The Paradigm Shift

Danish asylum policy underwent a radical change in two steps, the first in the summer of 2015 and the second in December 2018. Until then, asylum had been considered a secure status with a focus on long-term integration in Denmark. But with the so-called ‘paradigm shift for refugees’ (a term introduced by the Danish People’s Party and later adopted by the government), all refugees’ residence permits were changed to be short-term, temporary and with a constant risk of losing them again. Even UN resettlement refugees are now on temporary residence. (http://refugees.dk/da/fokus/2024/januar/danmark-svigter-naar-det-gaelder-kvoteflygtninge/ ) The word ‘integration’ itself was almost completely written out of the legislation, and all focus was now to be on financial self-sufficiency and returning home as soon as possible. 
 
An idea also emerged among politicians that a refugee occupies a place in society that someone else might need more. And that ‘refugees should not become immigrants’. In other words, a notion that Denmark could provide protection for a short period to persecuted people, and then they were expected to return before they had settled in.
 
These notions are completely divorced from reality, where the UN has calculated that a refugee needs protection for an average of 17 years. (https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends) According to the 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee's residence permit cannot be revoked unless there are durable, stable and fundamental improvements in the home country. Furthermore, the practice of the Danish Refugee Appeals Board states that attachment to Denmark ensures continued residence after approximately 10 years, if the person is well integrated. For school-age children, 6-8 years is sufficient. For those reasons, Denmark has not succeeded in revoking the residence of many refugees despite its desire to do so.
https://refugees.dk/da/aktuelt/2022/december/fn-advarer-imod-danmarks-paradigmeskifte/
https://refugees.dk/da/aktuelt/2023/april/udlaendingestyrelsen-underkendes-i-sager-omkring-tilknytning/
 
Another unrealistic aspect of the Paradigm Shift is the requirement that refugees must work and support themselves from day one. For this reason, social benefits for refugees have been reduced to approximately half of what a Dane in the same situation can receive. (http://refugees.dk/da/fokus/2025/ny-kontanthjaelpsreform-rammer-isaer-flygtninge/ ) There are not many unskilled jobs in Denmark, and most of them require basic knowledge of Danish language. Education and experience from abroad are very difficult to get approved, and therefore often useless in practice. Research shows that the two most important elements for getting refugees into jobs are learning Danish and getting a vocational or educational upgrade in Denmark. Both take several years.
 
The most important aspect of the Paradigm Shift, however, is the psychological one. Despite the fact that the risk of losing one's residence permit is actually very small, the fear that it will happen is enormous. Every letter from the immigration authorities sends refugees into a panic, preventing them from sleeping and eating for long periods. Future plans become impossible to make when a residence permit is valid for a maximum of 2 years, and you cannot be sure of an extension. Is it worth learning the language, getting an education, starting a company, buying a house...? Should I raise my children as Danes, or should I ensure that they can cope in another culture? Will I be sent back to what I fled from?
https://refugees.dk/da/aktuelt/2023/august/paradigmeskiftet-har-store-konsekvenser-for-baath-flygtninge-stat-og-civilsamfund/
https://refugees.dk/da/aktuelt/2023/november/europaraadet-retter-igen-skarp-kritik-mod-dansk-asylpolitik/
 
In parallel with and even before the Paradigm Shift, the Danish Parliament repeatedly tightened the requirements for permanent residence and Danish citizenship to a degree that today is beyond the reach of many refugees, no matter how hard they try. As a result, an increasing proportion of citizens in Denmark live with a temporary residence permit, which must be extended every two years. This also applies to many thousands who were born and raised in the country. Once you are 19 years old, education does not count towards meeting the requirements.
 
The tough Danish policy has led to a very low number of asylum seekers, and is perceived by other countries in Europe as a success. But it contains a number of major paradoxes and is extremely harmful to integration in the long term. See also the longer article “Why Europe should avoid modeling its migration policy after Denmark.” https://refugees.dk/da/fokus/2024/december/hvorfor-europa-boer-undgaa-at-modellere-sin-migrationspolitik-efter-danmark/