Denmark is now one of the most successful EU countries in integrating migrants into the labor market, with a historic record employment rate among non-EU migrants. However, large gender disparities persist, particularly among non-EU migrant women.
Non-EU Migrants Reach Record Employment Levels in Denmark
New statistics from Eurostat reveal that in 2024, the employment rate of non-EU migrants in Denmark reached an unprecedented 71.4%, significantly exceeding the overall EU average of 65.3%. These figures signal that Denmark has become one of the leading countries in Europe when it comes to integrating migrants into the workforce. In fact, employment levels among migrants born outside the EU are now approaching those of native Danes, who have an employment rate of 77.6%.
EU migrants in Denmark are performing even better, with a workforce participation rate of 79.9%, making them the most engaged demographic in terms of labor market attachment.
Nordic Integration Success in an EU Context
Across the European Union, 2024 marked a record for employment among migrants. While employment for EU migrants remained mostly stable at 74.9%, non-EU migrant employment saw a noticeable rise—from 64.6% in 2023 to 65.3% in 2024—reaching its highest point ever recorded.
This success is partially a result of national efforts to improve integration policies and rising demand for labor across Europe. At the same time, these developments highlight the broad progress migrants are making toward social and economic inclusion in their host countries.
Gender Gap Among Migrant Workers Remains High
Despite the overall gains in migrant employment, a significant gender gap remains, especially for individuals born outside the EU. In Denmark, 74.3% of non-EU migrant men were employed in 2024, close to the 75.3% employment rate for native-born Danish men.
However, only 56.8% of women who migrated from outside the EU were employed in 2024, representing a glaring 17.5 percentage point disparity between men and women within that group. This gap is considerably wider than the employment gap between native men and women (7.9 points) and between EU male and female migrants (11.2 points).
These differences suggest that while many non-EU migrants are integrating well into the labor market, women are still lagging and face distinct challenges, including cultural, structural, and policy-related barriers to employment.
Comparative Trends Across Europe
Denmark’s performance stands out, but other countries have also made significant progress. Between 2010 and 2024:
- Poland reported the largest increase in EU migrant employment, jumping by 34.8 percentage points. It also saw a 23.7-point rise for non-EU migrants.
- Ireland and Malta showed substantial employment growth among non-EU migrants, indicating broad-based improvement across diverse labor markets.
- Greece was the only nation to experience a decline in EU migrant employment during the same period.
Interestingly, in countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, and Italy, male migrants from outside the EU have higher employment rates than their native male counterparts. This underlines how gender dynamics, beyond country of origin, play a critical role in shaping integration outcomes.
Labor Force Potential Among Migrant Women Remains Untapped
While the employment gap for non-EU migrant women remains sizeable, it also represents one of the largest untapped potentials in Europe’s labor market. Greater social and economic inclusion of this demographic could help address chronic labor shortages in multiple EU countries, including Denmark.
The new report—based on Eurostat figures and analyzed by the ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin—stresses that closing the gender gap could be key to improving overall migrant employment outcomes and enhancing the sustainability of European labor markets and welfare systems.
About the Study
The data in the report define migrants as individuals aged 15 to 64 who were born in a different country than the one they currently live in. The study, titled “Employment of Migrants in the European Union” by researchers Tommaso Frattini and Giuseppe Pulito, was supported by the ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin and draws on official Eurostat statistics. The report specifically examines changes from 2010 through 2024 across EU countries.
Denmark’s success stands as a model of labor market inclusion, but the road ahead involves addressing barriers still faced by female migrants. As countries aim to foster resilience in their workforces, boosting labor force participation among underrepresented groups will remain an essential priority.
