Can foreigners get dagpenge in Denmark?

Yes. There is no nationality requirement. You need membership, the work requirement, legal residence with the right to work, and to be available for the Danish labour market.

Does my unemployment insurance from Poland or Germany count in Denmark?

It can. Request a PD U1 from your previous insurer, hand it to your Danish a-kasse, and combine it with Danish work — normally at least 296 hours over three months.

Can I join an a-kasse on a working holiday or student visa?

Students on Danish higher education can usually join free. Short-term permits without a real right to work generally make a claim impossible even if the membership is accepted.

Which a-kasse is best for English speakers?

Funds with dedicated English advisers and English member portals: Akademikernes for graduates and engineers — including IDA members, whose a-kasse is Akademikernes A-kasse — A&Til, ASE and Krifa across all sectors, CA and Min A-kasse for business and IT.

A-kasse for Internationals: Rules for EU and Non-EU Workers

Kort svar

Any foreigner living and working in Denmark with a CPR number can join an a-kasse on the same terms as Danish citizens. EU/EEA citizens can transfer insurance periods from their home country using a PD U1 document; non-EU citizens need a residence permit that allows work and must keep that permit valid to claim dagpenge.

Sidst opdateret 26 August 2026 · Akasse.io

You are not treated differently — but the timing is harder

Danish unemployment insurance is nationality-blind. The obstacle for internationals is not discrimination, it is sequence: you need a CPR number before you can join, you need 12 months of membership before you can claim, and many people only hear the word 'a-kasse' a year into their stay. That lost year is the entire problem.

EU and EEA citizens: bring your insurance history

If you were insured against unemployment in another EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the UK under transitional rules, ask that country's insurer for a PD U1 document before you leave. Give it to your Danish a-kasse within eight weeks of arriving and joining, and your foreign membership periods can be counted towards the Danish qualifying period.

You still need to have worked in Denmark — typically 296 hours over three months — before the foreign periods can be used. But it can turn a 12-month wait into a three-month wait.

Non-EU citizens: your permit is the limiting factor

You can join and claim like anyone else, but only while your residence permit allows you to work and live in Denmark. Permits tied to a single employer — including many Pay Limit Scheme and Positive List permits — end when that job ends, and you usually have a limited job-search period to find new sponsorship.

Receiving dagpenge is an insurance payout, not social assistance, but some permit and permanent-residence rules still look at periods of public support. Check with SIRI before you rely on assumptions.

Getting service in a language you understand

Several funds run English-language advice, English member portals and English dagpengekort guidance — among them Akademikernes, A&Til, ASE, CA, Krifa and Min A-kasse. (IDA is a trade union, not an a-kasse — IDA members' a-kasse is Akademikernes A-kasse.) Since a mistake on a benefit card can cost a month's payment, English service is worth more than a small price difference.

If you leave Denmark

Ask your a-kasse for a PD U1 covering your Danish periods before you go — it is much harder to obtain from abroad. If you are already receiving dagpenge and want to job hunt in another EU/EEA country, a PD U2 can let you export the benefit for up to three months, but it must be approved before you travel.

Det spørger andre om

Can foreigners get dagpenge in Denmark?: Yes. There is no nationality requirement. You need membership, the work requirement, legal residence with the right to work, and to be available for the Danish labour market.
Does my unemployment insurance from Poland or Germany count in Denmark?: It can. Request a PD U1 from your previous insurer, hand it to your Danish a-kasse, and combine it with Danish work — normally at least 296 hours over three months.
Can I join an a-kasse on a working holiday or student visa?: Students on Danish higher education can usually join free. Short-term permits without a real right to work generally make a claim impossible even if the membership is accepted.
Which a-kasse is best for English speakers?: Funds with dedicated English advisers and English member portals: Akademikernes for graduates and engineers — including IDA members, whose a-kasse is Akademikernes A-kasse — A&Til, ASE and Krifa across all sectors, CA and Min A-kasse for business and IT.

Officielle kilder

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