If this does not help, you can register a complaint.If you live in subsidised housing, you can complain to a specialtenants’ complaints board for tenants in subsidised housing societies.Ask your tenants’ association or your municipal authority.Municipal authorities have a rent control board*. Here you canregister a complaint if you live in privately-owned housing andthe conflict concerns rent or house rules. Ask your municipalauthority.50

Cleaning and refuseAs a tenant, you are responsible for cleaning and tidying up.Make a note of the building’s or the residential area’s rulesfor cleaning and refuse.Standard refuseYour municipal authority sees to it that standard householdrefuse is collected from your residential area once a week.Garden waste and bulk scrap is also collected several timesa year. Bulk scrap may be furniture and used white goods.Municipal waste recycling centres*Municipal authorities have waste recycling centres whereresidents can dispose of garden waste and bulk scrap. Thisis the place to dispose of environmentally hazardous wastesuch as paint, oil, batteries and electrical appliances. Ask yourmunicipal authority about what rules apply.Aerial schemesCommunal aerial schemes inrented accommodationMost rented accommodation and housing society dwellingshave a communal aerial scheme that you automaticallysubscribe to when you move in. This may either be cableTV or a common aerial installation. Usually, you pay for theaerial scheme together with the rent.You may only erect an aerial if you have obtained permissionfrom the houseowner or the cooperative housingsociety.Some homeowner’s associationsoperate communal aerial schemes.If you live in owner-occupied accommodation, you mayhave access to cable TV, or it may be that the homeowner’sassociation operates a communal aerial scheme. Otherwise,you can erect your own aerial.FINDING A PLACE TO LIVEAerial associations decide the channelsMany communal aerial schemes are set up by an aerial association.Here you can help to choose which TV channelsyou can view in your local area. Throughout the countryit is possible to watch regional, national and a number offoreign TV channels.If you have a radio, TV or computer that can receive radioand TV, you have to pay a special fee known as a medialicence* twice a year. Read more about media licences inChapter 10, Culture and leisure time.51

FINDING A PLACE TO LIVEConverting propertyRules governing electricity, heating and waterIf you are a homeowner, you can convert the inside of yourhome as much as you want. There are, however, certainrules regarding electricity, heating and water. Some of theseinstallations may only be carried out by authorised tradesmen.If you do not comply with regulations, your insurance willnot cover you in the event of an accident.Ask your municipal authorityIf you want to convert the outside of your house by buildingan attic or a balcony, for example, or if you want to erectan outbuilding or build a carport, you must comply with anumber of laws and regulations. Contact your municipalauthority before you begin.Cooperative housing membersmust inform the boardIf you are a member of a cooperative housing project,you must find out whether cooperative housing societyregulations contain special restrictions before commencingconversion work.Tenants must agree on changes with the landlord.If you are the tenant, you must make arrangements withthe landlord or the building management office* beforecommencing any conversion work.You may plumb in a washing machine or dishwasher if theinstallations are approved.52

InsuranceMovingTheft, fire and water damageIf you take out a contents insurance policy, your furniture,books, clothes, stereo system, TV and many other personalcontents will be covered in the event of theft or damagecaused by fire or water, for example. Theft must be reportedto the police immediately otherwise your insurance companywill not pay out compensation.You can choose to take out a “family policy” which coversthird party liability insurance, damage and theft.Let people know when you moveAll municipal authorities have a registry of residents. If youmove, you must therefore inform your municipal authority.This must be done no later than five days after moving. Youcan do this electronically by logging onto www.borger.dk.You can also obtain a special folder from your local postoffice containing all the necessary papers.FINDING A PLACE TO LIVEYou can find the addresses of insurance companies in the telephonedirectory or by logging onto www.degulesider.dk.Even if you are a tenant occupying a room in a house or anapartment, you must insure your own personal contents.53

6FAMILY

Family and societyFamily life and partnershipsDanish society and the welfare state are founded on respectfor the individual and responsibility for the community, bothin relation to the family and society as a whole.Equal rights for men and womenMen and women have the same rights and responsibilities,and participate in the labour market, economic andpolitical life on an equal footing. The same applies to familylife, where men and women have an equal right to makedecisions about their lives, including divorce, for example.In most families, both the husband and wife hold down jobsand share the task of running the home.Joint responsibility for citizen and societyCitizens and the public sector share responsibility for anumber of tasks, for example, that children and youngpeople receive a good upbringing and education and thatthe sick and weak receive care and treatment.By paying taxes, all citizens contribute towards the publicsector, which is responsible for carrying out a number ofimportant tasks. For example, the public sector provides daycare facilities for children, schools and hospitals, as well asproviding help for the sick, the elderly and others who areunable to look after themselves.Most families in Denmark consist of a father, mother andchildren. Many young people live on their own for a numberof years until they get married or move in together and havechildren. Some adults live alone with their children. Manyadults and elderly people live alone.In 2006, Denmark numbered almost 2.5 million householdswith an average of 2.1 people living in eachhousehold.Roughly speaking, they fell into thefollowing family types:PercentageMarried couple with children 13Married couple without children 21Couple with children 4Couple without children 6Single parent with children 5Single parent without children 49Registered partnerships 1Statistics Denmark, 2007FAMILYVolunteersA number of voluntary and private associations help thosein need. Often in close collaboration with the families andthe public sector. We refer to www.frivillige.dk for furtherdetails.55

FAMILYMarriageA couple are allowed to get married when both parties havereached 18. People under 18 must obtain special permissionfrom their municipal authority. A person must not alreadybe married, and it is against the law to marry siblings orclose relatives such as children, parents or grandparents.It is up to the individual to decide whom he or she marries.Marriage is voluntary and it is against the law to forceanyone into marriage. If you marry a person who lives inanother country and want him or her to live in Denmark,you and your spouse must apply for a residence permit orfamily reunification. Find out more in Chapter 3, Entry andresidence in Denmark.Registry or churchA couple can be married at a registry or in a church. A civilmarriage ceremony is performed by a registrar or anotherpublic official in your municipal authority. A church marriageceremony is performed by a priest from the Danish NationalChurch* or an alternative religious community where thepriest has the power to marry couples.If you were married in another country, your marriage willprobably be recognised in Denmark as well. Ask at the Danishnational register in your municipal authority.Duty to provide for one anotherWhen you marry, it is your duty to financially provide forone another. And as a general rule, all belongings are jointproperty. When a married couple have children, the parentsautomatically have joint custody.Registered partnershipsHomosexuals can also enter into a registered partnership whichis legally binding in the same way as marriage. Homosexualshave the same rights and duties as all other citizens. Thereare, however, certain exceptions. For example, homosexualcouple do not have the right to adopt children.C o h a b i t a t i o nWhen two people decide to live together without beingmarried it is called cohabitation. A couple who cohabit donot have the same duties and responsibilities towards oneanother as married couples. This is particularly important ifthe couple have children and decide to split up.Custody*If a couple have children and are not married, the motherautomatically gets custody of the children. But the parentscan have joint custody* if they agree to this.Disagreements can end up in courtIf a cohabiting couple decides to split up, it is up to them tosort out their possessions. Just as they should agree wherethe children are to live. If they can not agree, the mattermust be settled in a court of law. If they can not agree aboutwhere the children should live, they can seek help from thestate administration*.56

Separation and divorceA spouse who no longer wishes to live in a married relationshiphas the right to divorce. Separation is a kind of trial period,where the couple live apart but are still married. A marriedcouple can get divorced if they have been separated for oneyear. If they agree, they can be divorced after six months.If divorce is due to infidelity or physical violence, it is possibleto be divorced immediately without a trial separation.Sharing responsibility for the children.The parents themselves decide how to share responsibilityfor the children. If they can not agree, they can seek helpfrom the state administration. If no agreement is reached,the matter can be settled by a court of law.A couple wishing to separate and divorce must apply to thestate administration in the region* where they live. Here theycan get advice about the conditions for separation, divorce,custody, division of property and maintenance payments.Contraception and abortionYou can always talk to your doctor about how to avoidbecoming pregnant. There are many different kinds ofcontraception to choose from.In Denmark, a woman has the right to an inducedabortion in hospital before the end of the twelfth weekof pregnancy. In special circumstances it is also possibleto have an abortion after this date.The right to an abortion is primarily founded on thewoman’s right to decide over her own body.If you want an abortion, you must contact your doctor,who will refer you to the hospital. Normally, an inducedabortion is a surgical procedure under general anaesthesia.It is also possible to have a medical abortion. In otherwords, an abortion induced by taking pills.We refer to www.sexlinien.dk for further details.FAMILYChild support payments.The parent not living with the child must make child supportpayments to the other. Child support payments aretax deductible.57

Having a babyFAMILYNo one should be subjected to physical violenceWhat happens within the four walls of the home comes underthe heading of private life, and accordingly, neither the statenor the municipal authorities interfere. Having said this, noone, neither adult nor child, must be exposed to physicalviolence or abuse within the home. It is against the law tosubject others to physical violence. This includes childrenand spouse. If you are beaten, threatened or forced intohaving sex, you can seek help either from your municipalauthority, a crisis centre or an advisory centre. Violence andduress should be reported to the police.Seek help before it is too lateIf you need help and advice, you can contact your municipalauthority or an advisory centre where you have the right toremain anonymous.Examination by the doctor or midwifePregnant women have the right to an examination by a doctoror midwife. The first check-up is with your own doctor whenyou have reached your ninth week of pregnancy. It is up toyou to make this appointment. When you have entered your10-12th week of pregnancy, you can go for an examinationthat will show whether there is any risk of the child havingmongolism or certain hereditary diseases. Your doctor ormidwife will talk to you about the examination.A case file follows you and the childThe doctor opens a “case history” that you must take withyou to all examinations by the doctor or midwife. In the filethe doctor or midwife records the progress of the pregnancy.The purpose of examinations is to monitor how you andthe baby are doing.Crisis aid and crisis centresIf things go wrong and you need help here and now, you canmove into a crisis centre. Here you will be given shelter untilit can be determined what is to happen next. Crisis centresalso offer social, physical and educational support.There are crises centres dotted around the country; both formen and women. It is possible to bring children with youto crisis centres. Most crisis centres are for women seekingprotetction from violent husbands or someone else whoabuses them. We refer to www.lokk.dk and www.social.dkfor further details.58

Birth preparationsYou can go to antenatal courses and learn all about whathappens to your body during pregnancy and the developmentof the baby. You will also learn how to do breathingand physical exercises that train the body and make givingbirth easier and less painful. Ask your midwife about availablecourses. You can bring your husband or another personalong to the courses.BirthIn Denmark, most people give birth in a hospital maternityward. You decide where and how you want to give birth.You can bring your husband or another person along to thebirth. It is also possible to have the baby at home. Consultyour midwife.On the maternity ward*If you have your baby in the hospital, you and the child willbe moved to a room on the maternity ward. Here you canget help in looking after the baby and advice on breastfeeding and care of the newborn.Birth certificate, naming and christeningOnce the baby is born, the parents must fill in a form whichis to be sent to the Registrar of the State Church, who willissue a birth certificate. It is the Danish National Church*which registers all new births, irrespective of religion, onbehalf of the state.The Danish National Church registers everyoneThe Danish National Church also registers all newbornnames. You therefore must inform the Registrar of the StateChurch of the baby’s name. This must be done before thechild reaches six months. You can find a naming form atwww.personregistrering.dk. The child will receive a birthcertificate.The child can also be named in connection with a christeningceremony in the Danish National Church or anotherrecognised religious community. The child will receive abirth certificate.The first name must be approvedA child can have one or two first names. You can choosefrom a list of approved names by logging onto the Departmentof Family Affairs’ website at www.familiestyrelsen.dk.If you want a name that is not on the list, you can apply tohave it approved. An application form is available from theRegistrar of the State Church.Maternity and parental leaveAll pregnant women have the right to a period of maternityleave both before and after birth. The child’s father can alsotake parental leave for a fixed period. The public authoritiesand certain private companies have accords or agreementsthat ensure employees receive salaried maternity leave.Parents who do not receive a salaried maternity leave canreceive maternity maintenance from their municipal authority.This also applies to self-employed people if they havehad their business for a minimum of six months. Parents ofsmall children are also entitled to parental leave. Ask yourmunicipal authority for conditions.FAMILY59

FAMILYThe health visitor pays a visitYou have the right to be visited by a health visitor. You canhave the first visit a week after the mother and child havecome back from the hospital. After that, you agree onfuture visits.Following the development of the childThe job of the health visitor is to advise you so that you andthe child get off to the best possible start. The health visitorexamines the child and follows its development. The healthvisitor focuses on the welfare of the whole family and offersadvice on any matters about which you may be in doubt.Examinations by your own doctorYour child can receive a number of free health examinationsfrom your family doctor. Read more about children’s healthexaminations in Chapter 11.Mothers’ groupsThe health visitor can organise several women who havegiven birth at around the same time into mothers’ groups. Themothers meet at each other’s houses or in a place organisedby the health visitor to talk and exchange experiences. Askyour health visitor if there are any mothers’ groups in whichyou can participate.60

Children looked after outside the homeAs both parents work during the day, most small children are lookedafter in day care centre or facility. Many schoolchildren attend anafter-school care facility or an after-school centre. Parents stay inclose dialogue with the institutions that care for their children. In thisway they are able to influence the child’s childhood and upbringing- also when the child is not at home.You must apply for a placeIt is your job to contact the municipal authorities to book aplace for your child. If there are not any places immediatelyavailable, the child’s name will be placed on a waiting list.The earlier you put down the child’s name, the greater thechance of finding a place when you need it. If you wouldlike your child to be looked after in childminding facilities,you should put down its name immediately after birth.FAMILYChildminders, day care and nurseriesThe vast majority of children under the age of six are looked after bya childminder or at a day care centre or nursery every day. It is thetask of municipal authorities to provide day care facilities, and theoptions vary from authority to authority. The most common are:• Day care. This means that together with other children, thechild is looked after by a childminder approved by the municipalauthority. This is particularly aimed at children from 0-3.• Day nursery - for children from six months up to the age of two.• Crèche - for children aged three and up to school starting age.• Outdoor crèche - where children spend the day in the countrysideor the woods.• An integrated institution - for children aged six months and upto school starting age.• Private day care. Some municipal authorities award a grant toparents so their children can be put in private day care.61

FAMILYIf you move to another municipal authorityIf you move to another municipal authority before the child hasbegun at a day care centre, you must contact the new authorityand have the child’s name placed on a waiting list there.Remember to tell them how long the child has been waitingso you are not put at the end of the queue.If you move to another municipal authority after the child hasbegun at a day care centre, you must contact the new authorityand have the child’s name placed on a waiting list there. Youcan also keep the child at the day care centre in the authorityfrom which you have just moved.Ring and make an appointmentYou are always welcome to visit several day care centres beforedeciding where you would like to place your child. Call and makean appointment so that you are sure that personnel have timeto talk to you and give you a tour of the centre.PaymentYou must bear the cost of having your child looked after at a daycare centre. The state, however, pays part of the cost. If you haveseveral children in day care, you will receive sibling discount, andyou can also apply to the municipal authority for a free or partiallyfree place for your child. Ask your municipal authority.If you have not already found someone to look after your child,your municipal authority will offer you a place at a day carecentre or in day care. You are obliged to accept this. Failure todo so can lead to a suspension of financial aid.Private day care grantThe municipal authorities award a grant to parents who wantto have their child in private day care, for example, by hiring ananny. Some municipal authorities award parents a grant tolook after their own children. The authority decides whether itwill award such a grant.Help for language developmentIf your child needs it, it can be given special help to learnDanish, so-called language stimulation, from the age of three.It is your municipal authority that provides this service, and aspecial language expert will assess whether your child requireslanguage stimulation. If your child attends a nursery, languagestimulation will take place there. If the child is looked after in thehome, the child must receive 15 hours’ language stimulation aweek. Language stimulation is mandatory. Ask your municipalauthority.Duty to have the child looked afterIf you are out of work and receive cash benefit, unemploymentbenefit* or introductory benefit*, it is your duty to make yourselfavailable to the job market. This means that you must be ableto start work as soon as one becomes available or be ready toaccept a job activation offer. This requires that your childrenbe in day care.62

My son developed alarge vocabulary playingtogether with Danishchildren.“When our son began atschool, his teachers commentedon his large vocabulary.This was because he hadmostly played with Danishchildren. For even though Ispeak Danish to him, thereare words I don’t know butwhich he learns from otherchildren. We grown-ups canlearn from each other in thesame way. We have alwaysinvited Danish children andtheir parents into our home.We have discussed a greatmany topics and this hasproved educational for themand for us. A lot of prejudiceshave disappeared - on bothsides.”Gülay Ciftci emigratedfrom Turkey to Denmarkin 1977. She works as amunicipal integration andcash benefit consultant andis currently studying to be asocial worker.63

Children and young peopleFAMILYContact between parents and personnelPositive contact between parents and day care personnel iscrucial to the healthy development of the child. Personnel willinform you about what happens at the day care centre on a dailybasis. They want to hear about your experiences with the childand changes in the family that affect the child.If you need more time to speak to personnel, you can arrangefor a parent-teacher meeting.Many day care centres employ bi-lingual personnel who participatein the meetings. Otherwise you can be given an interpreter.Parent-teacher meetings and boardsIt is important that you take an active interest in your child’sdaily life, also when your child is in the care of others. You canfind out more about what is happening at your child’s day carecentre and make suggestions at parent-teacher meetings heldtwice a year. At one of the parent-teacher meetings, parentselect representatives to the parent board. Representatives havea say in the centre’s finances, activities and the education thatimpacts on the daily lives of the children.Between two culturesIt can be difficult being a child or a young person if there is a greatdifference between the norms and values in Danish society andthose you have grown up with at home. And it can be difficultbeing a parent, experiencing society’s norms and expectationsof children and young people that are so different from thoseof your native country.TeenagersIt does not get any easier when children reach their teenage yearsand experience important physical and emotional changes. Likeall other children they must find themselves, learn to stand ontheir own two feet and prove that they are independent. At thesame time, the parents are responsible for them and continueto set boundaries for their teenage children.Agreements and rulesMost young people living at home reach agreement with theirparents as to what rules apply to going to parties, what time theyhave to be home, and if they are allowed to spend the nightaway from home. Many young people - boys and girls - meetat cafés and discotheques in their spare time or hold privateparties. Some spend the night at each other’s houses.Many parents discuss their attitudes towards smoking, drinkingand parties, for example, at parent-teacher meetings. Individualfamilies have very different attitudes towards the rules that shouldapply and the degree of free scope afforded their children. Atparent-teacher meetings, parents can establish common rulesfor their children - for example, in connection with schoolparties.64

FAMILYThe body and sexWhether or not you approve, you will often come acrosssex and nudity in Danish society. Newspapers write articlesabout sex and sex life, and adverts and commercials visuallyexploit the human body.This reflects a general social trend towards a more liberalview of sexual life. In the last decade, new ways of livingtogether have come into being as well as greater freedomto decide over one’s own body and improved conditionsfor homosexuals, for example. With this freedom, however,comes responsibility.This means there are limits on what you can and can not do,and no one is allowed to force others to do things againsttheir will. The assumption is that we respect each other’spersonal and sexual boundaries.Semi-naked sunbathers in the park and on the beach orscantily clad or naked bathers, for example, should not beseen as an open invitation to sex. In the same way, neithera person’s body language nor provocative fashion shouldbe interpreted as an open invitation to sex. Sexual assaultmust be reported to the police so that the offender(s) canbe prosecuted.65

