PsyborC at 2024-03-08 22:05:38+00:00 ID: ktzd67k

English speaking in HR - I would suggest that you apply to some of the larger companies. A lot of private, international, companies in Denmark already have English as their corporate language. A lot of them would probably also be open to flexible hours. A multilingual environment would also benefit you in terms of learning Danish.

I always thought that the larger enterprises would have a stiff corporate feel, but it turns out that the most corporate bullshit is found in smaller companies that want to APPEAR large.

Source: Work for a major fashion company, and have never had better salary or flexibility than I have now.

MoreBat2682 at 2024-03-08 23:01:20+00:00 ID: ktzmg8a

My suggestion would be looking into some of the governmental departments.

Banedanmark handles railway infrastructure and has several sections where English is the work language next to Danish and they have some nice benefits, especially for families:

Paid maternity leave, flex hours, physiotherapy, paid lunch break amongst others. Pay is decent, but will practically always be better in the private sector. HR would require proficiency in Danish though.

The Copenhagen Municipality is currently undergoing an experiment with a 4 day working week.

Joining a union and an unemployment insurance fund(A-kasse) is also essential for a healthy work-life in my opinion. I suggest checking them out as they should also have a guide in English about the Danish work market and all its details.

https://www.workindenmark.dk/working-in-denmark/terms-of-employment/trade-unions

The other esteemed gentlepeople in here have already described some of the more "practical issues" of moving to Denmark, so I will not repeat them here. I will repeat that learning Danish as soon as possible is paramount.

I wish your family the best of luck!

Dotbgm at 2024-03-08 21:46:49+00:00 ID: ktz9x7k

It's difficult landing government jobs w/o knowing Danish, especially when it comes to HR. You will also need to exceed a specific income limit in order to apply to work in Denmark (which is higher than the median salary) (You can read more here) https://www.nyidanmark.dk/

UK immigrants have the exact same rules to apply for as non-westerners, unless you moved to Denmark during the Brexit window.

It's also extremely difficult finding 4 day work weeks in Education and often it's full time after the school reform.

Learning Danish and taking the Danish exam is also a requirement in order to gain permanent residency. (it's cheap to sign up for language classes, about 2k dkk) and is highly recommended if you want a life here.

Denmark has some of the strictest immigration rules in Europe; even during the Brexit window it was complicated and difficult moving here - but landing jobs will definitely help; if the employer can hire you and help with relocation.

Otherwise you can easily end up in a chicken & egg situation, where immigrants such as yourself, can't be approved for a job without a CPR number, but you can't move here and get a CPR number w/o a job.

I would look outside of your desired skillsets and aim for some of the largest private companies, as they are dealing with immigration much more and can potentially help with relocation. I do not expect the public sector to do that well at all.

But life is so much easier and more affordable here than Britain. Many things are way way cheaper, such as phone, internet, housing, so it's worth to definitely try - but it won't be easy.

Gekkoster at 2024-03-09 06:33:42+00:00 ID: ku1c09g

I'm a specialist in a governmental position within an agency that has quite a big international outlook (medicines agency). As a governmental institution, our "corporate language" is Danish, meaning all our internal policies are in Danish. We do have a few internationals in very specialized positions (primarily som MD's and some data scientists).

I would have trouble seeing an HR-position covered by a non-danish speaker though, we are simply speaking too much Danish for a supporting role line HR, to not speak it.

I would much rather look into private companies in Denmark having english as their corporate language

-Misla- at 2024-03-09 07:59:27+00:00 ID: ku1k916

I mean, did you seriously expect to be able to get a government job without knowing Danish…?

Most government jobs like that would be at universities. In supporting tech and admin roles, they almost always require a master’s, but some could require less - but they also very often do require Danish. If a scientific position, it usually requires a phd. Then Danish is not a requirement, but if the position is permanent you have to learn Danish within two/three years.

You don’t write what degrees you have. You also don’t write what level your wife teaches. Is is kindergarten, or college, or university?

The kommune of Copenhagen actually just instituted 4-day work weeks, where the other days are just longer. Additionally, it’s not super uncommon to negotiate for a contract less than full time, either at hiring or later. I have seen job posting specifically at Copenhagen kommune being posted as for both hours, and up to the applicant to choose.

For teaching, in upper secondary (which requires a master - and requires to speak Danish too), many schools actually try to do atleast one day free of classes. It’s not a 4-day work week, and most teachers use it for correcting the ton of assignment and papers they have. But you can do it from home. It’s up to the specific school though, and the culture can differ, and it also depends on the flexibility of the schedule, how many classes, teachers, rooms do the school have and is it even possible to make a free day for all teachers.