A recruitment agreement between Denmark and the Philippines will allow up to 100 health sector staff from the latter country to be hired in Denmark each year from 2027.
A government plan to use health care workers from the Philippines to ease a labour shortage has moved a step closer with officials from both countries scheduled to sign a partnership agreement into effect, the Danish ministry for elderly care has announced in a statement.
The deal is the first of two with Asian countries designed to bring in foreign labour to the health and social care sector. A second agreement is scheduled to be signed with India in January.
The deal with the Philippines means that Danish municipalities will, from the second half of 2027, be able to hire up to 100 healthcare professionals from the Asian country each year. That number could increase if demand also rises.
“I’m pleased that we’ve now reached the point where we can put pen to paper on a partnership agreement with the Philippines,” Minister for the Elderly Mette Kierkgaard said in the statement.
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“The agreement is an ambitious project and an important part of the overall effort that can bring more staff into the care sector over time,” she said.
The healthcare workers from the Philippines will be trained to take the social care roles termed in Denmark as sundhedshjælper (health carer) and social- og sundhedsassistenter (health and social worker). Training will also include Danish language courses.
A structure will be set up through regional health authorities and the national organisation for municipalities, KL, to facilitate the arrival of the foreign staff.
According to the Ministry for the Elderly, projections show that Denmark may face a shortage of up to 24,000 social and health care assistants in elderly care by 2035.
That comes as the number of Danes over the age of 70 is expected to increase by almost 200,000 people by 2035.
Discussions with both the Philippines and India over recruitment of health care staff have been ongoing since early 2024.