FAMILYLegislationDanish legislation establishes clear boundaries for children’srights and the protection of children. It is against the lawto have sex with a minor, i.e. a person under the age of15. Young people must be 16 before they are allowedto buy cigarettes and alcohol. Young people must be 18before they are allowed to buy alcohol in restaurants anddiscotheques.Leaving homeAccording to Danish law, people have full legal capacity at18. This means the can take a driving test, borrow moneyand are legally responsible for themselves. Many youngpeople leave home once they turn 18 to live on their ownor together with others their own age.Children and their rightsDenmark has signed the UN convention on children’srights which applies to all children under 18, regardlessof origin. According to the convention, children havethe right to food, good health and a place to live, theright to go to school, to play and to be protected fromwar, violence, abuse and exploitation. They also havethe right to co-determination and influence.Advice and guidanceIt is possible to get professional help to solve difficult problems.Both parents and children can seek advice and guidance- together or own their own. Ask your municipal authority orcontact a crisis line or a telephone helpline. These servicesare free and callers can remain anonymous.In Denmark, it is against the law to hit children; femalecircumcision is similarly against the law.66

Help for children and families with problems.It is the parents’ responsibility to care for theirchildren and create a stable environment fortheir upbringing. Society does not interfereunless there is a suspicion that the child’s welfareis at risk.FAMILYIf there are problems, the municipal authoritycontacts the family and tries to help solve them.The family or a family member can also seekhelp. This is a collaborative effort between theauthority and the family. Help consists of differentforms of family support.If parents fail in their duty to such an extent thatthe child can not thrive or develop properlywithin the family, the child is placed in alternativecare outside the family. This can happen withthe parents’ consent or take the form of forcedremoval. The child can be placed in an institutionor in foster care for a period of time. For example,this might be because the parents hit the childor because they are unable to care for the childproperly. Young people with serious socialproblems or who have become involved in crimeand whose parents are unable to care for them,can be placed in special institutions. Here, theyget help to start an education or find a job.67

Children and adults with a disabilityFAMILYAs normal a life as possibleTogether with their families, children, teenagers and adultswith special needs or with a physical or mental disabilitycan get help so that their everyday lives are made easier.The aim is for people with a disability to live as active andnormal a life as possible.Special servicesMost children with disabilities or children with special needslive with their parents and attend normal nurseries, schoolsand leisure activities. But some go to special nurseries andschools where children are trained and taught by speciallytrained personnel.Young people and adults have access to remedial instruction,day and 24-hour centres, drop-in centres, shelteredworkplaces and workshops.Some live in own accommodation and receive personaland practical help from the state. This may be a wheelchairor another auxiliary aid or a personal helper. Others live in aspecial institution or shared or sheltered accommodationwhere they receive the help they need.68

Life for the elderlyActive elderlyElder citizens have numerous opportunities to pursue theirinterests and lead an active life. The Danish government’sageing policy is founded on the principle that the elderlyshould have as much responsibility and say in their ownlives as possible. As an elderly citizen, you therefore retainthe right to be a part of the decision-making process. Bothon a personal level and in relation to decisions affectingyour local area.Municipal authorities have their own elderly councils whosemembers are locally elected elderly citizens who advise theauthority on matters of special importance to the elderly inthe local community. Ask your municipal authority aboutthe possibilities and meeting places.Working life and retirementDanish society also needs its elderly citizens to make acontribution if they can. Some people work until theyreach 70. Others retire when they reach 65 and have theright to draw a state pension. Others retire from the jobmarket earlier still, taking pre-retirement benefit and earlyretirement pension.State pensionMost people have the right to a state pension when theyreach 65. The principle behind the state pension schemeis that a person earns the right to a pension as a citizen inDanish society. If you have lived in Denmark for 40 years fromthe age of 15 until you retire, you have the right to a full statepsnsion. If you have lived in Denmark for a shorter time, youhave the right to a smaller pension. It is the municipal pensionoffice that calculates the size of the pension and can informyou of the amount to which you are entitled.Pension savingsMany people supplement their state pensions with otherkinds of pension. Many employees subscribe to pensionschemes. This means that each month the employer andthe employee pay a fixed amount towards a pension held bya pension provider. You can also make direct payments to aprivate pension savings in a bank or a pension provider.If you pay to a private pension provider, the amount is taxdeductible and you will end up paying less tax.Early retirement benefitEarly retirement benefit enables people to retire or partiallyretire from work, as the scheme allows you to remain asalaried employee while receiving a reduced early retirementbenefit.The earliest age you can take early retirement benefit is60. You must have been a member of an unemploymentfund for 30 years and have made special early retirementcontributions. Early retirement benefit stops, at the latest,when you reach 65.Early retirementSome people suffer from such major physical or mentalproblems that they are unable to work and must take earlyretirement. A person must fulfil certain conditions in order toqualify for early retirement - one of them being their periodof residence in Denmark. Ask your municipal authorityFAMILY69

FAMILYIn-home helpMost elderly people live in their own homes for as long aspossible. It is possible to get help for things like cleaning andshopping. If you are physically weak, you can also receivepersonal care. How much help will depend on how themunicipal authority assesses the individual’s needs.Housing for the elderlyIf you are a senior citizen with special needs or physicalproblems, you can apply to your municipal authority forsenior housing. Senior housing is specially designed tomeet the needs of the elderly and those with disabilities.A lot of senior housing is linked to healthcare centres sothat it is easy for residents to call for help. There may bewaiting lists for senior housing. So it is a good idea to putyour name down early.Sheltered housing or nursing homeElderly who are in need of a great deal of care can eitherbe housed in sheltered accommodation or live in a nursinghome. Here, personnel take care of practical thingslike cooking, laundry and cleaning and help residents withpersonal hygiene. Nurses are also on hand to administermedicine where needed and supervise elderly healthcaretreatment.70The elderly must pay for the help they receive. But pricesare usually so low that the elderly can manage, even on astate pension.

When life comes to a closeDeath certificateWhen a person dies, a doctor writes a death certificate.If the death occurs at home, a relative must contact thedoctor as soon as possible. The family receives the deathcertificate together with a death report which must be sentto the Registrar of the State Church. It is the Danish NationalChurch* which registers all deaths, irrespective of the religionof the deceased or their family, on behalf of the state.When a person dies, the probate court* is automaticallyinformed and summons the immediate family a short timeafter death. Here, it is decided what will become of thedeceased’s possessions and personal effects.BurialNormally, the deceased is buried or cremated within eightdays. An undertaker can assist with the practicalities. It ispossible to obtain financial assistance, a funeral grant, fromyour municipal authority. If the deceased is to be buried inanother country, the municipal authority must issue a specialbody passport to accompany the deceased.2,100 cemeteriesThe Danish National Church* has about 2,100 cemeteriesat its disposal, and all citizens in Denmark have the right tobe buried in a cemetery. If you belong to another religiouscommunity you can not demand to have your traditionsand customs respected. But you can inform the cemeteryboard of your wishes.Cemeteries for other religious communitiesSome cemeteries have burial sites for the Mosaic ReligiousCommunity, Catholics and Muslims. Religious communitiesoutside the Danish National Church can also establish theirown cemeteries. For example, there is a Muslim cemeteryin the Municipality of Brøndby. This is owned and managedby the Danish Islamic Burial Foundation.71

7SCHOOL AND EDUCATION

Learning is a life-long processGeneral educationDenmark has a tradition of general education* which is asold as Danish democracy itself. It goes together with a beliefthat a well-informed population is an important prerequisitefor a well-functioning society.Everyone has access to life-long learning. Not just within theconfines of the educational system but also by attendingfolk high school or night school*, following educationalprogrammes on the radio or on TV, or by doing coursesat work.Compulsory educationDenmark has a policy of nine years’ compulsory education.Children are to be taught from the age of seven. Most children,however, start in a pre-school class when they are six.Collaboration and participationThe Danish education system is founded on a high degreeof freedom and co-determination. From the earliest classesall the way through to university, students can participatein decision making relating to school and education. Andteachers expect them to do so.Teaching not only places emphasis on academic knowledgebut also on the student’s ability to develop communicativeand collaborative skills. Right from pre-school class, teachersteach children in groups and encourage them to solvetasks together.At institutions of higher education, students often work togetherto solve assignments and meet privately in study groups.SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONMost people continue their studies afterthe nine years of compulsory education.After nine years of primary and lower secondary school, itis up to the individual to decide whether they want pursuefurther education. Having said this, there are fewer and fewerjobs for people without an education so the vast majority ofyoung people take a business education or upper secondaryeducation. Followed by a short-, medium- or long-termperiod of further study.73

The Danish education systemSCHOOL AND EDUCATIONCareersadvice centreYouth guidance centre(UU)Approximate age27262524232221201918171615Year group2019181716151413121110109Ph.d.ResearcheducationStx 1Long-cyclehighereducationHf 2 Hhx 3 Htx 4Upper secondary educationMedium-cyclehighereducationVocational education andtraining, social and health caretraining programme, etc.Vocational education and trainingShort-cyclehighereducationBasic vocationaleducationand training,trainee,productionschools, etc.Special coursesAdult education, e.g.Adult vocational training, Voluntary adult education,full-time adult education, general adult education, higher preparatory examination,further adult education, diploma degree programme and executive master's programme148137126115Primary and lower secondary school10493827160Pre-school class1Stx: Upper secondary school leaving examination2Hf: Higher preparatory examination3Hhx: Higher commercial examination4Htx: Higher technical examination

Primary and lowersecondary schoolMunicipal primary and lower secondaryschool and private schoolsAll children are entitled to free tuition at Danish municipalprimary and lower secondary school. This tuition includesa one-year, pre-school class followed by nine years ofprimary and lower secondary school and a tenth classwhich is optional.In addition to municipal primary and lower secondaryschool, there are also independent primary and lowersecondary schools and private schools where tuition is paidfor by the parents. The private independent primary andlower secondary schools may have a different conceptualframework than municipal primary and lower secondaryschools, but from an academic and social point of view,children learn exactly the same. We refer to www.friskoler.dk for further details.You must enrol the child at schoolChildren automatically attend a municipal primary and lowersecondary school in the area where the family lives. Whenthe child nears school age, the parents will receive a letterfrom the school stating when you should enrol the child atschool and an offer to visit the school. You can also chooseanother municipal primary and lower secondary schoolor a private independent primary and lower secondaryschool. In that case, it is up to you to contact the schoolof your choice.What to remember when starting schoolBefore the child begins in school, you will receive a letterlisting the practical things your child will need in school, suchas a school bag, writing implements and a lunchbox.The aims of municipal primary and lower secondaryschoolDanish primary and lower secondary education is basedon the Danish Education Act. In its introduction, it statesthe following about the aims of primary and lowersecondary education:“ § 1. “Section 1. Together with parents, primary and lowersecondary school shall provide pupils with knowledgeand skills that: prepare them for further study and givethem the desire to learn more, make them familiarwith Danish culture and history, provide them with anunderstanding of other countries and cultures, contributetowards their understanding for man’s interaction withnature and promote the individual student’s all-rounddevelopment.Section 2. Primary and lower secondary school mustdevelop working methods and create a frameworkthat promotes experience, absorption and enterpriseso that students develop their imagination, sense ofrecognition and self-belief, thus enabling them to takea position and act.Section 3. Primary and lower secondary school shall preparethe students towards participation, joint responsibility,rights and duties in a free and democratic society. Schoolactivities must thus be characterised by intellectualliberty, equality and democracy*.SCHOOL AND EDUCATION75

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONParents have influenceRegardless of whether a child attends a municipal primaryand lower secondary school or a private independent school,parents can gain influence at school level and become jointlyresponsible for their child’s education. Private independentschools are self-governing institutions which are runby a parent-elected board. Primary and lower secondaryschools have a board that includes school representativesand representatives elected by the parents themselves.Municipal authorities also cooperate with the teachers andparent representatives. The municipal authorities have theoverall responsibility for school matters.School-home cooperationSchools also stress positive contact with the parents of everystudent in order to give the child the best opportunities fordoing well at school. Each year, you will be invited to attendschool-home meetings which may focus on how the childis doing at school, how the child is managing academically,the child’s homework and paying attention in class.Te a c h i n gPre-school classIn pre-school class, children learn the alphabet and numbers.They develop a vocabulary, concepts and working methodswithin a number of compulsory themes, and through playand teaching they become familiar with school routines anda community spirit. As a rule, children from the pre-schoolclass will continue together in the first class.Children stay together in the same classDanish education is comprehensive by nature. This meansthat children can continue in the same class throughouttheir school education.Parents can elect parent representatives or contact parentswho work closely with teachers regarding parent-teachermeetings or other events, for example. School-parentcollaboration may also take the form of theme eveningsor workshops. This differs greatly from school to school.The purpose of collaboration is to give parents the opportunityof contributing towards the child’s well-beingand education.76

“It’s important to attendparent-teacher meetings andtake part in school-parentcollaboration in order tostay abreast of developmentsand build a bridge betweenDanish and Arab society. It’sabout securing our children’sfuture. You get to knowother parents and have theopportunity of influencingyour children’s education.You have to be open andprepared to tell people whatyou think and let them knowwhat you are capable of. Youmustn’t become isolated. Andmost important of all, youhave to learn the languageso you can get to know Danesbetter, and vice versa.”It’s all about securing ourchildren’s futureSabah Elawi emigrated toDenmark from Palestine in1990. She is a primary andlower secondary schoolteacher and the mother oftwo children.77

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONMaths, languages, society and natural scienceThe law stipulates that students must learn certain things atschool. In addition, it is up to each school to decide how itwill organise teaching.At primary and lower secondary school, children learnmaths, languages, social studies and natural science. Theyalso learn about Danish culture and history and about othercountries and their cultures.School also aims to strengthen the pupil’s developmentand stimulate their imagination and desire for learning.Written pupil plansThe pupil plan must contain information about how thebenefit derived by the pupil from the syllabus has beenevaluated and assessed throughout the year. The pupil plansmust also state how the teacher and pupil will follow upon the achieved results. The pupil plan must be preparedat least once a year and must address all subjects in whichthe pupil is taught. The pupil plan must be sent to theparents. The plan may also contain agreements about waysin which parents can contribute towards the pupil’s positiveeducation and information about the child’s behaviour andwell-being at school.National testsThroughout their school education, all pupils sit a seriesof tests in different subjects. These tests are divided intoclasses and subjects:2nd class:3rd class:4th class:6th class:7th class:8th class:Danish/readingMathsDanish/readingDanish/reading and mathsEnglishDanish/reading, geography, biologyand physics/chemistryThere is also a voluntary test in Danish as a second languagein the 5th and 7th classes.Grades in the oldest classesOnly pupils in the 8th, 9th and 10th classes get grades.At least twice a year, pupils get grades in those subjects inwhich they will have final tests. These subjects are:• Danish• Maths• English• German• French• Physics/chemistry• Biology• Geography• History• Social science• Christian studies• Needlework• Woodwork• Domestic scienceThe aim of the tests is to assess what the pupils get out ofteaching. The results are used to plan the teaching syllabusso that it is in keeping with the abilities of the individualpupil.78

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONBoth sexes have the same subjectsBoys and girls are taught the same subjects. This appliesequally to the academic subjects such as Danish, English,social science and maths and the creative subjects. Bothsexes learn to sew, cook and use tools. Boys and girls dosport together but change and shower separately.Christian science and other religionsChristain science deals with ordinary questions about Christianityas well as other religions and outlooks on life.Sex educationChildren receive sex education at school. Here, they learnabout how the body works. They talk about love and fallingin love. And they hear about how to conceive children andcontraception.Sex education is not a subject on the school timetable.Nevertheless, health, sex education and family life aremandatory subjects. The same is true of the highway codeand education and business orientation.Teaching does not preach religion but merely informsabout Christianity and other religions. Tuition helps to givechildren an understanding of the importance of religionin modern society.Your child can be exempted from Christian science tuition.Ask at your child’s school.79

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONCo-determination and democracySchool must prepare children for a life in a free, democraticsociety that offers responsibility and equality. This is whythey learn to participate in decision making and to takeresponsibility.Pupil councils are listened toChildren learn to express their opinions. They can form pupilcouncils which are consulted when it comes to makingimportant school decisions.School campA school camp is a class trip with an academic content.School camp always lasts for several days. Together withsome of their teachers, pupils leave their school and livetogether for several days, for example, in a scout hut orsimilar surroundings that offer room for teaching, socialgathering and an overnight stay. School camp forms partof the school syllabus. It also plays an important role in thesocial life of the class and pupil cameraderie.Before leaving, the children prepare for the trip by readingtexts, gathering information, completing assignments andessays on academic subjects that are relevant to the trip.School camp in a safe settingSchool camp is part of school education, providing pupilswith the opportunity to gain concrete experiences. Theteachers teach, advise and keep an eye on the children.At school camp, children will cook together, go on busand bike rides, visit museums, sights and companies, makebonfires, go on walks and play together. Boys and girls sleepin separate dormitories.The teachers discuss practical questions like food andsleeping away from home with the parents so they canfeel safe about their children going on the trip.80

The frequency and duration of school camps differs fromschool to school. Trips, however, always include severalovernight stays.Danish as a second languageFrom the age of three, bilingual children can get help tolearn Danish, where needed. This is a service provided by themunicipal authority following an assessment of the child’slinguistic development by a language specialist. The serviceconsists of special nursery or day care activities. Children whoare looked after at home are offered 15 hours of languagestimulation a week.If the child has difficulty keeping upIf your child finds it very difficult to keep up in school, it canreceive extra or remedial instruction. This can take placeduring or immediately after school hours. Speak to the classteacher about the possibilities.Final testsPupils finish primary and lower secondary school with anexam in the 9th class. They may also choose to continueon to the 10th class, which also ends with a final exam. Afterthis, pupils can enrol for a course in business training orcontinue in upper secondary education.SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONWhen a bilingual child begins primary and lower secondaryschool, an assessment is carried out to determine whetherthe child needs help with Danish as a second language. If itis necessary, the child can receive special tuition in Danishas a second language at its own or another school. This isavailable to children from the pre-school class right throughto the 10th class, if needed.Mother-tongue teachingThe municipal authorities must provide mother-tongueteaching to pupils from Greenland and the Faroe Islands andto pupils whose parents are EU or EEA citizens. Teaching willonly be undertaken, however, if there is a sufficient numberof registered pupils.Municipal authorities can provide voluntary mother-languageteaching to pupils from other countries. Municipalauthorities can charge a fee for this service.81

