In Denmark, we do not have mandatory unemployment insurance. You must therefore register with the unemployment fund, which is most often handled by the trade unions.
How much does it cost?
As a full-time member of the unemployment fund of 3FA, the price is DKK 507 per month.
In addition, there is the membership fee for the trade union of about DKK 460 per month.
You can deduct the membership fee for the trade union and the unemployment fund within the Danish tax system (SKAT).
Right to unemployment benefits
In order to obtain a right to unemployment benefits and assistance from the unemployment fund, the law requires that you must meet some conditions:
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Be a member of the unemployment fund for at least one year.
- Fulfil an income requirement of DKK 254,328 (2023). Only income in membership periods can be used in the calculation and you can include a maximum of DKK 21,194 (2023) per month.
The income requirement can be fulfilled on the basis of A or B-income from which labour market contributions have been paid, including salary or profit from self-employed activities.
- You can document that your employment has been on the pay and working conditions usually applicable in Denmark.
- You can document that your pay corresponds to the pay in Danish collective agreements.
- Your income must have been registered with the Income Register of SKAT.
If you get a pay that is far below the collective agreement in the given field, it can imply that you cannot earn a right to unemployment benefits. Contact your local 3F trade union to obtain further information about the rules so that you avoid misunderstandings.
To obtain unemployment benefits in Denmark, you must:
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Live in Denmark.
- Be registered with the job centre.
- Seek employment.
- Be available to the Danish labour market on equal terms with the Danes.
You are always welcome to contact the local 3F trade union to check if your pay and employment conditions live up to the collective agreement requirements.
Length of service from other countries
Insurance and employment periods for accrual of rights can be transferred from one country to another, as long as the country is an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
You must meet the following conditions:
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You must be employed and register within eight weeks after you discontinue the insurance in the other EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
- You must have 296 hours of work within the first 12 weeks/three months in Denmark (148 hours for part-time insured persons).
- The earned income from periods of membership in another EEA country or Switzerland must be liable to tax.
- The pay must correspond to the usual pay in the country in question.
Remember to submit payslips or the like to document your working hours/ earned income abroad.
If you have a former membership in Denmark within a five-year period, there is no requirement for work.
You must have one year of uninterrupted membership. You can include the insurance period from your country of origin if you meet the above conditions.