Bridge to Employment – a new path to growth and integration
A national pilot project connecting English-speaking immigrants with labor-shortage jobs – through tailored language support and professional guidance, in collaboration with municipalities and businesses.
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The Challenge and Why This Matters
Denmark faces a labor shortage – while thousands of international residents are ready to contribute, but blocked from the job market. Language barriers, lack of networks, and unfamiliarity with the system are in the way. We're here to change that.
The dual challenge: a shortage of qualified labor and an underutilization of skilled immigrants already living in the country.
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Labor shortage: In 2023, 38% of Danish companies reported recruitment difficulties across sectors, with the highest demand in construction, health care, and technical fields (Dansk Industri, 2023).
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Overqualification among immigrants: Among employed immigrants from Eastern Europe, 61% work in jobs below their qualification level, compared to 22% of ethnic Danes (Boston Consulting Group & Rockwool Fonden, 2023).
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Barriers to access: A CBS study highlights that skilled foreign workers in Denmark face barriers such as limited local networks, lack of Danish language skills, and difficulties translating foreign qualifications into the Danish context (CBS, 2020).
The result is a wasted potential: thousands of internationals in Denmark are ready to work, yet are excluded from jobs that match their skills while companies struggle to fill positions.
DKB’s national pilot project “Bridge to Jobs” aims to close this gap by creating a tested, scalable model for language-supported job matching between municipalities, companies, and skilled English-speaking immigrants—unlocking economic growth and integration at the same time.
Background
I'm just under the A-KASSE, which is our employment benefits in Denmark. They didn't really give me so much help.
- Lived in Denmark for 9 years.
- Studied bachelor and master in DK
- Speaks a low level danish and find this to be an obstacle for job hire.
CBS Study subject
Chinese origin
Background
Under employment as a Mechanic at FORD. With the help from DKB I was able to have my dream hire after only 2 months in Denmark.
- Lived in Denmark for 1 year.
- Mechanic with 14 years of experience
- Speaks farsi and english.
Ali - Klient DKB
Iranian origin
The Solution - What DKB Offers
Bridge to Jobs" is a 6-month program implemented locally in your kommune (municipality):
Matching of 20 candidates
Workshops + individual guidance
Language support
Matching with local companies
Documentation + evaluation
How It Works
Recruitment
Program
Match
Evaluation
4 Steps
As a kommune
you gain:
By investing
95,000–125,000 DKK
You will receive:
- Documented impact,
- Local anchoring
- The option for a long-term partnership.
Access to a new workforce
Unlocks the potential of skilled English-speaking residents, ready to fill local labor shortages.
Reduced welfare expenses
Faster employment means fewer months on public benefits, easing the kommune budget.
Improved integration statistics
Boosts employment and language outcomes, strengthening the kommune’s integration profile.
Visible collaboration with local businesses
Demonstrates proactive partnership between the kommune and employers, building trust and visibility.
Download Documents and Material
Who We Are
DKB is a newly established company with a clear mission: to help reduce Denmark’s labor shortage by connecting untapped talent with the sectors that need them most. We do this for the benefit of the individual, the companies, and society as a whole.
Our work focuses on identifying and unlocking the potential of candidates—whether Danish or international—whose skills are not being fully utilized. By bridging the gap between job seekers and employers, we aim to strengthen the workforce, improve integration, and create measurable economic and social value.
The Bridge to Jobs pilot project is our first major initiative. It will test and refine a scalable model for language-supported job matching, implemented locally in close partnership with kommuner and businesses.