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONContinuation schoolPupils live at the schoolMany young people opt for one or more year at continuationschool in the 8th, 9th or 10 class. Continuationschools are free boarding schools where pupils reside.Continuation schools offer pupils an alternative wayof finishing primary and lower secondary education.Many young people choose continuation school becausethey want to try something new or because theyneed to get away from home for a while.You have to pay to goHuman developmentBy means of teaching and social togetherness, continuationschools must strengthen the pupils’ knowledge oflife, general knowledge and democratic development,and teaching therefore aims to address the pupils’ generalupbringing, human development and maturation. For thisreason, many continuation schools focus on creative andpractical subjects such as drama, music, sport, photography,farming and different kinds of handicrafts. But their teachingaims are the same as those of municipal primary and lowersecondary schools, and at the majority of continuationschools pupils can sit their final 9th and 10th class exams.Some special continuation schools offer remedial instruction,for example, to dyslexic pupils.A stay at a continuation school can promote a pupil’s academicdevelopment. They can get homework assistance andextra tuition in Danish, for example. A stay at a continuationschool is also a good way of preparing for youth educationand building up a social network.Find out more by logging onto www.efterskole.dk82

Outside school hoursAfter-school centres and theafter-school care schemeChildren can be looked after at after-school centres or inafter-school care schemes (SFO) until they begin in the3rd or 4th class. Here, children can play with their friends,do homework and take part in various other activities.After-school centres and SFO are open daily until five orsix o’clock in the afternoon.A youth school can have a full-time school timetable withthe option of sitting the same exams as those of primary andlower secondary school. Some also have clubs and otherrecreational activities, some of which must be paid for byparticipants. Ask your municipal authority, a youth schoolor consult the Youth Education Guidance Service.SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONYou must apply to your municipal authority for a placein an after-school centre or SFO scheme. You must bearsome of the costs for this care service, unless you are givena free place. You can apply to your municipal authority fora free place.Homework assistanceIn many municipalities, schools, libraries and local organisationswork together to provide homework assistance tochildren who need help. Ask at your school, library ormunicipal authority.Clubs for the older childrenSome municipal authorities also have recreational clubs.Children can come to the clubs when they have outgrownafter-school centres or SFOs.Youth schoolsAll municipal authorities have youth schools for childrenaged 14 to 18. Youth schools are a way of supplementingschool education in your free time. Enrolment is voluntaryand tuition is free. Youth schools are open in the afternoonand evening, and here it is possible to take academic andcreative subjects such as music, photography and ceramics,learn about IT and receive instruction on how to ride a moped.You can also simply meet other young people and hang outtogether. Many schools organise parties on Fridays.83

After primary and lower secondary schoolSCHOOL AND EDUCATIONYouth educationOnce you have completed your basic school education inthe 9th or 10th class, you can apply for enrolment in a youtheducation programme. Youth education programmes arecourses of preparatory study or professional qualificationprogrammes usually lasting three or four years. Theseprogrammes are free and students can apply for SU, thestate education grant and loan scheme, once they havereached 18.The state education grant and loan schemeThe state education grant and loan scheme, SU, is a form offinancial assistance given to students while they are studying.SU consists of a free grant which is, however, taxable. Inaddition to the grant, students can take out a loan whichmust be repaid when they have finished their education.In order to qualify for SU, the education you have enrolledfor must be approved for a state education grant, and youare not allowed to receive any other forms of state supportto cover living expenses.If you are a non-Danish citizenIf you are a non-Danish citizen, you can apply to the DanishEducational Support Agency and ask to be put on an equalfooting with Danish citizens before you apply.This is possible if, for example, you have moved to Denmarkwith your parents before your 20th birthday and still residehere, if you are married to a Danish citizen and have lived in thecountry for at least two years, or if you have had paid employmentin Denmark prior to beginning your education.If you are an EU or EEA citizen, you can apply to be placedon an equal footing with Danish citizens in accordance withEU regulations. Find out more by logging onto www.su.dk.Most SU rules are the same regardless of education. Butthere are, however, certain differences for youth educationprogrammes and those of further education. We refer towww.su.dk for further details.Everyone can influence educational contentAt all educational institutions, pupils and students can organisethemselves into various bodies - student academic councils,student councils or pupil councils. These bodies look afterthe students’ interests and make demands with regard toeducation content and quality. Everyone has the possibilityof influencing their education by standing for election to apupil or student council.Upper secondary school educationTwo to three yearsUpper secondary school educations last two to three yearsand provide access to programmes of higher education.Upper secondary school educations comprise:• Danish general upper secondary school (stx),which is a three-year course and ends with the universityentry examination. At some schools (studentcourses), the programme can be completed with twoyears of full-time study. The aim of the programmeis to prepare students for higher education. Theprogramme also seeks to provide a general education.This means that pupils must learn to relate to theoutside world, their fellow man, nature, society andto their own development. To be accepted, as a minimumrequirement you must have passed the munici-84

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONpal primary and lower secondary school 9th-class finalexam. You may be asked to sit an entrance exam, orthe upper secondary school can accept you on thebasis of an academic assessment.• The Higher Preparatory Exam, HF, which is a twoyearcourse. The aim of the programme is to preparestudents for higher education. The programme alsoseeks to provide a general education. This means thatas a result of their education, pupils must learn to relateto the outside world, their fellow man, nature, societyand to their own development. To be accepted, youmust have completed the 10th class of the municipalprimary and lower secondary school or similar. Or youmust pass a special entrance exam.• Business college education: The Higher commercialexamination (hhx) and Higher technical examination(htx), are both three-year courses. The aimof the programme is to prepare students for highereducation. The programme also seeks to provide ageneral education. This means that as a result of theireducation, pupils must learn to relate to the outsideworld, their fellow man, nature, society and to theirown development. To be accepted, as a minimumrequirement you must have passed the municipalprimary and lower secondary school 9th-class finalexam. You may be asked to sit an entrance exam, orthe school can accept you on the basis of an academicassessment.85

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONBusiness training125 different courses to choose fromThere are 125 different programmes of study, for example,carpenter, plumber, mason, sales assistant, electrician, chefand data technician. The courses are held at vocationalcolleges and are free. To be accepted, you must have aneducation that corresponds to nine years of primary andlower secondary school. Throughout the course, both thestudent and the training must achieve predefined goals.Danish examIf you have not attended a Danish school or have Danishcitizenship, the college might ask you to pass a special Danishexam in order to be accepted.1½ to 5½ yearsIt takes anywhere from 1½ til 5½ years to complete vocationaltraining, all depending on the specialist area you are studying.Training ends with a completed apprenticeship or finalvocational test, which is the final exam.School and practical trainingA few training courses are limited to the college. Most,however, alternate between college and practical businesstraining.New apprenticeshipIf you would prefer to begin your practical training immediately,most vocational training courses offer an apprenticeshipagreement with a company where studentscomplete most of their training. This is called the craftapprenticeship. It is up to you to find a company willing toenter into an apprenticeship agreement with you. You mustprepare a training plan. The college and the company willhelp you with this.SU and salaryVocation college training is free. You can apply for SU forthe part of the course that takes place at college. When youare in vocational training, you will receive an apprenticesalary. The amount will depend on the chosen subject andyour age.Social and healthcare helperA social and healthcare helper looks after the elderly, thesick and disabled who are in need of special personal careand practical assistance. The work is carried out in privatehomes, nursing homes and in co-housing schemes.The course takes one year and two months. The sandwichcourse is divided into approx. six months at vocational collegeand eight months in practical training. For enrolment,you must apply to a social and healthcare college in yourmunicipal authority. If you are accepted, you will be givenan apprenticeship at a hospital or municipal authority. Youcan choose whether to begin at college or with practicaltraining.The course is free and you will receive an apprentice salarythroughout your training.Social and healthcare assistantOnce you have graduated as a social and healthcare helper,you can go on to train as a social and healthcare assistant.Social and healthcare assistants work in hospitals, nursing86

homes and institutions for the physically and mentally disabled.The course takes one year and eight months. You will receivean apprentice salary throughout your training.Production collegesIf you are under 25, have not completed a youth educationprogramme and need time to think about your future career,you can be accepted into a production college. There areabout 100 production colleges dotted around the country.They are very different in nature but comprise various workshopactivities and general subject tuition. Students work inproduction and solve assignments with the aim of sellingwhat they produce. You have to apply to the college to beaccepted, and your municipal authority Youth EducationGuidance Service* has to approve your stay there.SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONBasic vocational education andtraining scheme (egu)Municipal authorities must provide a special basic vocationaleducation and training scheme for young people under30 living in the authority who have experienced difficultyfinding employment or education.Egu is a practical training scheme aimed at helping participantsfind work or pursuing further education. The coursenormally lasts two years and consists of college tuition andpractical training. It is tailored to the needs and preferencesof the individual and the employment and practical trainingopportunities in the local area.Following agreement with municipal authorities, productionand vocational colleges can provide egu courses.Ask an education counsellor- At the individual colleges and educational institutions, educationcounsellors are on hand to advise you as to which course best suits yourneeds. You can also seek advice from the Youth Education GuidanceService in your municipal authority.Find out more by logging ontowww.borger.dk or www.uddannelsesguiden.dk87

“My father is an engineerso at fi rst I thought of followingin his footsteps. Butthen I decided to train as acraftsman. I like my job andworking on different buildingsites. I am very happy withthe training programme andhave no regrets about mychoice; there is no differentialtreatment between myselfand the other students. Itdoesn’t matter whether youtrain to be an engineer or acraftsman. The salary is thesame and you earn the samerespect.”I earn a good salaryand respectMohsin N. Rashad is a Turkwho formerly lived in Iraq.In 2001, he emigrated toDenmark. He is now trainingto be a plumber.88

Trainee or on-the-job learning sessionIn some trades, young people aged between 15 and 18 canenter into a 3-6-month trainee employment agreement witha company where they receive a trainee salary. The aim ofthe trainee scheme is for both parties to subsequently enterinto an actual training agreement. Ask the Youth EducationGuidance Service.Advice about education and employmentToday there are more education opportunities than everbefore. Some education programmes are theoretical, whileothers focus on trades. It is important to find an educationthat matches the needs and interests of the individual. Atschool, children are offered careers counselling whichaims to introduce them to the Danish education systemand job market.The counsellorA counsellor is a person who speaks to young people andparents about choice of profession and education. The counsellorhelps to find information about different educationalprogrammes and explains the educational requirements.In this way, students are helped to choose programmes forwhich they are qualified - and able to complete.Youth education counsellor (UU)The Youth Education Guidance Service provides help andadvice regarding education and employment to all youngpeople under 25. The UU works with schools to provideinformation that helps young people choose an education.The UU can be contacted at your local UU centre.Guidance at schoolAt school, it is the class teacher and the UU counsellorwho advises pupils and parents. The UU counsellor offerspersonal guidance. In other words, the counsellor talksto youngsters about education and employment. Thecounsellor also helps pupils in 6-10th classes compile aneducation booklet. In the 9th and 10th classes, pupils finishtheir education booklets by drawing up an education planin which they write down the education they have chosen.It is important that parents show an interest in the minds oftheir children during their school education. Parents canread the education booklet and the education plan, anddiscuss content with their children.Counsellors know a great deal, but parents and pupils canalso look into the various possibilities themselves. This canbe done by searching the Internet, for example, or by visitingthe various educational institutions or public libraries.SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONThere are different types of counsellors. At primary andlower secondary school, the counsellor is known as a UUcounsellor (Youth education counsellor), while at othereducational institutions he is referred to as a careers advisoror an education and vocational guidance counsellor.After-school guidanceYoung people who are pursuing further education canreceive guidance from their educational institution. Thecounsellor can help with choice of subject, course planningand SU (the State Education Grant Scheme).89

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONYoung people under 25 who left school after the 9th or 10thclass can receive guidance from their local UU centre. Thisapplies to young people, for example, who have not startedan education or who have started but failed to finish. Theaddress and telephone number of your local UU centre canbe obtained from your school, the town hall or by loggingonto www. uddannelsesguiden.dk.Further education counsellingSpread across the country are seven education and guidancecentres that offer higher education counselling. You can findthe address and telephone number of the nearest educationand guidance centre by logging onto www.ug.dk.Most educational institutions have a curriculum counsellorwho can advise about educational programme content,entrance requirements, applications and future careeropportunities.Language centres and VUCs (Adult learning centres) providecounselling on courses and education programmes that leadto further education. Counselling about vocational trainingcourses and education programmes can be obtained fromvocational and social and healthcare colleges. Some dayhigh schools and folk high schools provide counselling aspart of their syllabus.Higher education counselling takes place at the country’sseven education and guidance centres or at the educationalinstitution at which you are planning to enrol.Find out more by logging onto www.borger.dk, www.uddannelsesguiden.dkand www.vidar.dkAdult education and job counsellingThere are various resources open to adults seeking adviceabout education and employment.Anyone seeking employment can apply to municipalauthority job centres.90

Further educationShort-, medium-, and long-term higher educationIf you have completed upper secondary education, youcan undertake a programme of higher education. Thereare three types of higher education programmes:• The short programmes of higher education normallytake two years. Here you can study to become alaboratory technician, market economist, certifiedelectrician or mechanical engineer. Both vocationaleducation and training and general upper secondaryeducation provide access to short programmes ofhigher education.• The medium-term, professional bachelor programmestake between three and four years. Here you can studyto become a teacher, social educator, nurse, engineeror social worker.• The long-term programmes of higher educationwhich are studied at university or higher educationinstitutions. Here you can study to become a doctor,dentist, engineer or upper secondary school teacher.The university education programmes take betweenfive and six years and can be supplemented by a PhDprogramme where students receive a salary and workon research and teach for about three years.Find out more about your education possibilities at www.uddannelsesguiden.dk.Entry requirementsEach programme has its own entry requirements that typicallyask for specific exams and sometimes other qualifications.Some education programmes operate a policy of restrictedadmission because there are more qualified applicants thanavailable places. Most education programmes have a quotasystem with two quotas. This means that they accept applicantsin two quotas. In the first quota, applicants are accepted onthe basis of their qualification examination grades. In thesecond quota, students are accepted on the basis of otherselection criteria specific to the programme.Coordinated enrolment system (KOT)Nearly all higher education programmes require studentsto seek enrolment through the coordinated enrolmentsystem (KOT). You can obtain application forms by loggingonto www.optagelse.dk.Entrance examinationsSome education programmes require entrance exams. Thistypically applies to creative or craft-oriented study programmessuch as acting, film directing, journalism and design.Foreign qualificationsSpecial admission rules apply to applicants holding a foreignqualification. You can read more about these rules in theexamination handbook at www.ciriusonline.dk.Familiarise yourself with the programmeand meet fellow studentsAt most universities and higher education institutions,programmes begin with an orientation course for newstudents. Here, new students are introduced to each otherand the programme by means of academic presentations,discussions and festive activities. Often, new students willgo off on a short cottage trip together.SCHOOL AND EDUCATION91

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAt Copenhagen University,new students are welcomedby the rector.92

Special courses for adultsAll levelsAs a mature student, there are a great many education andtuition opportunities. You can take a course in general education,take a full-time education programme or continuingtraining. Nearly all levels of adult learning are representedin the Danish education system. At adult learning centres(VUC), adults can participate in preparatory adult education(FVU), courses for dyslexic adults, general adult education(AVU) and higher preparatory single subject courses.Remedial instructionRemedial instruction is individualised as is instruction andcounselling to adults with physical or mental disabilities. Theaim is to help participants pursue an active and independentadult life.You can apply to your municipal authority if you would liketo be given an assessment to determine whether remedialinstruction is relevant for you.SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONLog onto www.vuc.dk or www.vidar.dk to find the addressof the adult learning centre closest to your home or placeof work. You can also find out more about education andyour possibilities for receiving financial assistance whileyou study.Preparatory adult education (FVU)FVU is for adults who want to improve their reading, writing,spelling and mathematic skills. Tuition is divided into threelevels, and you start on the level that best suits your abilitiesand needs. You can take a final test after each level. FVU isfree. To gain an overview, log onto www.vidar.dk. Here youcan see where tuition takes place. Adult learning centres(VUC), night schools and private teachers are typically foundthroughout the country.Courses for dyslexic adultsCourses for dyslexic adults are aimed at adults who have difficultyreading and writing due to dyslexia. Tuition is free. Logonto www.vidar.dk to see an overview of institutions offeringtuition. Adult learning centres (VUC), night schools and privateinstitutions are typically found throughout the country.93

SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONGeneral adult education (AVU)General adult education is tuition in a number of generalsubjects such as Danish, Danish as a second language,maths, computer subjects, English and social science. Thesesubjects are not aimed at any particular trade but may benecessary for further training or for getting on better inyour job. The course can end with tests that correspond tothe final exam in the 9th or 10th class of primary and lowersecondary school.You can take classes during the day, in the evening, usedistance learning, or be an independent student whereyou study by yourself and sit the final exam.You have to pay a small fee to participate in classes.HF - higher preparatory single subject courseHF, the higher preparatory examination, is an upper secondaryeducation. At VUC, tuition is planned as a single subjectcourse so that you can take the subjects you need.You can take classes during the day, in the evening, usedistance learning, or be an independent student whereyou study by yourself and sit the final exam.You have to pay a small fee to participate in classes.Further adult education (VVU)Adults with an education and experience have excellentprospects for further education. Many educational institutionsoffer courses and programmes for adults wishing to improvetheir skills, for example while holding down full-time jobs.Depending on the programme and your experience, youcan take classes that correspond to short-, medium- andlong-term higher education.Find out more by logging onto www.vidar.dk and www.uddannelsesguiden.dk.94

Adult vocational training (AMU)Short training programmes:Adult vocational training programmes are short coursesfor skilled and unskilled workers employed in private orpublic companies. Adult vocational training programmescan also form part of the job activation* initiatives offeredby job centres to the unemployed.2,500 different coursesThere are roughly 2,500 different adult vocational trainingcourses available in a number of areas, for example, commerceand clerical, social and healthcare, construction,agriculture, the metal working industry, the service industriesand the transport industry. For further details, we refer to theoverview at på www.vidar.dk.PaymentThere is a tuition fee. You may be able to have this refunded.Your unemployment fund or job centre will be able to tellyou more about this.For bilingual citizensIf you are not sufficiently proficient in Danish to take part ina course, it is possible to take special courses. In this event,one or more adult vocational training programmes will becombined with tuition in Danish. It is also possible to take anadult vocational training programme in Danish which is notcombined with other forms of educational programmes.SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONHere you can also see where the courses are held. Thesecourses are held at adult vocational training centres, technicalcolleges, business schools, social and healthcare colleges,national institutes for social educators and private institutionsaround the country.95

Recognition of foreign qualificationsSCHOOL AND EDUCATIONCan you use your qualification in Denmark?If you have completed your education outside Denmark, youneed to find out whether you can use it as it is, or whetheryou first need to retrain in order to work in Denmark.Help in assessing foreign qualificationsCIRIUS is the central body in Denmark to whom you canapply if you wish to have your foreign qualification assessedin relation to the Danish education system and job market.We refer to www.ciriusonline.dk/anerkendelse for furtherdetails.96

