This chapter describes youth policy in Denmark in the field of employment and entrepreneurship.

The overall goal of the Danish labour market policy is to ensure that the vast majority of Danes are able to provide for themselves. Danish women and men are educated as never before, but there are still big differences in which education or field of study they choose. This has an impact on the strong gender segregation that characterises the Danish labour market.

With regard to young unskilled people, the government has a strong focus on improving their formal skills through vocational education, because unskilled young people are at the greatest risk of unemployment and unstable employment. Hence, the government has established a legal framework to reach the targets:

1. Young people in the 15-17-year age group must be in education, employment, or training (see section 3.4)
2. Young people without education receive a special benefit ("education benefit") and instructions to start education (see section 3.6)

At present, Denmark has a relatively low NEET rate. According to Eurostat, the 2022 Danish NEET (Not in education, employment or training) rate was 8.8% in the 15-29 age group. 

According to the Danish Labour Force Survey, which uses definitions used also in ILO and Eurostat, these are the Danish unemployment rates in the third quarter of 2023:

• 4.6% in the 15-74 age group
• 12.2 % in the 15-24 age group
• 6.2 % in the 25-34 age group

Shortage of skilled labour is emerging in some sectors such as construction, information and communication technology, and services.

Flexibility is crucial to the Danish labour market. It is easy for employers to hire and fire labour. This ensures high mobility in the labour market. At the same time, Denmark has general welfare services, benefits, and optional unemployment insurance funds that provide employees with a comprehensive income safety net between jobs.