Plans On Danish Welfare Benefits For Foreigners

01 Jan 2011

Danish government is looking up to work on foreigner access to basic Danish welfare benefits such as visits to the doctor, schooling and cash.

A committee with representatives from various ministries is to study whether an accruement system can be introduced, under which foreigners arriving in Denmark would have to wait several years before receiving welfare benefits.

Employment Minister Inger Støjberg (Lib) said,“There is something basically wrong in people coming to Denmark and coffers being opened immediately without them having contributed. So we will be open-minded in looking at contribution principles for financial benefits, health and schooling. We will look at the entire complex,” says Employment Minister Inger.

Støjberg adds that the task is to develop the ideas from the government’s points system in which ‘all of those who can and want to contribute are welcome’.

Støjberg is to head the committee which will spend the next three months studying general welfare to determine how far the government can go without coming into conflict with EU law and international conventions.