8EMPLOYMENT

Most people workFinding workIn Denmark, the vast majority of people work. This is true forboth men and women.Most are salaried employees working for private or publiccompanies. But there is also a large self-employed businesscommunity with own businesses, restaurants, companies oragricultural activities.Division of employees according to occupationIn Denmark, a little over 2.8 million(2,815,000) people work. They fall into the Percentagefollowing occupations:(rounded up)Agriculture, fisheries and raw materials 3Industry 16Energy and water supply 1Building and construction 7Commerce, hotels and restaurants 18Transport, postal services, telecommunications 6Finance, business services, etc. 13Public and personal services 36In total 100,0Labour Market Survey, Statistics Denmark, 2007Before starting to look for work, you can seek advice from acareers adviser at your municipal authority job centre. If youare a member of a trade union or an unemployment fund*(a-kasse), you can seek help and advice there.Job centresThe primary task of job centres is to help you find a job. Thisis also where you register if you are unemployed. Job centreshave PCs which you can use to search for work, and job centrestaff will help you prepare a job plan. You can find job centreaddresses by logging onto www.jobnet.dk.Many ways of finding workYou can actively seek employment by:• Sending applications in response to job ads in the newspaperand trade journals.• Send unsolicited applications to those companies whereyou would like to work, or apply to the company direct.• Use your network of contacts already in the job market.• Seek employment through private employmentagencies.• Search for jobs on the Internet (libraries and job centresprovide access to the Internet).• Place your own ad in a newspaper or on the Internet.EMPLOYMENTWhat skills do you already have?Whether you should start with further training or immediatelybegin seeking work will depend on your skills and age. If youhave no training, you can start by doing unskilled work, possiblyafter taking a few short courses.99

EMPLOYMENTTraining and workIf you have an education and speak Danish, your chancesof finding a good job are excellent. And in many cases,speaking Danish as well as your native tongue will provean advantage.If you have few qualifications and speak little Danish, findinga job can prove very difficult. But there are various optionsopen to you that can improve your chances of findingwork. You can take a language course, gain on-the-jobexperience in a company or take a subsidised job in thepublic sector, for example. Later, you will be employedunder normal conditions.Qualifications are necessaryTo find a job in Denmark, you will require qualificationsand skills that match the job opportunities that exist. Manyjobs require a short- or long-term period of study. Nearlyall jobs require special skills or the willingness to acquirethem. This also applies to jobs where there are no majoreducational requirements, such as cleaning or factory work,for example, where you may have to learn a wide range ofjob functions. The same is true if you want to run your ownshop or business.Important to get startedYour first job may not be your dream job and may not paya very high salary. But it is nonetheless important that youget started in the job market. For once you have a job, itis easier for you to develop your skills and qualifications soyou can look for a better job.Application and job interviewIt is easier to find work if you have a reasonable commandof Danish. But even with good qualifications, finding a jobcan take time. It may require many applications and jobinterviews before the right opening comes along.Written applicationsMost employers ask for a written job application. Your jobcentre, your trade union or unemployment fund can allhelp you with your written job application. An applicationshould fill a single page, and should include why you areapplying for the job, your qualifications and experience,and a little information about yourself.It is a good idea to enclose your CV, i.e. an overview of youreducational qualifications, professional experience and leisureinterests. It is also a good idea to enclose copies of examinationcertificates and references from former employers, workplacements and job activation programme activities.100

Job interviewsIf you are called for a job interview, it is important to be wellprepared. The employer will expect you to explain what youare good at, why you are right for the job and how you willcontribute to the development of the company.Use the interview to ask about things you would like to knowabout the job, the company and its expectations of you.There will probably be more than one person present atthe job interview. One of them might be an employeerepresentative.Employers place importance on the following:• A good command of Danish.• Relevant professional experience.• A clear and well-formulated written application.• That you have the ability and willingness to work independentlyand with others.• That you are good at taking initiatives andresponsibility.• That you are flexible and open to new ideas.EMPLOYMENT101

If you becomeunemployedEMPLOYMENTContract of employmentWhen you are hired, you will receive a contract of employment.This contains information about the most importantterms and conditions of employment. These might be:• Job description• Salary and working hours• Holidays• Work times• Period of noticeUnemployment insuranceWhen you start working, it is a good idea to join an unemploymentfund*, a so-called a-kasse. This enables you to gethelp and financial assistance, unemployment benefit*, if youbecome unemployed. Unemployment fund contributionsare tax deductible.As an unemployed person, you must fulfil certain conditionsto qualify for unemployment benefit. You must have beena member of an unemployment fund for one year and hada certain amount of work. Your unemployment fund mustinform you about the exact details.Apply to the job centreIf you lose your job, you must apply to the job centre in yourmunicipal authority on the first day of being out of work.Here, you will be registered as a job applicant. If you are amember of an unemployment fund, you will be given abenefit card which you will need to claim unemploymentbenefit from your unemployment fund.If you are not a member of an unemployment fund, youmay qualify for cash benefit or start aid. You are entitled tocash benefit if you have resided in Denmark in seven outof the last eight years. If you have not, and are unable toprovide for yourself, you will receive start aid. Start aid is lessthan cash benefit.102Looking for workAs quickly as possible, and no later than one month afterbecoming unemployed, you must prepare a CV outliningyour educational qualifications, professional experience,personal interests and skills. Your CV will be placed in thejob centre’s national database, jobbanken, at www.jobnet.dk.You must prepare your own CV and are responsible for theinformation it contains. But your job centre or unemploymentfund can offer advice and help you to prepare it.

The Danish labour marketYou must make yourself availableto the job market.You must make yourself available to the job market. This meansthat you must look for work and accept a job offer as soonas there is one. If you can not find a job, the job centre willhelp you to find one. You must attend those job interviewsto which you are summoned. And accept those job offerswhich your municipal authority gives you as part of their jobactivation programme*. Job activation may include courses,on-the-job training or subsidised employment.If you are in any doubt, consult your job centre or unemploymentfund.Agreements - the Danish modelIn Denmark, many wage and working conditions are agreedbetween the employee and employer organisations. Thistakes place in collective agreements which are signed bythe trade unions and employers’ associations. Collectiveagreements contain regulations regarding your salary,working hours, training, pension and rules governing salaryduring illness and terms of notice. Denmark does not havea tradition of legislating in this area. This is why we talk aboutthe “Danish labour market model”.No-strike agreement in the settlement periodOnce a settlment has been reached, a no-strike period comesinto force. Among other things, this means that employeesare not allowed to strike or lock-out during the period of thesettlement. If conflicts arise, they must be resolved by thelabour market parties themselves without the state becominginvolved in negotiations or finding a solution.EMPLOYMENT37 hours a weekNormal, full-time employment is 37 hours a week. As anemployee you earn the right to paid holiday. All employeeshave the right to five weeks’ holiday a year. Both men andwomen have the right to maternity leave. There are strictrules governing health and safety at work. Children under13 are not allowed to work outside the home.103

EMPLOYMENTTrade unionsA traditionIn Denmark, there is a tradition for employees to be amember of a trade union. The trade unions safeguard theinterests of their members in relation to employers, ensuringreasonable salary and working conditions. A trade union isnot the same as an unemployment fund.Ensures orderly conditionsThere is also a tradition for employers to be members oforganised associations. Most employers and their associationsare happy to work together with trade unions. They see itas an advantage that employees thrive and feel satisfied inthe workplace. At the same time, collective agreementsensure stability and orderly conditions in relation to wageincreases, strikes and working hours.affiliations in connection with the hiring or dismissal of anemployee. Nor can colleagues demand that a person join aparticular trade union. Many employees decide to become amember of the trade union that has a collective agreementwith their employer.Typically, trade unions are divided up according to occupationand work area. Your choice of trade union will ultimatelydepend on your education and field of work. As a tradeunion member you must pay a membership fee.Freedom of associationIn Denmark, the principle of freedom of association applies.This means that it is up to the individual employee todecide whether to become a member of a trade union.For this reason, an employer may not demand trade union104

Life in the workplaceThe workplace plays a central role for most peopleWorkplaces differ greatly in Denmark. However, commonto them all is the fact that they play a central role in mostpeople’s lives. A good working life with friendly colleaguesand a positive working environment is a key part of anymeaningful life.The importance of collegial relationsTo a great extent, it is up to the employees themselves tomake their workplace a pleasant place in which to be. Here,collegial relations plays an important role.Parties and alcohol in the workplaceAt most workplaces, the consumption of alcohol is prohibitedduring working hours. On trips and at parties, however, it isaccepted practice to drink alcohol.Responsibility and initiativeMost employers expect their employees to work independentlyand show initiative. It is common for individualemployees to be responsible for their own work areas. Inmany workplaces, employees work in teams to decide howthey will solve tasks and distribute the workload.Problems in the workplaceVarious problems can arise in the workplace. Health andsafety regulations may not be in order. Insufficient considerationmay be given to the health of the employees.There may be a poor work atmosphere or you may evenexperience harassment, derision or threats. This is, of course,unacceptable.Most workplaces have a tradeunion representative*Most employees elect a trade union representative torepresent their interests to the employer. The trade unionrepresentative is the trade union’s representative in theworkplace.If you are experiencing problems at work or feel badly orunfairly treated, contact your trade union representative.He or she will then raise the problem with your employeror trade union. A trade union representative is protectedagainst dismissal and can therefore act as a mediator inconflicts. If you do not have a trade union representative,you will have to contact your trade union or speak to themanagement.EMPLOYMENTMonitoring health and safety at workSafeguarding a safe and healthy working environment is aresponsibility that falls jointly to the employer and employees.The employer is responsible for providing and maintainingproper health and safety conditions for employees. Theemployees have a duty to comply with the safety regulationsthat apply to their place of work. Workplaces with morethan 10 employees must have a safety organisation thatcomprises employee and management representativesand which assumes responsibility for daily health and safetyat work. In workplaces with fewer than 10 employees, theemployer and employees assume joint responsibility forhealth and safety at work.105

EMPLOYMENTHealth and safety representative*Many workplaces elect their own health and safety representative.The health and safety representative helps monitorhealth and safety to ensure that employees do not workon dangerous machinery and equipment, or work withhazardous substances without the correct safety equipment,or become stressed as a result of their work.Speak to your health and safety representative if you feelthat your working conditions are not as they should be. Asin the case of the trade union representative, the health andsafety representative is protected against dismissal.Occupational injuries must be reportedAll employers must insure their employees against occupationalinjuries and ensure that any such injuries are reported to theDanish Working Environment Authority* and the NationalBoard of Industrial Injuries*. It is the employer’s insurancecompany that pays out employee compensation.You are always free to report an injury to the National Boardof Industrial Injuries* in the event of a work accident. It isimportant that you report the incident within one year ofthe event. Otherwise you may lose out on compensation.DiscriminationIt is against the law to discriminate on the grounds of sex,age, disability, race, colour, religion, political affiliation, sexualorientation, nationality or social or ethnic origin.The Danish Parliament has passed a law establishing anequal opportunities commission that deals with sexualdiscrimination. We refer to www.ligenaevn.dk for furtherdetails. The Institute for Human Rights has appointed acomplaints committee for ethnic equality. Its task is to dealwith discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin. Werefer to www.klagekomite.dk for further details.All discrimination cases can be brought before the ordinarycourts.If you are a member of a trade union and are experiencingdiscrimination at work or in connection with seeking newemployment, you can contact your union and ask themfor help.106

Starting your own businessRules and regulationsStarting your own business requires a good amount offorethought and preparation. There are a number of lawsand regulations with which you need to be familiar. Thepurpose of these is to protect citizens and employees againstpoor hygiene and occupational injuries, and to ensure thatbusinesses do not commit tax and VAT fraud.Seek advice and guidance before you begin.You can get help from your local business developmentcentre, from a start-up consultant, from SKAT (the Danishtax authorities) and your job centre. The Internet can alsoprovide you with an overview of advice options as well asinformation regarding laws, regulations, financing and othertopics relevant to starting your own business. We refer towww.virk.dk for further details.Your unemployment fund can also advise you about howstarting your own business will affect your ability to claimunemployment benefit*.EMPLOYMENT107

EMPLOYMENTCompany registrationAs a general rule, all companies must register with theDanish Commerce and Companies Agency. This is optional,however, if your annual earnings are less than DKK 50,000.Once the company has been registered, you will receivea CBR-number (Central Business Register), which is thecompany’s identification number. You will need your CBRnumber,for example, when it comes to completing yourtax and VAT declaration. You can register your company bylogging onto www.eogs.dk.Trade and drinking licenceAll companies that sell more than DKK 50,000 of foodstuffsper year must be registered in a special business register.In this connection, foodstuffs are taken to mean any kindof foodstuffs, beer, wine, soft drinks and other foodstuffsregardless of whether they are in sealed packaging.The police are responsible for issuing trade licences tobusinesses without a drinking licence, whereas municipalauthorities are responsible for issuing drinking licences. InCopenhagen, however, it is the municipal authority thatissues trade licences.A restaurant can apply for a drinking licence, and the restaurantkitchen must live up to certain requirements fromthe health authorities.Tax and VATYou must file trading and business accounts with the Danishtax authorities, also known as SKAT.Insuring employeesIf your company employs staff, you must take out employer’sliability insurance to cover them.The Danish Catering and Restaurant Act applies to allself-employed businesses that serve food and drinks. Suchbusinesses might be restaurants, bars, discotheques, pizzerias,grill bars or hot dog stands.The Danish Catering and Restaurant Act stipulates whichregulations must be complied with when persons or companiesapply for a trade or drinking licence. If you apply fora drinking licence, you must meet certain age requirementsand be able to provide a financial business plan.108

“I thought about it for anumber of years beforedeciding to become selfemployed.I thought it mightbe a problem that Danesweren’t used to seeing animmigrant as a self-employedmason. But that hasn’t beenthe case. Customers arehappy as long as you are goodat your job and do the bestyou can. My work brings meinto close contact with a lotof people, so I’ve discoveredthat Danes are just as differentas everyone else.I now have twoemployeesEMPLOYMENTNow I have two employees, aDane and a Vietnamese, andI enjoy being an employer.My advice is: be yourself.Many immigrants are scaredof failure; there’s no need.There’s room for us.”Mansur Sheik emigratedfrom Somalia to Denmark in1993. He trained as a masonand is now self-employed.109

9ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTION

Managing your personal financesIncome and expensesYour personal finances consist of any assets you may have,your income and your expenses. Income may be salary,self-employment income or state aid. Expenses may berent, heating, electricity, food, clothes and whatever elseyou may need. You must pay income tax and tax on owncompany earnings.Bank accountsElectronic transfersAn ever increasing number of payments are made to payeebank accounts using electronic transactions. This applies tosalaries, cash benefit, child maintenance payments and pensions,for example. This is why you need a bank account.Automatic payment of billsYou can go into any bank and set up an account. If youhave a bank account, you can arrange to have your billspaid automatically from your account.For example, you can set up a budget account to pay fixed overheadssuch as rent, heating, electricity and telephone.Cash cardWhen you open a bank account, the bank will issue youwith a cash card which you can use to withdraw money inthe bank and the bank’s cashpoint machines.Dankort payment card*If the bank gives you a positive financial assessment, youwill be issued with a Dankort payment card. You can usethe card to withdraw money from all the bank’s cashpointmachines and in most shops, and you can use it to payfor goods in most shops. You will be sent a PIN numberwhich you will need in order to use the card in cashpointmachines and shops. Some shops require a signature on aDankort card receipt.Many banks offer a combined Visa/Dankort card. With a Visa,you can pay for goods and services and withdraw moneyin most parts of the world.Bank loans and credit facilitiesYou will need a reasonable, regular incomeBanks provide loans and credit facilities to their customers.But they require customers to have a stable income andsound finances. The bank will assess your personal financesand ask to see copies of salary slips and your final tax settlementfrom SKAT.Bank loan or overdraft?If your personal finances are based on a regular income butyou have a short-term need for extra cash to buy furniture,for example, then a bank loan is usually the best answer.ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTION111

ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTIONIf you are a self-employed business owner with an irregularincome, it might be an advantage to open an overdraftfacility. An overdraft is an agreement between you and yourbank which enables you to withdraw a certain amount ofmoney from your account even if there is not money inthe account to cover it. You should be aware that overdraftfacilities command high interest rates.Shop around to check out the possibilitiesCredit facility and loan prices vary from bank to bank. Andthe amount of interest will depend on the type of loan youtake out. This is why it is worth shopping around to find outwhere you can get the cheapest loan.Financial adviceMost banks offer financial counselling.Even though your bank will probably give you soundfinancial advice, it is worth remembering that they are notindependent advisors but a private, commercial enterprisewhose job it is to make a profit.Accountants for complicated personal financesIf you have complicated personal finances because you areself-employed or run a business, it is a good idea to speakto an accountant.May not demand Danish citizenshipBanks are not allowed to demand that you are aDanish citizen before lending you money.Shops are not allowed to demand that you area Danish citizen before you can rent or buy oncredit. They are, however, allowed to demand thatyou have a regular income and a fixed address inDenmark.112

Hiring and buying on creditMany shops offer customers the possibility of hiring goods,especially expensive ones. These may be refrigerators,freezers, television sets and computers.If you leave the country before settling your debts, companiescan collect the outstanding amount through the debt collectionagencies with whom they collaborate.Charge cardMany shops have account systems that enable customersto buy on account. It is the individual shop that assesseswhether they will issue you with a charge card.ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTIONBuying on creditOther shops offer customers the possibility of buying oncredit. In principle, this means you are borrowing moneyat a fixed rate of interest. You should be aware that theseinterest rates can be very high. At the same time, you haveto pay a charge for setting up the credit loan.Check the contract carefullyIf you hire or buy on credit, you will have to sign a contractoutlining the terms and conditions. It is important that you readthe contract carefully - or have someone else explain - thecontract to you so that you avoid any unpleasant surprises.Breach of contractIf you fail to pay the interest payments or your instalments,you risk being listed as a bad debt. This means that you cannot hire or buy on credit again - either from the person towhom you are in debt or anywhere else.113

InsuranceECONOMY AND CONSUMPTIONPrivate insuranceYou can protect yourself and your family by taking outprivate insurance.There are many insurance companies and many differenttypes of insurance. From life, accident and liability insuranceto household, health and motor insurance.Prices and terms and conditions vary from company tocompany, making it difficult to gain an overview. The mostexpensive insurance is not always the best.You should give careful consideration to which types ofinsurance and how much coverage you need, as well asthe amount of excess you want to pay.Contents insuranceContents insurance provides coverage in the event that thefamily’s furniture, clothes or computers are stolen, damagedby water or fire or are destroyed by vandalism.Liability insuranceLiability insurance covers you in the event that a memberof the family causes injury to a third person(s) and theirpossessions.Legal aid insuranceLegal aid insurance sometimes provides coverage of legalcosts in connection with private court cases. Find out moreby logging onto www.forsikringsoplysningen.dkCompulsory insurancesSome types of insurance are compulsory by law. You musthave fire insurance if you are a homeowner. And you musthave liability insurance if you own a dog, car, motorbikeor moped. Liability insurance covers accidents to othersthan yourself.Family insuranceAll insurance companies offer family insurance which coversall family members living at the same address. It also providescoverage for children under 21 living on their own. A familyinsurance includes contents, liability and legal aid.114

Consumer rightsComplaints within 24 monthsAs a consumer, you have certain rights to protect you frombeing cheated. In accordance with the Sale of Goods Act,you have the right to have a defective article - or one thatdoes not live up to the assurances of the seller - exchangedor repaired. All you have to do is approach the seller within 24months of the purchase date. You must bring the purchasereceipt. And you must not be responsible for the defect.GuaranteeWhen you buy an electrical appliance or something larger,for example, you may be issued with a guarantee. This is aservice provided by the dealer, and in no way does it replacethe terms and provisions of the Sale of Goods Act. But thedealer can choose to issue you with a guarantee. A guaranteemust put you in a better position than the right of complaintprovided by the Sale of Goods Act, which ensures the rightof complaint for two years and possibly the right to havethe item exchanged or repaired.ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTIONIf you change your mindYou do not have the right to exchange an item simplybecause you regret having bought it. Having said this, it isstill possible to do so in many shops. Some shops will alsorefund your money. While others will issue you with a creditnote for the amount or the possibility of exchanging theitem for something else in the shop.115

ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTIONDeclaration and labellingYou have the right to know the manufacture date of thefoodstuffs you buy as well as their storage life. There areseveral schemes for the labelling and control of foodstuffs.For example, this may be a guarantee that a product hasbeen organically manufactured. Non-foodstuff productsare labelled to show whether they are environment-friendlyor energy-efficient, for example.Ø-mærket (the Danish Ø-label)The Ø-mærket (the Danish Ø label) is used in connectionwith foodstuffs and plants. The Danish Ø-label indicates thatthe product is guaranteed by state-control to be organic inorigin. This means that no pesticides have been used in theproduction process, with a few exceptions such as sulphur,for example. Artificial fertlizer is prohibited if at least 80% ofpet fodder is organic.Energy labellingEnergy labelling is a mandatory, joint European labelling ofdifferent white goods, electric ovens, cars and light sources,i.e. electric light bulbs, halogen lamps, fluorescent lighting,etc. The A-label shows that the product has the lowest energyconsumption compared to corresponding products.Svanen (the Danish Swan label)Svanen (the Danish Swan eco label) is the Nordic Councilof Ministers’ eco label for non-foodstuff products such asdetergent powder, cleaning agents and toilet paper. The labelindicates that the products are the most environmentallysustainable in the relevant product category.Possibilities for complaintIf you feel you have been unjustly treated by a shop orseller when you have complained about their product,you can contact the Consumer Complaints Board* or aprivate complaints and appeal board. You will have to paya fee when you register your complaint. If the board findsin your favour, you will get a full refund. You can find outmore about your complaint possibilities by logging ontowww.forbrug.dk.116

The Danish tax systemEveryone pays taxEveryone who lives in Denmark must pay tax if they receivean income. This also applies if you are:• Unemployed and receive cash benefit from the stateor unemployment benefit from your unemploymentfund.• A student and receive SU, the state education grantsand loan scheme.• A pensioner who receives a state pension.• Work abroad or have an income from abroad but livein Denmark.• Have your own business.To the state and the municipal authoritiesThe Danish tax system works in such a way that all privatepersons pay income tax to the state and municipal authorities.If you are a homeowner you must pay property tax.Members of the Danish National Church have to pay churchtax. Companies have to pay corporate tax. If you have acapital income, from securities for example, you have topay tax on these as well.Indirect taxesIn addition to income tax, we also pay indirect taxes in theform of VAT every time we buy a product or service. Wealso pay tax on a number of goods such as cars, petrol,alcohol and tobacco.Possibilities for allowanceSome costs can be deducted from income before the taxauthorities calculate your tax contribution.These include interest costs on debts, trade union membershipcosts, unemployment insurance and child maintenance, andtransport costs in connection with work. The latter, however,will depend on how far you have to your place of work. Inaddition, you will receive a personal tax allowance which isnot linked to any particular cost.Tax returnIf you are an employee, your tax will automatically bededucted at source before you receive your salary.Every year you must complete a tax return which containsinformation about your income and the allowances towhich you are entitled. You will receive your tax return inMarch, and if you have any changes to make, you musthand it in no later than 1 May. You can make changes usinga form that accompanies the tax return, and send it off toSKAT. You can also make changes over the phone or theInternet at www.skat.dk.Later, you will get an annual tax return which indicates howmuch tax you have paid and whether you have to makean additional payment or whether you are entitled to atax refund.ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTION117

ECONOMY AND CONSUMPTIONTAX on most thingsParticularly in the case of employees, the tax authorities(SKAT) already have much of the information they require,as they obtain this information from companies, banks andthe like. This also usually applies to those costs which are taxdeductible. But it may be necessary for you to inform thetax authorities about certain tax deductible expenses - suchas transport costs, for example.If you have just arrived in DenmarkIf you have just arrived in the country, you need to contactyour tax centre and obtain a preliminary income assessmentand a tax rate and deduction card. There are about 30 taxcentres spread around the country. Log onto www.skat.dkto see which tax centre you belong to.Self-employedIf you are self-employed, you must ensure that you pay yourtax. You have to complete a tax return which must be handedin before 1 July. You are also required to file accounts whichhave been approved by an accountant.If you are self-employed and VAT registered, you mustpay VAT and tax on the products you sell. You must makesure you keep accounts and have them approved by anaccountant.Amount of taxHow much tax you have to pay will depend on your incomeand tax allowance. In addition, the rate of taxation variesfrom municipal authority to authority.Rate of taxation increases with size of incomeThe Danish tax system is progressive. This means that themore a person earns, the higher their rate of taxation - i.e.the percentage of their income on which their tax base iscalculated. The purpose of this system is to ensure that thosewho earn most contribute most towards the implementationof common tasks in society.118

“In the beginning, I was veryconfused because so muchwas different to the systemI knew in Macedonia. But Ilike the Danish system whereyou pay tax and in return haveaccess to free healthcare andschools. The Danish schoolsystem is really excellent. Thechildren enjoy a great dealof co-determination. That’s agood thing because it makesthem more independentand responsible towardsthemselves and society.”I like the DanishsystemNevzat Ibisi emigrated fromMacedonia to Denmark in1990. He is a trained teacherand teaches children froma multitude of ethnicbackgrounds.119

1 0 CULTURE AND LEISURE TIME

Lots of opportunitiesDenmark has a wide range of cultural and recreationalactivities. These comprises everything from music, theatre,cinema, art, museums and exhibitions to lectures, voluntaryeducation, sport and many different kinds of associations.The municipal authorities collaborate with associationsregarding activities in the local community. You can find outmore by logging onto your municipal authority’s website.Some activities and events are free, while others cost a lotof money. Pensioners and students are eligible for discountsin many places.Many libraries have clubs for young people, arrange exhibitions,screen films and organise children’s theatreperformances and invite guest speakers. Many also offerhomework assistance, language stimulation activities andvarious integration events.Books in several languagesAt the library you can also get help to find books andjournals in different languages. If the library does not havethe books and journals you are looking for, they can orderthem for you.CULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEYou can find information on current cultural events aroundthe country by logging onto www.kultunaut.dk.Start at the libraryThe library is a good place to start if you want to know moreabout Danish society or find out what is happening in themunicipal authority in which you live.Help is at handIn Denmark, libraries are free. You can borrow books, music,DVDs and computer games from the library. You can alsogain access to the Internet, read the day’s newspapers andget help to find specific information or materials. Amongother things, you can find lots of useful pamphlets fromorganisations and public authorities.121

The media and public debateCULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEThe right to think and speak freelyThe right to think and speak freely is an important part ofDanish democracy. This manifests itself in the free press andthe public debate.Media for citizens of immigrant originDanish daily life is characterised by numerous TV and radiostations, newspapers and periodicals and extensive communicationvia the Internet. Numerous media are speciallyaimed at citizens of immigrant origin. Find out more bylogging onto www.finfo.dk.TV programmes, regardless of whether you listen to themon the radio, TV, mobile phone or your computer. A medialicence is paid twice a year. It is the Danish Parliament thatregulates the media licence fee.You can register for a media licence* by logging ontowww.dr.dk.You can also subscribe to and pay for various private cableTV schemes.The broad media pictureA large part of the media concerns itself with pure entertainment.But the cultural, political and remaining publicdebate takes up a lot of space in the news, and this helps tocentre focus on problems and solutions that are importantto society.Media licence*Danmarks Radio and TV2 are public service* stations. It is theirjob to provide a wide range of radio and TV programmesof interest to all sections of the population.Among other things, the basis for public service mediaprogramming is a charge known as a media licence*. Thisis a charge you have to pay if you want to receive radio and122

Active in your leisure timeTogether with othersIn Denmark, many people use their leisure time to improvetheir skills within a given field or subject, develop theircreativity or attend lectures. They do so by attending nightschool, folk high schools and as association members. Meetingand being together with other people is an importantpart of these activities.Folk high schoolsGeneral educationIn the middle of the 19th century, a tradition for generaleducation was established that to this day characterisesDanish society. In essence, it encompasses the ideal thateveryone should have access to social knowledge andlearning. As a result of this cultural movement, the Danishfolk high school came into being*.Today, there are folk high schools, usually just called “highschools” spread across the country. High schools offer coursesin everything from creative subjects to academic subjectsand more general social studies.If you do not want to stay or do not have the possibility ofstaying at a high school, you can live at home and simplyattend as a day student.Find out more about high schools at www.hojskoler.dk.For young immigrantsThe association of folk high schools in Denmark organisesspecial courses and stays at high schools for immigrants. Oneexample is the “Sommercamp” (summer camp), a threeweekhigh school course for young people. “Sommercamp”will be held from 2007 to 2009. Participants receive tuitionin school and general subjects and are thus able to improvetheir academic skills during the summer holidays. Find outmore about “Sommercamp” at www.campsommer.dk.You may be eligible for financial aid in connection withyour high scool stay. Find out more by logging onto www.emph.dkCULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEAcademic and personal developmentAt a high school, people can improve and develop bothacademically and on a personal level, and at the same timeget to meet different people. You can also use a high schoolstay to discover whether you have the necessary motivationto complete vocational training, a youth educationprogramme or higher education.Cultural activitiesYou live and eat at the school for the duration of the course.Courses may range from one week to one year. In additionto tuition, the stay forms a framework for a number ofcultural activities: excursions, parties and lecture evenings.123

CULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEAt high school I havefriends from all overEurope“Being a student at highschool is an experience I willnever forget. I have madefriends from all over Europeand I’m learning languagesand lots of things about Danishsociety. I’m improving myknowledge the whole time.In our leisure time we havefun watching movies, playingfootball or basketball. You arenever lonely here.”Ali emigrated from Afghanistanto Denmark in 2003. He isa student at the European highschool in Kalø. Afterwards, hewants to enrol on the socialand healthcare assistantcourse in order to becomea radiographer.124

Association activitiesNight schoolsTuition in many subjectsMany people attend night school where they receive tuitionin many different subjects. This may take the form of languagetuition or other academic subjects. But subjects may also includephilosophy, history, bringing up children and talks about culturaltopics. There are also classes in body and motion, cookery, sewing,mailing, singing and a great deal more. Many night schoolsoffer special courses to new citizens. As a general rule, nightschools are run by an educational association* such as AOF (theWorkers Education Association), LOF (the Liberal Adult EducationAssociation) or FOF (the Adult Education Association).The courses are not free but given the fact the schools receivesubsidies from the municipal authorities, participants do nothave to pay the whole amount.Log onto your municipal authority’s website to find out moreabout night school activities in your local area.People who share a common interestDenmark is one of the few countries in the world where themajority of its citizens are members of an association. Here,people who share a common interest meet. This may be aninterest of an academic, political or cultural nature.Many different kinds of interestsDenmark has innumerable associations, organisations andclubs. Sport, political party, housing, art, music, immigrant,religious associations and associations for those with aspecial hobby - to name but a few. Check under “associations”in your local telephone directory. And your municipalauthority website.Some work for a causeSome associations work towards safeguarding the interestsof different groups such as the disabled, various patientgroups, the eldery or homosexuals. And some also worktowards a specific political goal, such as the environmentor animal welfare.CULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEMeeting placesFinally, there are also meeting places, clubs and club houseswhich are usually associated with a residential area wherepeople play cards, hold debates, pursue a leisure interest orlisten to talks and lectures.Anyone can start an associationEveryone has the right to start an association. All that isrequired is that you hold a meeting - a statutory generalmeeting - where you decide on and note down the aims125

CULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEof the association and the articles of association that are toapply. Articles are rules relating to who can be a memberof the association, how many members the board shouldhave, when the annual general meeting should be held,etc. A standard version of association articles can be foundat www.familieadvokaten.dk.You can play a partAn association can be a good way of meeting other peopleand actively participating in your local community. Associationsare managed by a board elected by association members. Asa member, you can put forward suggestions for associationwork and stand for election to the association board.Associations for new citizensThere are a number of associations that may be of specialinterest to new citizens. Such associations are for specificnationalities, friendship associations and associations thatfocus on integration and cultural contact. We refer to www.finfo.dk for further details.Sport and exerciseIf you want to do sports or exercise together with others, youcan become a member of a sport club. Here, for example,you can play football, handball, tennis, badminton, swimand gymnastics.Limited feeNearly all forms of formalised exercise and sport are runby associations or organisations that people can join. Youhave to pay to become a member, but in some cases themunicipal authority will contribute towards the cost so thatthe fee remains low.Parents help outMany children and young people do different kinds of sportin their spare time. It is common for parents to supporttheir children, for example, by paying their membershipfees, ferrying the children to and from their activities andby participating at events.126

ReligionEveryone is free to practise their religionIn Denmark, everyone is free to practise their religion orpursue their outlook on life as long as they respect the law.Everyone is free to change their beliefs or religious affiliations- for example, by leaving one religious community tobecome a member of another. Denmark embraces manyreligions, beliefs and outlooks on life. Some people believein a divine being; others do not but base their outlook onlife on secular, humanitarian or other values.The Danish National Church*Performing services for societyIn accordance with the Danish constitution, the EvangelicalLutheran Church of Denmark* is the Danish National Churchand is officially supported by the government. The DanishNational Church performs a number of tasks and servicesfor society as a whole. This includes the registration of births,christenings and the registration of deaths.CULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEMost people are members of theDanish National ChurchThe majority of Danes belong to the Danish NationalChurch. Most became members when they were christenedas children.If you have moved to Denmark from abroad and wouldlike to join the Danish National Church, there are severaloptions open to you:• If you are a member of another Evangelical Lutherancommunity other than the Danish National Churchand make this clear, you will be registered as a memberof the Danish National Church at the same time as youare registered in the Danish national register.• If you have been christened but not by an EvangelicalLutheran religious community, you can become amember of the Danish National Church by contactingthe priest in your local community.• If you have not been christened, you can become amember of the Danish National Church by allowingyourself to be christened.If you do not want to become a member of the DanishNational Church, you can cancel your membership bycontacting the priest in your local community.127

CULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEChurch taxMembers of the Danish National Church have to pay churchtax. This money is used run the churches and maintain thecemeteries. Churches hold services and perform churchceremonies such as christenings, weddings and funerals.You can find out more about becoming a member of theDanish National Church by logging onto the Ministry ofEcclesiastical Affairs’ website at www.km.dk.Other religious communities150 different religious communitiesThere are about 150 different religious communities, largeand small, in Denmark.The right to erect buildingsReligious communities have the right to employ priests,imams, rabbis or appoint religious community leaders.Religious communities also have the right to erect buildingsthat can be used for religious worship. All that is required isthat they follow the normal planning rules and regulations.Religious communities can also run their own voluntaryeducation for children and young people.Eleven religious communities have been approved trossamfundin accordance with former regulations. This meansthat they can perform christenings and marriages. They canalso issue certificates with the same validity as those of theDanish National Church.Both approved and recognised religious communities canobtain permission to build a cemetery.Membership fees are tax deductible.Members of approved and recognised religious communitieshave the right to deduct their fees and religious communitygifts from tax once the tax authorities have approved thereligious community’s right to do so. No property tax is dueon religious community churches or cemeteries. Nor doapproved and recognised religious communities pay anyform of land tax for any land on which there are buildingsof religious worship.You can find out more about religious communities bylogging onto the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs’ websiteat www.km.dk.Approved and recognised religious communitiesMore than 100 religious communities, including the Islamic,Buddhist and Hindu communities, are approved in the sensethat their priests have the right to or can obtain the rightto perform marriages.128

Parties and social togethernessIn recreational life, you will come across those traditions andcustoms that relate to city life, neighbourliness, friendship,social gatherings and birthday parties. Many schools, day carecentres and sports clubs hold parties and social events. Manytowns, cities and residential areas have their own traditionsfor holding parties and social gatherings.Children’s birthday partiesMany parents with children at nursery and school invitetheir child’s friends or classmates to the child’s birthday party.Some only invite the boys or the girls. Layer cake, buns,chocolate milk and soft drinks. Singing birthday songs andplaying games is an integral part of a a traditional Danishchildren’s birthday party. Children who are invited to abirthday party are expected to being a birthday presentalong. If you are unsure how expensive a gift to buy, askthe other parents.CULTURE AND LEISURE TIMEParties and social gatheringsIn Denmark, parties are held in connection with numerousevents such as: weddings, christenings, confirmation,birthdays and religious festivals. People also hold partieswhen they purchase a new home, finish their education,are about to set off travelling - or simply because theyfeel like it.Then, they invite friends, family or work colleagues alongfor food, music and dancing.If you are invited to a party or a dinner, it is a good ideato being along a small present for the hosts. A bottleof wine, a bouquet of flowers, chocolate or somethingsimilar. If you are invited to a birthday party, you areexpected to buy a present.129

1 1 HEALTH AND SICKNESS

The Danish health serviceYour GPWhen you register with the national register in your municipalauthority, you can choose which GP you want; whether youprefer a male or female doctor, for example.Access to the public health service is through your GP. YourGP can treat some health problems immediately. Othersmay require a referral for further examination or treatmentby a specialist or treatment at a hospital.In Denmark, visiting your GP is free.Visiting your GP is free, as is hospitalisation. The costs areborne by the tax payer.Things you have to pay forYou have to pay towards the cost of medicine, dental careand physiotherapy, for example. But you may also be eligiblefor a subsidy.HEALTH AND SICKNESSYou do not need a referral from your GP if you need to goand see a dentist or if you are in acute pain and need to go tohospital emergency or require immediate hospitalisation.Danish health insurance cardThe health insurance card sent to you by your municipalauthority is your proof that you are entitled to publichealth treatment. The card states your name, address andpersonal identification number and the name and addressof your GP.Provides coverage when travelling in EuropeYou must take your health insurance card with you whenyou visit the dentist, hospital emergency or in the event ofhospitalisation. You must also have it with you when youtravel outside Denmark. The health insurance card providescover if you fall ill or have an accident while travelling inEurope as long as the trip is for pleasure and you are awayfor less than a month. Find out more by logging onto www.sundhed.dk131

At the doctor’sHEALTH AND SICKNESSMake an appointmentIf you need to see your doctor, be sure to call and makean appointment. Most GPs have office hours from 8 a.m.to 4 p.m., daily. You will be given an appointment no laterthan five days after the time of your call. If you are feelingvery unwell, your doctor will probably make room to seeyou the same day.Examination, treatment or referralThe doctor will examine you and decide on the next step.You may be given a medical prescription.The doctor can also refer you for further examination ortreatment by a specialist - for example, a dermatologist or agynaecologist. Visits to a specialist are also free. Your doctormay refer you for a form of treatment for which you arerequired to pay some of the costs. This might be treatmentby a physiotherapist or a psychologist.Finally, your doctor can arrange for you to be hospitalised,if this is deemed necessary.InterpreterYour doctor must ensure that you understand each other. Ifyou do not speak the same language, the doctor must callfor an interpreter. Find out more about using an interpreterin Chapter 4, New Citizen in Denmark.Visiting your GP• Be on time.• Call ahead of time if you are unable to keep yourappointment.• Your doctor may be busy with another patient so thatyou will have to wait a little when you arrive for yourappointment.• Come by yourself or with one other person. Makethe doctor aware in advance that you will need aninterpreter.132

Psychological problems“Emotional heartache and distress”In Denmark, it is not uncommon to suffer from psychiatricproblems. Feeling emotionally distressed is not the same asbeing mentally ill. Many Danes seek help and get treatmentfor psychological problems. If you have arrived in Denmarkto escape war or persecution, there may be several reasonsfor suffering mental problems that you would not have hadunder normal living conditions.Psychiatric problems can result in physical painVisit your doctor if you are experiencing psychiatric problemsand need help. Psychiatric problems can also lead to physicalpain. If, for example, you are suffering from back pains,stomach pains or headaches without any obvious physicalcause, or you are sleeping badly, you should visit your doctor.Your doctor will examine you to determine whether thereis a psychiatric cause.Psychological counsellingYour doctor may feel that your symptoms can not be treatedusing medicine alone. You may, therefore, be referred to apsychologist who can help you.If you are experiencing mental anguish as a result of war ortorture, your doctor will refer you to a centre for traumatisedrefugees.Children can also feel poorlyYou should be aware that your children may also be sufferingfrom after affects and require help. You can talk about this withyour doctor, case officer, health visitor, teachers or personnelat your child’s nursery, crèche or after-school recreationscheme. They can advise you on how to proceed.HEALTH AND SICKNESSAsking about your problemsYour doctor might ask you if you are worried or have a lot onyour mind. Whether you are experiencing marital problems.Or whether you miss your family and native country. Orwhether you have been exposed to traumatic experiencessuch as war and torture or been held in prison.Your doctor has to observe secrecyYour doctor must observe secrecy, so you are not at risktalking to him or her about your problems. Whatever yousay will remain between you and will not be passed on tothe authorities, unless you wish it.133

Emergency doctor serviceEmergency 112HEALTH AND SICKNESSOutside normal consultation hoursIf you need the doctor after 4 p.m. on weekdays, aroundthe clock at weekends and public holidays, you must callthe emergency doctor service. You can find the telephonenumber of your emergency doctor service in your telephonedirectory or by logging onto your municipal authority’swebsite or www.sundhed.dk.QuestionsWhen you call the emergency doctor service, the on-dutydoctor will ask you how you are feeling. Or if you are callingon someone else’s behalf, they will ask how he or she isfeeling. They will ask you questions like: Do you have a feverand if so, how high is it? Are you experiencing any pain? Ifit is an injury, the doctor will ask questions to determinehow serious it is.In an emergencyIf someone suddenly collapses, can not breathe, suffers anaccident or is attacked, you must call the emergency callcentre immediately on 112.At the emergency call centre, you will be asked your name,address and the phone number from which you are calling.The call centre will then make sure that an ambulance or thepolice or some other form of help is sent immediately.Based on the answers, the doctor will assess whether youshould visit your own doctor the next day, whether a doctorshould visit you at home, or whether you should drive over tothe emergency doctor service or go to hospital emergency.You will also be asked for your own or the patient’s personalidentification number.Only use the emergency doctor servicewhen it is absolutely necessaryOnly call the emergency doctor service when it is absolutelynecessary or if you are in doubt as to how sick you or yourchild may be.134

Children’s examinations and vaccinationsNine examinationsFrom the age of five weeks to 15 years, your child will begiven nine preventive health examinations by the doctor.The first seven will take place before the child begins school,the last two when the child begins and leaves school.Examination programmeThe examination follows a fixed programme. The purpose isto monitor your child’s well-being and development. In thisway you and your doctor can determine whether your childhas any problems and take action where necessary.German measlesIf you contract German measles during pregnancy, you riskyour child being born with a handicap. For this reason youshould be vaccinated before becoming pregnant if you area woman and have not had German measles, or if you havenot been vaccinated against this disease.Children in Denmark are vaccinated according to thefollowing programme:AgeVaccineHEALTH AND SICKNESSMake an appointmentYou must make an appointment with your doctor for thefirst seven examinations.Free vaccinationsAll children can be vaccinated against a number of diseases.The vaccinations are free. It is your doctor who vaccinatesyour child. This may take place at the same time as yourchild receives a normal health examination.Three monthsFive monthsTwelve monthsFifteen monthsFive yearsTwelve yearsDi-Te-Ki-Pol-HibDi-Te-Ki-Pol-HibDi-Te-Ki-Pol-HibMFR IDi-Te-Ki-PolMFR IIIt is the Danish health authorities that decide which diseasesyour child can be vaccinated against. These are diphtheria(Di),tetanus(Te), whooping cough(Ki), polio(Pol), measles, mumps,German measles(MFR) and meningitis(Hib).135

HEALTH AND SICKNESSOther vaccinationsIf you are the mother of a child and have hepatitis B, thechild will be vaccinated against this disease. The child willreceive the first vaccination immediately after birth. Thechild will receive following vaccinations when it is four tofive weeks old, two months old and at 12 months.If a member of your family has been infected with hepatitisB, the rest of the family can be vaccinated against the diseasefree of charge by your GP.Vaccinations before travellingIf you need special vaccinations in connection with travelabroad, you must pay for these yourself.Tell and askHealth and disease are sensitive and personal issues.At the same time, we also perceive health and diseasedifferently according to our cultural upbringing. Forthis reason misunderstandings can easily occur whendifferent cultures’ health perceptions meet. Especiallyif it is difficult to understand each other.Hospital health personnel will tell you about yourtreatment, your rights and duties as a patient. It isimportant that you listen carefully to what they say,and respect the way things are done. But it is equallyimportant that you tell them about your wishesand expectations. And ask questions when there issomething you do not understand.136

At the hospitalExaminations and treatmentYou can be admitted to hospital if you suddenly suffer an injuryor fall ill. Or you can be referred by your own doctor for anexamination or treatment at the hospital. Many examinationsand a lot of treatment take place before you are admitted tohospital. This allows you to go home the same day.Free choice of hospitalIn relation to many treatments, you can choose which hospitalyou wish to be admitted to. If you choose a hospital outsidethe region where you live, you many not be admitted due toa lack of available bed space. Talk to your doctor about yourchoice of hospital.HEALTH AND SICKNESSMulti-patient wardsIf you are admitted to hospital, you will stay in a ward togetherwith two or three other patients. Men and women lie in separatewards.Rules governing food and visiting hoursPeace and quietPeople who are ill need peace and quiet. This is why most hospitalshave fixed visiting hours. And hospitals expect visitors to be quietand show consideration towards all patients.The hospital provides meals, clothesand bathing facilitiesThe hospital makes sure that patients are fed, bathed, wear cleanclothes and that their various needs are met. Visitors are allowedto bring fruit along, but may only bring food into the hospitalafter consultation with hospital personnel.137

HEALTH AND SICKNESSChildren in hospitalParents can spend the night with their childrenMost hospitals provide stay-over facilities for the parents ofhospitalised children. Parents of sick children may also stayat the hospital outside normal visiting hours.Psychiatric hospitalInterviews and medical treatmentPeople who suffer so much from a psychiatric illness that theycan no longer function in their daily lives may be admittedto a psychiatric ward until they feel better. Here, patients cantalk about their problems and receive medical treatment.In many cases, patients take an active part in planning theirown treatment. At many psychiatric hospitals it is possibleto be admitted to a private ward. Psychiatric hospitals haveopen and closed wards.Compulsory hospitalisationPeople who are suffering from severe psychiatric illness andwho pose a danger to themselves or others should be admittedto a psychiatric ward. If the person refuses, he or she may becommitted if the doctor deems this necessary. Compulsoryhospitalisation always takes place in closed wards.138

Dental careDental care for childrenFree dental care from 0 to 18All children in Denmark are entitled to free dental healthcare from the age of 0 to 18. They attend regular dentalcheck-ups. Here, they learn how to look after their teeth,and their teeth are treated and adjusted where necessary.Look after milk teethYour child will be asked to attend a dental appointmentbefore the age of two. Even though the child does not haveany teeth, it is still a good idea to keep the appointment.And even though milk teeth fall out during the child’s earlyyears, you still need to take good care of them while theyare there. Otherwise you risk damaging the permanentteeth that follow.HEALTH AND SICKNESSMany municipal authorities have dental clinics that areaffiliated to schools. Some smaller authorities have anagreement with a private dentist. But here, too, children’sdental care is free.School dental careWhen your child begins school, it will automatically be calledfor a dental check-up. Dental healthcare workers also visitschools to teach children how to look after their teeth.It is a good idea for parents to accompany children to thedentist’s while the children are small. If the child requiresmajor treatment, the parents will first be consulted.Adult dental healthcareFind your own private dentistAdults over 18 must find their own private dentist, forexample, by looking in the local telephone directory. Youhave to pay for check-ups and treatment, but the state payspart of the cost. This amount is automatically deductedfrom your bill.139

MedicineHEALTH AND SICKNESSIf you have private health insurance, you can get extrafinancial assistance to pay for regular and special treatmentor major dental operations.Visit your dentist regularlyIt is a good idea to visit your dentist on a regular basis andnot just when you have a dental problem. Your dentistmay discover a cavity before it starts to cause pain. And thetreatment will be less extensive and costly. You should makearrangements with your dentist about how often you shouldcome for check-ups.Make an appointmentYou have to make an appointment and arrive at the appointedtime. If you want to attend regular check-ups, yourdentist will send you a reminder with an appointment foryour next check-up.With and without a prescriptionSome types of medicine can only be bought with a medicalprescription. Others can be bought without. At thechemist’s you can buy all kinds of medicine. Medicinerequiring a doctor’s prescription can only be bought at achemist’s. Medicine for light headaches, a sore throat andproducts designed to help people stop smoking can alsobe bought in supermarkets, at grocery stores and at somepetrol stations.Subsidised medicineThe state can give a subsidy towards certain types of medicine.This will depend on the finances of the individual andthe amount of medicine taken in one year. Consult yourdoctor or chemist.Dental healthcare for people withphysical and mental disabilitiesThe municipal authorities provide dental healthcare forpeople with severe physical and mental disabilities. And thestate pays most of the cost.Outside normal dental hoursIf you suddenly experience severe toothache outsidenormal dental hours, you can visit a 24-hour dental emergencyservice. You will find the number listed in your localtelephone directory.140

Healthy diet and exerciseImportant for avoiding diseaseFood provides energy and nutrition which the body needs tofunction. A healthy diet includes lots of fruit and vegetablesand only a small amount of fat and sugar. Movement andexercise are important for a healthy life and avoiding anumber of the diseases we are exposed to in our modernsociety.Diabetes, heart disease and cancerDiseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heartdisease and cancer are called lifestyle diseases becausethey are attributable to the way in which we live. Today,we have machines to do most of the tasks that previouslyrequired physical labour. Most people have jobs where theyare seated for most of the day and which involve drivingto and from work. Many people lead a busy day and find itis easier to buy ready-made food instead of cooking theirown healthy meals.At riskFood that contains too much fat or sugar, too little physicalactivity, smoking and too much alcohol increase the risk oflifetsyle diseases. Genes can also play a role. If your parents orsiblings have type 2 diabetes, for example, you are also at riskof contracting the disease. You must therefore be especiallymindful of eating healthy food and doing exercise.HEALTH AND SICKNESS141

Good advice about healthHEALTH AND SICKNESSYou can do a lot to reduce the risk of contracting a lifestyledisease. Lead a healthy life. This means: do not smoke, drinkalcohol in moderation and follow eight tips from the Danishhealth authorities. The eight tips are listed here:Eat fruit and vegetables - at least 600 grams a day.If you eat at least 600 grams of fruit and vegetables a day,you will reduce the risk of getting heart disease, diabetesand cancer. If you eat an apple, orange, banana and a carrotevery day and if you use vegetables in your hot meal, youwill easily consume 600 grams a day. Nuts and dried fruitcan also be included.Eat fish and fish products - several times a weekFish is healthy because it contains fish oil, vitamin D andselenium. Most other foods contain little of these ingedients.You can eat fish cooked, as a starter or on sandwiches. Youcan also eat herring, mackrel or tinned tuna, for example.Eat potatoes, rice, couscous or pasta - every dayBread, flour and corn products are healthy and contain littlefat. Whole-grain bread and oatmeal are particularly healthybecause they contain lots of fibre and vitamin B. Choosebread that contains little sugar and rye bread rather thanwhite bread. White bread contains less fibre and thereforefills you up less than courser bread.142

Eat only a little sugar - especiallyin soft drinks and cakesSweets contain lots of calories and very few healthy ingredients.Too many sweets leave little room for healthy food.Eat only a small amount of fat - especiallyin dairy products and meatYour body needs fat but not too much of it. It is best to useplant oil and reduce your intake of animal fat. Choose leanmeats and remove extra visible fat. Choose low-fat milk,yoghurt and cheese.Eat a varied diet - and maintainyour normal weightEat different kinds of bread, fruit, vegetables, meat anddairy products every day. This will give you all the vitaminsand minerals your body needs. If your weight increases, eatsmaller portions and exercise more. It is easier to maintainyour weight if you are physically active every day.Quench your thirst in waterYour body needs between 1 and 1½ litres of water every day.Ordinary tap water is best because it quenches your thirstand does not contain calories.Diet supplementsVitamin DIf you have dark skin, spend most of the day indoors orensure your skin is covered so that it does not receivemuch daylight, you should take a vitamin D supplement.You should take a supplement of 10 micrograms a day. Askyour chemist how best to cover your need for vitamin D.Babies and small children should be given vitamin D drops.Ask your health visitor.The body produces its own supply of vitamin D when theskin is exposed to sunlight. But if you spend all your timeindoors or in the shade, your body will find it more difficultto produce vitamin D, and few foodstuffs actually containthis vitamin. If your body does not get enough vitamin D,you may end up experiencing pain in your arms and legsand having weak muscles.CalciumIf you do not drink enough milk or eat enough dairyproducts then you need to take extra calcium, between500 and 1000 grams a day.HEALTH AND SICKNESSStay physically active - at least 30 minutes a dayUse the stairs, go for a walk. Your body needs at least 30minutes of daily exercise. And it is a good idea to do sportonce or several times a week. Children should stay activefor at least an hour every day. All kinds of physical activityare healthy for children and adults, young and old. It is goodfor your body and general disposition, and it makes it easierto maintain your ideal weight.Find out more by logging onto www.altomkost.dk andwww.helse.dk.143

1 2 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS

Customs and red-letter daysIn Denmark, people celebrate a number of public holidays,red-letter days and customs throughout the year. On someof these days, children are given the day off from schooland adults the day off from work.ShrovetideFastelavn (Shrovetide) is another word for “Carneval” - aspring festival, which can be traced as far back as AncientGreece. In Denmark, Shrovetide originally marked thecommencement of fasting according to the Christian faith.According to ancient custom, children dressed up in fancydress and beat a barrel. In ancient times, the barrel containeda cat. Today, the person who breaks the barrel is called thecat king. Shrovetide falls 49 days before Easter.8th March8th March is International Women’s Day and is celebratedwith events around the country.EasterEaster is the Christian religious festival that marks the crucifixion,death and resurrection of Christ. In Denmark, Easteris often a time of family celebration. From ancient times,there persists a tradition of giving each other chocolateeaster eggs. The egg is an ancient symbol of fertility. Easterfalls each year between March and April.1st May1st May is International Workers’ Day and is celebrated withprocessions and events across the country.WhitsunAccording to Christian faith, Whitsun commemorates thecoming of the Holy Spirit to Earth. Originally, Whitsun markedthe end of seven weeks’ easter celebration. At Whitsun, thereis a tradition of rising early to watch the sun “dance”, andmany people eat a Whitsun picnic in the forest. Whitsunfalls each year in May or June.Constitution Day5th June is Constitution Day, where people hold meetingsand speeches to commemorate Denmark’s democraticconstitution, the constitution of the Kingdom of Denmark.Denmark celebrated its first constitution in 1849.Midsummer DayIn Denmark, Midsummer Day is commemorated on theevening of 23rd June. Midsummer Day has its origins inheathen folk tradition and Christianity. The celebrationmarks mid-summer, and according to ancient custom, dollssignifying witches are burnt atop blazing fires. MidsummerDay also commemorates John the Baptist’s birthday on24th June.PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS145

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND RELIGIOUS FESTIVALSChristmasChristmas celebrates the birth of Christ. Christmas Eve ison 24th December. Here, the family gathers to eat andgive each other presents. Most people dance around theChristmas tree and sing Christmas carols and other songs.Many people attend a church Christmas service. And atChristmas, all the shops and streets are decorated with lights,hearts and spruce. Pixies, small fantasy creatures which arepart of the heathen tradition, also have an important partto play at Danish Christmas celebrations. In December,many workplaces hold Christmas lunches, and at nursery,schools and after-school recreational centres, childrenmake Christmas presents. Many children have a Christmascalendar just like the ones they see on the Christmas calendarTV programmes. These calenders count down the days toChristmas Eve. On the 25th and 26th December, which arecalled Christmas Day and Boxing Day, many families gatherfor a Christmas lunch.Other religious festivals and red-letter daysIt line with the growing trend of global cultural “imitation”,and as more and more Danes of foreign origin have takentheir place in Danish society, a number of alternative customsand red-letter days have been adopted.• Some schools celebrate Ramadan - the Muslim monthof fasting.• In many places, the American tradition of Halloween iscelebrated on 31 October. Children dress up as witchesand ghosts, for example. Pumpkins are gouged out,given a mouth and eyes and a lighted candle is thenplaced inside.• In many parts of the country, people hold carnivalsmimicking the traditional South American celebrationwith samba music and processions. The biggest carnivalsare held in Copenhagen at Whitsun.New YearNew Year’s Eve falls on 31st December, and across the landpeople celebrate the coming of the new year by setting offfireworks. On New Year’s day, 1st January, nearly all shopsand places of work remain closed.146

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS147

1 3 REPATRIATION

Advice and financial aidIf you are considering returning to your home country, you canseek advice and guidance from the Danish Refugee Council.You may also be eligible for financial aid in returning to yournative country or former country of residence. This, however,does not apply to citizens of the EU or Scandinavia.It is up to the municipal authorityIf you are considering returning to your native countryor former country of residence, you must inform yourmunicipal authority. Based on your grounds for residence,your authority will assess your financial situation and anyfinancial aid you might receive. Financial aid can covertravel costs, help towards the transportation of personaleffects, re-establishment aid, help towards the purchase andtransport of business equipment, help in paying for healthinsurance and prescribed medicine.Re-integration assistanceIf you have turned 60, or if you have turned 50 and are unableto work, you are eligible for a special type of assistance. Thisis called re-integration assistance. This is a monthly paymentthat is made for a period of five years. You also have thepossibility of opting for a lifelong payment where you arepaid a slightly smaller amount each year. A preconditionfor receiving this allowance is that you have permanentresidence in Denmark and have resided in the country forthe past five years.We refer to the Danish Refugee Council’s website at www.flygtning.dk.REPATRIATIONYou must travel togetherIf you arrived in Denmark as a result of family reunification,you can only receive financial repatriation aid if you arerepatriated together with the person with whom you wereoriginally reunified. This, however, does not apply in caseswhere you have divorced or your spouse is deceased.Only onceIt is possible to receive repatriation aid, or aid in returningto the former country of residence, once.Right of revocationIf within 12 months of leaving Denmark and being repatriatedin your home country you regret your decision, it should bepossible for you to return to Denmark. Right of revocationonly applies once, however.149

Practical informationPRACTICAL INFORMATIONEmergencyIn acute life-threatening emergenciessuch as fire, grievous bodily assault andacute illness, call 112.ChemistsAt the chemist you can buy prescriptionand non-prescription medicine.Many supermarkets and petrol stationssell various kinds of non-prescriptionmedicine such as painkillers and coughmedicine.Chemists are normally open between09.00 and 17.30 on weekdays, with theexception of Saturday when the majorityclose at 13.00 or 14.00.In addition, chemists take turns in offering24-hour service. You can findout which chemists operate a 24-hourservice by calling your nearest chemistor by logging onto www.sundhed.dk.You will have to pay a charge for buyingmedicine outside normal openinghours.BanksBanks are open on Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday and Friday from 10.00 to16.00. On Thursdays, banks stay openlonger, until 17.30 or 18.00.Many banks have cashpoint machineswhere it is possible to withdraw moneyusing a Dankort card or credit card.LibrariesAll municipal authorities have librarieswhere you can borrow books, CDsand videos and gain free access tothe Internet.Most main libraries are open on weekdaysfrom 10.00 to 19.00, and from10.00 to 13.00 or 14.00 on Saturday.Local libraries usually have shorteropening hours.Check your municipal authority websitefor local library opening hours.Borger.dk (citizen.dk)Borger.dk is a portal that deals withpublic authorities in Denmark. Hereyou can find information on all publicauthorities and their respective areas ofresponsibility. The website also providesinformation on what you can do yourself,and who to contact to find out more.There are many self-service options,for example, how to notify authoritieswhen you move or how to find yournearest GP or chemist.ShopsAll shops are allowed to stay openMonday to Saturday from 06.00 to17.00. Shops must normally close onSundays, public holidays, ConstitutionDay, Christmas Day and after 15.00 onNew Year’s Day. Shops with a smallturnover, however, may also stay openon Sundays and public holidays.150

All shops are also allowed to stay openon six Sundays a year. Two of theseSundays must be in July or August. Inaddition to these six Sundays, shopsare allowed to stay open on the firstSunday of each month as well as allSundays in December leading up toChristmas Day.Most small shops are open Mondayto Thursday from 10.00 to 18.00. Theystay open longer on Friday and closeearlier on Saturday. Many of the majorsupermarkets and department storesare open from 08.00 or 09.00 to 20.00or 21.00 in the evening.MuseumsThere are about 850 museums andcollections around the country. Onehundred and forty are national museumsor receive grants from the state. Someof these charge an admission fee, butchildren and youngsters under 18 havefree admission to national and stateapprovedmuseums in Denmark. Adultsalso have free admission to the NationalMuseum and Statens Museum for Kunst,and certain other museums offer freeadmission on selected days.Danish museums include the majornational museums of art and historyas well as the smaller museums oflocal history and those with specialthemes such as maritime, trade andfishery. Denmark also has special prisonmuseums and museums of medicineand medical knowledge, not to mentiontoy, chocolate, bicycle, potato andbottle ship museums.Find out more about museums by loggingonto www.borger.dk and clickingon “Culture and leisure time”.Public authority officesMost public authority offices havefixed office hours and times whenthey are open to the public. Many stayopen longer on Thursday and closeearly on Friday. Municipal authorities,regions and ministries have their ownwebsites with information and selfserviceoptions.We refer to www.borger.dk for furtherdetails.Public transportDenmark has a well-developed publictransport system, both national andlocally. You can buy a monthly travelcard and a discount card for buses andtrains. Ask at your train or bus station,or ask your municipal authority if youneed further information. Or log ontowww.rejseplanen.dk.PostSome kiosks and newsagents sell stamps,which are otherwise sold at post offices.Post offices dispatch letters andpackages, and handle domestic andoverseas payments. You can also notifythe authorities of a change of addressat your local post office. Here it is alsopossible to buy tickets for the theatre,concerts and various sports events.National and overseas mail must beplaced in the red letterboxes that youwill find almost everywhere. Collectiontimes are posted on the letterboxes.Local post offices have different openinghours but most are open daily from 09.30to 17.00. Post offices close at 17.30 onThursday and 13.00 on Saturday.PRACTICAL INFORMATIONLog onto www.postdanmark.dk for acomplete list of postcodes and postoffice opening hours.151

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONTelephoneTelephone boxes are to be found in manypublic places. Here you can use coinsor a special pay card, which is availablefrom newsagents and post offices.All local areas have their own telephonedirectory which is distributed to allhouseholds. In addition to telephonenumbers, it contains a good deal of practicalinformation about your municipalauthority, the emergency doctor service,the police, associations, museums, amap of the local area and the “yellowpages” which provide information onlocal businesses.You can also find telephone numbersby calling “directory enquiries” on 118,or by logging onto www.degulesider.dk, www.krak.dk or www.eniro.dk, forexample.152

Places to find more informationInternetwww.borger.dkA complete overview of state, regionaland municipal authority informationand self-service options. In Danish.www.finfo.dkInformation about Danish society in anumber of languages. Here you can alsofind a list of ethnic and cross-culturalassociations in Denmark.www.denmark.dkInformation about Danish society in English,German, French and Spanish.www.workimport.dkInformation about seeking employmentin Denmark. In Danish, English,German, Swedish and Polish.www.workindenmark.dkInformation for foreign knowledgeworkers about living and working inDenmark. In English.www.studyindenmark.dkInformation about living and studyingin Denmark. In English.Telephone1881 - here you can get help to findrelevant public information regardingDanish society, authorities or self-serviceoptionsService in Danish and EnglishIf you are calling from abroad, youneed to dial: 70 10 18 81Your local libraryYour local library can help you findinformation and information searches.Most libraries have their own computersthat provide Internet access forinformation searching.Your municipal authorityYour municipal authority is the first steptowards gaining a foothold in Danishsociety. Here you can seek help andadvice about housing, education andemployment.At www.kl.dk, Local Government Denmark’s(KL) website, you can find municipalauthority addresses, website ande-mail addresses, telephone numbersand a great deal more.Factsheet DenmarkA series of information sheets withgeneral information about Denmark’shistory, politics economy, culture, etc.in English, German, French and Spanish,which can be obtained from thefollowing link:www.um.dk/da/servicemenu/Publikationer/DanmarksinformationPaaAndreSprogYou can also obtain them bycontacting:Udenrigsministeriet (the Danish Ministryof Foreign Affairs) Asiatisk Plads 21448 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 92 08 89E-mail: ke@um.dkPRACTICAL INFORMATIONYou can also contact KL on 33 70 33 70to obtain this information.153

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONOverblik (Overview)- in simple DanishOverblik is published 10 times a year. Thepublication contains eight pages of currentarticles about Denmark, internationalaffairs, culture and sport.The publication can be ordered from:Notat GrafiskNordkystvejen 2F8961 AllingåbroTelephone: 86 48 08 54Website: www.paaletdansk.dkE-mail: adm@pptekst.dk154

Organisations and institutions of special importance tonew citizensMinisteriet for Flygtninge,Indvandrere og Integration(the Ministry forRefugees, Immigration &Integration Affairs)Holbergsgade 61057 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 92 33 80Website: www.nyidanmark.dkE-mail: inm@inm.dkDeals with matters relating to generalimmigration and integration policy as wellas citizenship. Acts as an appeals body forImmigration Service decisions on familyreunification, visas and employmentresidence permits or permits issued onspecial grounds, including those issuedfor humanitarian reasons.including asylum cases, family reunification,residence and work permits, andvisas. Acts as an appeals body in casesdealing with residence and work permitsin accordance with special EU/EEAregulations.Flygtningenævnet(the Refugee Board)St. Kongensgade 1-31264 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 92 96 00Website: www.fln.dkE-mail: fln@inm.dkThe Refugee Board deals with complaintsregarding Immigration Service decisionson immigrant citizens’ requests forasylum in Denmark.Advises the Minister for Integration onimportant questions relating to immigrantsand refugees. Elected fromamongst representatives of the municipalintegration councils.Statsforvaltningen(the State Administration)There are five regional state administrationsin Denmark. These administrationsdeal with cases relating to separation,divorce, spousal support, child supportpayments, custody, co-habitation casesand names. They also deal with casesrelating to residence and work permitsin accordance with special EU/EEAregulations.Website: www.statsforvaltning.dkPRACTICAL INFORMATIONUdlændingeservice(The Immigration Service)Ryesgade 532100 Copenhagen ØTelephone: 35 36 66 00Website: www.nyidanmark.dkE-mail: udlst@udlst.dkProcessing of cases dealing with immigrantaccess to residence in Denmark,Rådet for EtniskeMinoriteter (the Councilfor Ethnic Minorities)Ministry for Refugees, Immigration &Integration AffairsHolbergsgade 61057 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 92 27 90Website: www.rem.dkE-mail: rem@inm.dkJob centresEvery municipal authority has its ownjob centre. Each job centre has its ownwebsite featuring local information forjob seekers and employers. The mainjob centre website contains furtherinformation about job centre services andindividual job centre contact details.Website: www.jobnet.dk155

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONDansk Flygtningehjælp(the Danish Refugee Council)Borgergade 10, 3rd floorPostboks 531002 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 73 50 00Website: www.flygtning.dkE-mail: drc@drc.dkA humanitarian organisation that helpsrefugees, supports voluntary integrationwork and advises on the possibilitiesfor immigrant and refugee repatriation.The Danish refugee Council alsoprovides homework assistance andsocial activities such as women’s clubsand communal eating.Dansk Røde Kors(the Danish Red Cross)Blegdamsvej 272100 Copenhagen ØTelephone: 35 25 92 00Website: www.drk.dkE-mail: info@drk.dkHumanitarian organisation that providesvoluntary integration assistance. DanishRed Cross activities include homeworkassistance and bicycle training for adults,women’s groups and cross-culturalevents.Ungdommens Røde Kors(the Danish Red Cross Youth)Borgergade 10, 2nd floor2200 Copenhagen ØTelephone: 35 37 25 55Website: www.urk.dkE-mail: info@urk.dkAn independent humanitarian youthorganisation under the Danish RedCross. Danish Red Cross Youth activitiesinclude homework assistance cafés forchildren and young people.Institut for Menneskerettigheder(the Danish Institutefor Human Rights)Strandgade 561401 Copenhagen KTelephone: 32 69 88 88Website: www.humanrights.dkE-mail: center@humanrights.dkAn institute that gathers knowledge onhuman rights in Denmark, Europe andinternational human rights. In addition,the institute handles individual complaintsabout racial discrimination outside thelabour market.Klagekomitéen for EtniskLigebehandling(Complaints Committee forEthnic Equal Treatment)Strandgade 561401 Copenhagen KTelephone: 32 69 89 44/ 32 69 89 45Website: www.klagekomite.dkE-mail: klagekomite@humanrights.dkThe Complaints Committee’s task isto handle individual complaints ofdiscrimination on the basis of race orethnic origin. It does not cost anythingto file a complaint and anyone canregister a complaint with the ComplaintsCommittee.156

Political partiesList of parties eligible to stand for parliamentaryelection as of 1 October 2006(in alphabetical order).Dansk Folkeparti(the Danish People’s Party)Christiansborg1240 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 37 51 99Website: www.danskfolkeparti.dkE-mail: df@ft.dkEnhedslisten - the Red-GreensStudiestræde 24, 1st floor1455 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 93 33 24Website: www.enhedslisten.dkE-mail: landskontoret@enhedslisten.dkKonservative Folkeparti, Det(the Danish Conservative Party)Nyhavn 4Postboks 15151051 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 13 41 40Website: www.konservative.dkE-mail: info@konservative.dkKristendemokraterne(the Christian Democratic Party)Allégade 24 A, 1st floor2000 FrederiksbergTelephone: 33 27 78 10Website: www.kd.dkE-mail: kd@kd.dkRadikale Venstre, Det(the Danish Radical Left Party)Christiansborg1240 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 37 47 47Website: www.radikale.dkE-mail: radikale@radikale.dkSocialdemokratiet(the Danish SocialDemocratic Party)Danasvej 71910 Frederiksberg CTelephone: 72 30 08 00Website: www.socialdemokraterne.dkE-mail: info@socdem.dkSocialistisk Folkeparti(the Danish SocialistPeople’s Party)Christiansborg1240 Copenhagen KTelephone: 33 37 44 44Website: www.sf.dkE-mail: sf@sf.dkVenstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti(Venstre, Denmark’sLiberal Party)Søllerødvej 302840 HolteTelephone: 45 80 22 33Website: www.venstre.dkE-mail: venstre@venstre.dkPRACTICAL INFORMATION157

Explanation of wordsPRACTICAL INFORMATIONAccess to recordsIn accordance with the Public Records Act,everyone has access to records held bythe state and municipal authorities.Authorities can deny access to safeguardthe privacy of others, state security orthe financial interests of the state.If you party to a case, you have expandedright of access to case records.ActivationIf you are claiming introductory benefit,cash benefit or unemployment benefit,you must have help and guidance tobegin an education or find employment.This is called activation and may take theform of courses or on-the-job training.It is both a right and a duty to participatein activation as well as a precondition forreceiving financial assistance.Building management officeThe owner of a building hires staff tomanage the building. They handle rentalcontracts, collect rent, hire caretakersand maintain contact with tenants.Citizens' listA citizens' list is a list of non-party candidatesat a municipal election. Citizens'lists represent special local interests.Consumer Complaints Board, TheThe Consumer Complaints Board is astate institution that deals with consumercomplaints relating to goods and services.The National Consumer Agency ofDenmark is secretariat to the ConsumerComplaints Board.CustodyCustody is the parents' duty to care fortheir child and make personal decisionson the child's behalf that serve the bestinterests of the child. Parents who aremarried have joint custody of theirchildren. If the parents are unmarried, themother will be awarded custody unless theparents decide otherwise. If the parentsare separated or get divorced, they arenormally awarded joint custody.Council of Europe, TheThe Council of Europe is an inter-governmentalpolitical organisation foundedin 1949. The Council has 47 memberstates that work together to promotedemocracy and human rights. It is theCouncil of Europe that is responsible fordrawing up the European Conventionon Human Rights of 1950.Danish Parliament, TheFolketinget is the Danish National Parliament.Folketinget has 179 members, twoof whom are from Greenland and theFaroe Islands.Members are elected to serve for afour-year term. The prime minister cancall for a general election before theend of the four-year term. Elections areheld using proportional representation.This means that the parties runningfor election are given a number ofmandates in the Danish parliamentcorresponding to the number of votesthey received.Danish Working EnvironmentAuthority, TheThe Danish Working Environment Authorityis a public body whose task is tocreate a safe, healthy and progressivework environment in the workplace. Toachieve these goals, the authority carriesout regular inspection of companies,draws up rules and regulations and158

publishes information about occupationalhealth and safety. The Danish WorkingEnvironment Authority has offices aroundthe country. We refer to www.at.dk forfurther details.Dankort payment cardThe Dankort card is a special Danish paymentcard issued by the banks. Dankortcards are accepted in most places. Youwill be given a PIN code which must beused when withdrawing money fromcashpoint machines. Some shops requirea signature on a Dankort receipt.DemocracyThe word "folkestyre" meansdemocracy.District courtThe district court is the court of firstinstance in the Danish judicial system.District courts deal with civil cases andthe majority of criminal cases.Educational associationAn educational association is an organisationthat coordinates and manageseducation work, especially in connectionwith vocational education.EEA, TheThe EEA is an abbreviation of the EuropeanEconomic Area. This is an agreementbetween the EU member states andIceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Theagreement came into force in 1994 anddeals with the free movement of labour,goods, people, services and capital as wellas uniform rules of competition.EU, TheUp until 1993, the European Union wasknown as the EC (the European Community).Cooperation has graduallyevolved since the first six countries signedthe Treaty of Rome in 1957. Denmarkbecame a member of the EC followinga national referendum in 1972. The EUnow comprises 27 European memberstates. These are Belgium, Bulgaria,Cyprus, Denmark, England, Estonia,Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Ireland,Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic,Germany, Hungary and Austria.European Parliament, TheThe European Parliament has 785 memberswho are elected by the citizens ofits 27 EU member states. Members areelected to serve for a five-year term.The number of members depends onthe size of the country. Denmark has14 members.Evangelical LutheranThe Danish National Church is an EvangelicalLutheran Church. This meansthat it belongs to the Christian Church,which split off from the Roman CatholicChurch during the Reformation in the16th century.Folk high schoolThe folk high school - commonly referredto as the high school - is a special formof boarding school for adults and youngpeople. High schools came into being inDenmark in the mid-nineteenth century.The idea behind the high school is togive young people and adults an insightinto history, culture and social life. Highschools offer courses in music, art, sport,philosophy and social studies. Tuitiondoes not lead to formal qualificationsand pupils do not sit exams.PRACTICAL INFORMATION159

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONGeneral educationGeneral education is tuition and educationfor adults in general subjects, andis not work-related. General educationis especially managed by high schools,libraries, cultural, ecclesiastical or politicalorganisations.Health and safety representativeA health and safety representative iselected by work colleagues to representtheir interests in relation to the employerin questions regarding health and safetyin the workplace. A health and safetyrepresentative is elected for a two-yearterm in the same way as a trade unionrepresentative, and must receive specialtraining.High schoolWe refer to Folk high school for furtherdetails.Homeowners' associationA homeowners' association is an associationformed by private homeowners ina given residential area. The associationdeals with matters of common interest- such as the maintenance of pavementsand roads, for example.Immigration Service, TheThe Immigration Service is part of theMinistry of Integration, but its decisionsare independent of the ministry. TheImmigration Service deals with numerousmatters relating to immigrant entryand residence in Denmark, includingasylum, family reunification, visas andwork permits, for example. The ImmigrationService makes its decisionson the basis of specific applications,and provides information on entry endresidence conditions.Industrial Court, TheThe Industrial Court is a special courtthat rules in cases dealing with the interpretationand violation of agreementsand accords between employers andemployees. Judges are appointed bythe Minister of Employment.Kingdom of Denmark, TheThe Kingdom of Denmark is an economic,judicial and linguistic communitythat unites Denmark, the Faroe Islandsand Greenland together into one kingdomunder the Danish constitution.Within the confines of the agreement,Greenland and the Faroe Islands arelargely self-governing.Maritime and CommercialCourt, TheThe Maritime and Commercial Court is acourt that deals with commercial mattersand accidents at sea. The Maritime andCommercial Court consists of a president,one or more vice president(s), a judgeand a number of experts.Maternity wardsA maternity ward is a hospital wardwhere women are admitted togetherwith their newborn babies immediatelyafter birth.Media licenceA media licence is the user fee youpay when you own a radio, a TV or acomputer that can receive radio and TVprogrammes. This is a fee for the rightto receive radio and TV programmes.The media licence is used to financeDanmarks Radio - both its radio and TVdepartments - and TV2. Both stations havea so-called public service duty.Mortgage providerA mortgage is a loan which is securedagainst real property. When you takeout a mortgage your house acts as asecurity for the loan. Mortgage lendersand mortgage credit institutes providethis kind of loan.160

Municipal authoritiesAs of 1 January 2007, Denmark is dividedinto 98 municipal authorities. Amunicipality is a public authority thatperforms a number of services in the localcommunity. The municipal authoritiesare free to make their own decisions inmost areas.Municipal authorities are run by municipalcouncils which are elected everyfour years by the citizens living in theauthority.Municipal wasterecycling centresIt is the job of the municipal authoritiesto ensure that as much waste as possibleis recycled. For this reason, authoritieshave municipal waste recycling centreswhere people can grade their wasteand place it in special containers forcardboard, glass, metal and gardenwaste, for example. Hazardous waste isdelivered separately.National Board ofIndustrial Injuries, TheThe National Board of Industrial Injuries isa neutral body that determines whetheran injury or illness can be recognised asan occupational injury. The board alsodecides whether you are entitled tocompensation. It is the employer's insurancecompany that pays out employeecompensation.We refer to www.arbejdsskadestyrelsen.dk for further details.National Church, TheAccording to the Danish constitution,the Evangelical Lutheran Church isthe National Danish Church. The word"national" signals that the majority of thepopulation belongs to the Church, andthat it has a closer association with thestate than other religious communities.In accordance with the constitution, thestate must support the National Church,and parliament sets the guidelines forthe administration of church affairs, andthe state does not normally interfere inecclesiastical matters. Danish NationalChurch services are open to the public,and church members can freely availthemselves of church ceremonies suchas christenings, confirmations, marriagesand funerals. National Church priests andparish clerks are responsible for registeringall births in Denmark, a traditionthat dates back to ancient times. Oneexception, however, is Southern Jutland,where a person's registrar is responsiblefor registering births. National Churchpriests also act as a funeral authority,and as such must grant permissionbefore the deceased can be buried orcremated.National referendumsA national referendum gives the populationthe opportunity to vote on a specificdecision that the Danish Parliament hasmade or is about to make. Nationalreferendums can either be binding orof an indicative nature for parliament.In accordance with the Danish constitution,changes to the constitution andquestions regarding loss of sovereigntyto supranational authorities must bedecided by national referendum. Thelast time a national referendum wasused was in connection with Denmark'smembership of the EU.PRACTICAL INFORMATION161

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONNATONATO is an abbreviation for North AtlanticTreaty Organisation, which is a westerndefence organisation formed in 1949.NATO is based on the Atlantic Treaty,which was signed by 12 countries. Todaythere are 26 member countries and theorganisation collaborates with Russia.Night schoolNight school is voluntary educationthat takes place in a person's leisuretime. Tuition covers a wide range ofsubjects such as languages, history,IT, philosophy, drawing and physicalexercise. The classes do not lead toqualifications and there are no exams.Night school classes are normally runby an educational association*.Non-prescription medicineVarious kinds of medicine can bebought over the counter, i.e. withouta doctor's prescription. Chemists stockboth non-prescription and prescriptionmedicine.OECDOECD is an abbreviation for the Organisationfor Economic Cooperation andDevelopment. This inter-governmentalorganisation numbers 30 membercountries. It was founded in 1961. Itsgoal is to ensure a high standard ofliving and economic growth for itsmember states.Probate Court, TheThe Probate Court is a division of thedistrict court. It deals with estates, bankruptestates and questions regarding thedistribution of spousal assets followingdivorce.Public prosecutorA public prosecutor represents thestate in criminal cases tried by the highcourts.Public servicePublic service is a term for radio and TVchannels whose purpose it is to broadcastprogrammes of interest to the generalpublic. Danmarks Radio (DR) and TV2are public service stations. They havea duty to broadcast balanced, culturaland informative programmes.Regional councilsAs of 1 January 2007, Denmark is dividedup into five regions, each of whichmanages regional tasks such as hospitaladministration, public transport andregional development tasks. Regionsare run by regional councils comprising41 members who are elected everyfour years by the citizens living in theregion.Remanded in custodyTo be remanded in custody simply meansthat a person who is suspected of havingcommitted a crime is kept in prison.Rent control boardAll municipal authorities must haverent control boards. Many municipalauthorities have a joint rent controlboard. The rent control board deals162

with complaints about the amount ofrent, the condition of the apartmentand other matters relating to tenancyconditions.Representational democracyA representative democracy is a form ofgovernment whereby the people electmembers to a representative body. InDenmark, these bodies consist of theDanish Parliament, the five regions andthe municipal authorities.Resident associationA resident association is an associationformed by residents who are tenantsof the same building association. Theassociation represents the interests of theresidents in relation to the landlord.Schengen Agreement, TheThe Schengen Agreement is a collaborativeagreement between theEU member states, Belgium, Denmark,Finland, Greece, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg,Portugal, Spain, Germanyand Austria and Norway, which is nota member of the EU. According to theprovisions of the Schengen Agreement,member state citizens can freely crosseach other's borders without bordercontrol. Denmark has been a membersince 1997.Schengen informationsystem, TheOne of the central features of the SchengenAgreement is the establishment of anelectronic network that enables all policeauthorities and consulates in Schengenmember countries to have access toinformation about reported personsand missing articles and vehicles.SSP schemeThe SSP scheme is a collaborative effortinvolving schools, municipal socialauthorities and the police. Its aim is toprevent crime amongst children andyoung people.State administration, TheThe state administration consists ofregional state bodies whose duties includea number of tasks in connection withseparation, divorce, custody and childvisiting rights. The state administrationalso handles adoption complaint cases,and rules on municipal authority decisionsconcerning work and social matters.In areas where there are no specialregulatory authorities, the state regionaladministrations monitor the municipalauthorities to ensure that they observethe laws particularly relating to publicauthorities.Subsidised housing associationA subsidised housing association buildsand rents out state-subsidised housing.Municipal authorities have a certainnumber of subsidised apartments attheir disposal that can be allocated tolocal residents.Everyone over the age of 15 can havetheir names put down on a waiting listfor a subsidised apartment. There is asmall charge for this service. In manycases, finding a subsidised apartmentcan take many years.PRACTICAL INFORMATION163

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONTrade union representativeA trade union representative is electedby and from among work colleaguesfor a two-year period. The trade unionrepresentative must represent the interestsof the employees in relation tothe employer. It is also the job of therepresentative to represent the tradeunion in the workplace.UN, TheThe UN is an abbreviation for the UnitedNations, the United Nations Organisationof 1945. The organisation's goal isto maintain international peace andsecurity, and to cooperate internationallyto resolve international economic,social, cultural and humanitarian conflictsand promote respect for human rights.The UN has 192 members and six mainorgans. These are the General Assembly,the Security Council, the Economic andSocial Council, the Trusteeship Council,the International Court of Justice andthe Secretariat. The UN headquartersare in New York.Unemployment benefitUnemployment benefit is financialassistance given to unemployed whoare members of an unemploymentfund (a-kasse).Unemployment fundAn unemployment fund or a-kasse isa private association of employees orindependent business owners, and itspurpose is to provide financial assistanceto its members if they becomeunemployed. Unemployment fundsare closely associated with trade unionsbut you can become a member of anunemployment fund without being amember of a trade union.WHOWHO is an abbreviation for World HealthOrganisation, (Verdenssundhedsorganisationen),which is an organisation thatwas founded in 1948 under the UN. Itsgoal is to monitor infectious diseases andimplement health programmes.Yellow pages, TheThe yellow pages are pages in a telephonedirectory that provide information onbusinesses. The yellow pages can alsobe found at www.degulesider.dk.Youth education counsellorYouth education counsellors (UU) canbe contacted at special centres in yourmunicipal authority. Here, people under25 can seek educational advice andcounselling.164

INDEX24-hour dental emergencyservice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140AAbortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Access to records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,158Accountant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112Activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103,158Adult education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Adult vocation training (amu) . . . . . . . 95Advisory centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Aerial association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Aerial scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51After-school centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105,141Allowance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Annual meeting, association . . . . 46,125Application, asylum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Application, job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101Associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125Asylum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28BBallot paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,111,150Bank account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Bi-lingual children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Birth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Birth certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Birth certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Birth certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Birth preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Boards, approved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Body passport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Building administration office . . . 49,159Building association . . . . . . . . . . 43,49,158Burial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,128Burial assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Burial sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,128Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99CCapital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Capital punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Careers advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Caretaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Case history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Cash benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102CBR number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Cemetery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Cemetery, Muslim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Chemist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140,15Child placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Child support payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Childminding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,58,64Children's birthdays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129Choice of hospital, free . . . . . . . . . . . .137Christening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Christian studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146Christmas lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146Church tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117,128Circumcision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Cirius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Citizens' lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,159Citizens test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Cohabitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Colleagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105Common rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Company, establishing a . . . . . . . . . . .107Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53,106Complaint guidelines, housing . . . . . . 46Complaints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115Comprehensive school . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Compulsory education . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Compulsory hospitalisation . . . . . . . .138Compulsory hospitalisation . . . . . . . .138Constitution Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145Constitutional rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Consultancy, company . . . . . . . . . . . . .107Consultancy, financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112Consumer Complaints Board . .116,161Consumer rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115Continuation school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Contraception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Conventions, International . . . . . . . . . . 21Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Cooperative housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Cooperative housing member . . . 46,52Cooperative Housing Society . . . . 46,52Council of Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,16Courts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,19Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Criminal record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Crisis aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Crisis centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Crisis help line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145CV (curriculum vitae) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101Cyclists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10PRACTICAL INFORMATION165

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONDDanish Alien Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Danish Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Danish education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Danish Education Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Danish National Church . . . . . . . . . 127,16Danish Refugee Council . . . . . . .149,156Danish tuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,81Danish WorkingEnvironment Authority . . . . . . .106,159Dankort payment card . . . . . . . . .111,159Danmarks Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122,162Day care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Day-care centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Day-care subsidy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Death certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Death report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Debate, public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122Democracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161Democracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,163Democratic society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Democratic societyfounded on law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Dental care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139Dentist, private . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139Deportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Deposit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Deposit, housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Development Co-operation,international . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Diatery supplement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143Disability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Discrimination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106District court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,14,159Divorce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Drinking licence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Drinking licence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Duty of secrecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,33,133EEarly retirement pension . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Education, foreign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96EEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,16Elderly council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Emergency doctor service . . . . . . . . .134Employment contract . . . . . . . . . . . . .102Employment interview . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Enrolment, higher education . . . . . . . . 91Entry requirements, education . . . . . . 91Estate agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47EU (the European Union) . . . . . . . 21,159European Convention onHuman Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21European Parliament . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,159Evangelical Lutheran church . . . . 127,16Exam, foreign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Exam, municipal primary andlower secondary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81FFamily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55,67Family insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53,114Family reunification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Family types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,117Fine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Fire insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114Folketinget, the Danish Parliament . . 13,161Forced marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,56Free Legal Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Free place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Freedom of association . . . . . . . . . . . .104Freedom of speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13GGeneral education . . . . . . . . . . 73,123,161General elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17General practitioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,18Grades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78,91Green Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,27HHealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131,142Health and SafetyRepresentative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106,163Health insurance, private . . . . . . . . . . .140Health Service, the Danish . . . . . . . . .131Health visitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Healthcare card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,131Healthcare centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Hf (higher preparatoryexamination) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,93Hhx (higher commercialexamination) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85High Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14High school. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123,16Homeowner's association . . . . . . . 49,161Homework assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Homosexual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Hospital, rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137House rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Housing office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Housing, exchange of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Housing, sheltered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Htx (higher technical examination . . . 85Human rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,156166

IIllness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132Immigration service . . . . . . . . . 28,155,164Infidelity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Informative consumer labelling . . . .116Institution, integrated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53,114Integration contract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Integration council. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Interpreter assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Introductory payment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Introductory programme . . . . . . . . . . . 37JJob centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,102,155Job training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158Joint property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56KKingdom of Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,163LLabelling, consumer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116Labour market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103Legal Advice Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Legal aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Leisure time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123Liability insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121,150,153Lifestyle disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141Loan, bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,111Loan, property purchase . . . . . . . . 48,162MMaking an appointment, dentist . . .140Making an appointment, doctor . . .132Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56,128Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Marriage, physical abuse . . . . . . . . . 30,58Maternity leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Maternity maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Maternity ward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Maternity ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59,159Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122Media licence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122,162Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Mentally ill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138Midwife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Ministeries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Monarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Mortgage credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,162Mortgage lender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,162Mothers groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Mother-tongue teaching . . . . . . . . . . . 81Moving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Municipal authority . . . . . . . . . . 13,17,162Municipal primary and lower secondaryschool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Municipality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151NNaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59National Board of IndustrialInjuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106,158National Consumer Agencyof Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161National referendum . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,16NATO (the North AtlanticTreaty Organisation) . . . . . . . . . . . 22,162Night school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123,158Nordic Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Nursing home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70OOccupational health & safety . .105,159Occupational injury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106OECD (Organisation forEconomic Co-operation& Development) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,162Offices, public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151Ombudsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Outdoor nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Overdraft facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Owner occupied housing . . . . . . . . . . . 47PParent board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Parent meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Parental custody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56,161Parental leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Partnership, registered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105,129Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,157Passport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Pension savings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Period of notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102Personal contents insurance . . . . . 53,114Personal identification number . . . . . . 33Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Possibilities for complaint . . . . . . . . . .116Postal service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151Power, executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Power, judicial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Power, legislative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Practical training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Pre-retirement benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Pre-school class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76PRACTICAL INFORMATION167

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONPrescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Preventive health exam, child . . . 60,135Primary and lowersecondary school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Prime Minister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,161Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Private employment agency . . . . . . . . 99Probate Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,163Production school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87Property tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Prosecution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Psychiatric hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138Psychological counselling . . . . . . . . . .133Public holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145Public Prosecutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,163Public service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122,162Pupil councils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80RRate of taxation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118Rate of taxation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118Recreational club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Recreational life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129Recycling centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51,161Red-letter days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145Refugee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,28Refugee Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,155Refuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Regional council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,163Registrar of the State Church . . . . . 59,71Registration card, for EU citizens . . . . . 25Re-integration allowance . . . . . . . . . .149Religious festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146Remand in custody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164Rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Rent Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Rent Control Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,162Rent lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Rent subsidy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Rent subsidy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Rent subsidy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Rented accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Residence permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,3Resident association . . . . . . . . . . . . 49,159Resident democracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Retirement age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Right to vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Right to vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Royal Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14SSchengen Agreement . . . . . . . . . . 25,163School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75School camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80School dental care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139School start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Self-government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,163Self-redress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Senior housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Senior policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Sentence, suspended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Sentence, unsuspended . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Sex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,66SFO (After-school care facility) . . . . . . 83Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150Sibling discount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Social and HealthcareTraining Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Social studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Special Court of Final Appeal . . . . . . . . 15Special education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Special pay cardt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126Sports association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125SSP Scheme (schools, socialauthorities and police) . . . . . . . . 20,163State administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14State Administration. . . . . . . . . . . .155,164State pension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Student councils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84SU (State Education Grant) . . . . . . . . . 84Sub-letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Supreme Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15TTax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Tax allowance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118Tax return . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73,75Teenagers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152Tenant areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Tenants Association Board . . . . . . . . . . . 49Tenants Complaints Board . . . . . . . . . . 50Tests, national . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,53168

Trade licence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Trade union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104Trade union representative . . . . .105,164Traffic, public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,151TV 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122,162UUN (the United Nations) . . . . . . . . . 22,16Unemployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102Unemployment benefit . . . . . . . .102,158Unemployment benefit . . . . . . .102,158Unemployment fund (akasse). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,102,158Unemployment insurance . . . . . . . . .102Upper secondary school . . . . . . . . . . . . 84VVaccination, children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135Vaccination, foreign travel . . . . . . . . . .136VAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108,117Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Visiting hours, hospital. . . . . . . . . . . . . .137Vocational educationand training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Vocational uppersecondary education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Voluntary education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121Vuc (Adult Education Centre) . . . . . . . 90WWaiting list, childminding . . . . . . . . . . . 61Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Welfare state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Whitsun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145WHO (World HealthOrganisation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,164Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Work permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Working hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103Written pupil plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78YYellow pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159Youth culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Youth education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Youth school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Youth, crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20PRACTICAL INFORMATION169

ColophonTitle:Citizen in Denmark - a handbook for new citizens inDanish society.Published by:Ministry for Refugees, Immigration & Integration AffairsMinisteriet for Flygtninge, Indvandrere og IntegrationHolbergsgade 61057 København KTelephone: 33 92 33 80E-mail: inm@inm.dkEditorial team:The Ministry for Refugees, Immigration & IntegrationAffairs in collaboration with Commitment KommunikationApS.This information was correct at the date of going toprint - 30 May 2007.ISBN, printed edition:978-87-91850-02-8ISBN, electronic edition:978-87-91850-42-42. edition, 1st print run:Danish language edition, August 2007.Copies:10,000.Project management:Commitment Kommunikation ApSNitivej 102000 Frederiksberg.Telephone: 70 22 07 10E-mail: post@commitment-aps.dkWebsite:www.commitment-aps.dkGraphic design and layout:Mark Gry Christiansen.Printers:PrinfoHolbæk-Hedehusene A/SPicture editor:Michael Daugaard.Photos:Per Morten Abrahamsen: 134. Mark Andersen: 139. Lars Bahl: 31,47, 52, 73, 93 and 129. Ole Christiansen: 8 and 142. Jacob Dall:24. Michael Daugaard: Front and back page, 10, 15, 16, 27, 28,32, 35, 36, 41, 44, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 55, 58, 63, 66, 68, 75, 77, 80,82 88, 92, 94, 100, 104, 107, 109, 110, 112, 113, 115, 119, 122, 124,126, 137, 140 and 148. Anne-Li Engström: 54. Per Folkver: 132.Linda Henriksen: 85. Sonja Iskov: 61. Ulrik Jantzen: 141. StuartMcIntyre: 120. Kissen Møller-Hansen: 60, 76, 79 and 130. MortenNilsson: 20 and 96. Heine Pedersen: 127. Kristian Juul Pedersen:13. Jørgen Schytte: 65, 72, 144 and 147. Niels Aage Skovbo: 83.Stig Stasig: 67. Søren Svendsen: 70. Mikkel Østergaard: 12, 18,42, 87, 98, 101 and 138. Map of Denmark: Kampsax/Cowi: 11.Healthcare card: Danish Regions: 131.Copy:Annie Hagel in collaboration with the Ministry forRefugees, Immigration & Integration Affairs.

www.nyidanmark.dk