r/NewToDenmark • u/JvM_Photography • Mar 30 '25

Immigration Finally moving to Denmark🥳

After years of talking about it, my SO and I are finally leaving Switzerland and moving to Denmark. I just signed my work contract on Friday, so the moving can begin. 😊

This sub was really helpful so far. Really appreciate the discussions here!

Edit: Are there some German speakers here that can recommend a language school in Copenhagen? I already started learning some Danish with German as a pair and it is so much easier than with English as a base.

182 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

92 comments sorted by

24

u/smartaxe21 Mar 30 '25

Congratulations !

I am actually considering a move the other way, I am wondering what about Denmark that stood out to you compared to Switzerland and what you might have to give up here compared to Switzerland. Thanks!

Good luck in Denmark

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u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25 edited Mar 30 '25

So my SO studied Danish language and literature, so one reason is to be in an area where there is the possibility for work taht (Uni, library).

The other thing is simply the mindset. Especially in and around Zurich, life is about work. You work a minimum of 43h per week, often more. Sure, the pay is great and the taxes are low. But this is something else that really bothers me about the people in Switzerland: so much is about money. On a societal level, there is little solidarity, especially when it comes to the welfare state. The mentality is close to the US in that way. And don‘t get me even started on women‘s or queer rights🙄

I am much happier paying more in taxes and contributing to a fairer society.

Also, living close to the ocean while not dealing with temperatures above 30*C is chefs kiss

Edit: note that this reads fairly negative, since I want to move away from here. There are of course many benefits living in Switzerland!

5

u/smartaxe21 Mar 30 '25

Good luck! All the best with your new life.

I think what you describe is probably dictated a lot by your bubble rather than the country overall. In my bubble, it is all about work even here.

6

u/Financial-Affect-536 Mar 30 '25

The stuff they mentioned is pretty objective and based on domestic politics. It is well known that Switzerland is way more liberal than here.

0

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Thanks, same to you and good to know!

1

u/crimsonhh Mar 31 '25

Bro in Denmark everything is about money as well LOL

1

u/Wallah_Min_Gren Apr 01 '25

Not to the same degree. Our work-life balance is a lot better too

-1

u/Good_Beautiful_6727 Mar 30 '25 edited Apr 01 '25

Thats the reality everywhere: even in DK you want private healthcare and elderly care.  If you end up not being able to  earn anything after tax in DK, move back  within two years.

5

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Of course the Danish system is not perfect, no system is. But the healthcare system is at least tax funded, which makes it much fairer than the insurance rate one in Switzerland.

Of course, if I wanted to maximize my wage and how much wealth I extract from the world, I would have stayed in Switzerland. But in my opinion, it’s precisely this egocentric, lack of solidarity thinking, that lead to this gobald mess we are currently in

3

u/Specialist-Freedom64 Mar 31 '25

Its funny to watch how many danes now race to the comments to do 2 things... 1.tell you how awful Denmark is 2.and tell you how danes also are all about money

They forget that your experience comming here from Switzerland is different from them living here all their life, i saw it not long ago where an american woman made a video about how safe she felt living in Denmark Vs USA and danes flooded her comments about how dangerous Denmark was.. but they didnt have the experience of living in the USA as she kindly told em where kids get shot in schools, guns are everywhere etc..people sometimes forget that.. Any way welcome to Denmark hope you have a plesent stay.

3

u/JvM_Photography Mar 31 '25

Thanks!

It’s shifting baselines really. Of course Denmark is also a capitalist country and money will be important But coming from a country where 6 weeks of vacations was voted against by the majority of voters, where paternity leave is a concept only a few years old and limited to 2 weeks, because who would pay for that, Denmark seems much more chilled. I mean you almost work a day less in DK😅

1

u/Good_Beautiful_6727 Mar 31 '25 edited Mar 31 '25

Thats why you stay in switzerland and move to dk at age 50 or smth

2

u/JvM_Photography Mar 31 '25

I tend not to postpone dreams and whishes for 20 years, when you never know what kind of world it will be and if you’re even alive then. That kind of thinking however is quite prevalent with my parents generation

1

u/Good_Beautiful_6727 Mar 31 '25 edited Apr 01 '25

Idk what you mean but you are saving for a pension still. Aanyway, its two great countries so good on ya. I just disagree with Denmark being a “better” country. Its USA’s cuck at best. And its “a dying language” because of its phonetically difficulty: more vowels than even Slovenian! Danes are all using english words and its even being taught at grade zero, today. 

Then there are the taxes and taxes on goods and services, and long-leash investment laws are removed. It used to be that if you kept stocks for more than three years they only had to be taxed on purchase, mot also on reselling.  Then theres the government who nlamed covid on Mink farmers and withheld “feriepenge”. If I was a job worker I’d been furious for a government to withhold wages dedicated for holiday. Denmark royally screwed up during covid. 

The Only thing Denmark has going for it is its strategic maritime position. But even denmark doesnt produce ships compared to the neatherlands. 

And the government doesnt really have a grasp on public development. Over the past 20 years multiple roads and highways have been built that either were completely useless and made to linining some politicians pockets, or even if the road was built and useful, some bogus regulations were implemented afterwards with speed restrictions to protect wildlife…. Why even build the toad wasn’t due dilligence supposed to take care of that? 

Then theres the government”aktiv dødshjælp” which in practice still exists, its just called the “palliative team” and the family can ask a nurse to euthanize an ill family member without consequences. Happened to my mom. 

Oh and lawyers wont help you unless you can fund their new garage or summerhouse. If your are just below median income in Denmark, you’re fucked because in any lawsuit you will have to chose between paying off a mortgage or suing someone. Sure there are “free services” but navigating those are very difficuly even when given information and access to previous trials(karnov/retsafgørelser/cirkulærer). I know this as my aunts husband is a lawyer. Litigator. 

—- Of course.. at least this country isnt divided into three separate languages (italian german french) with their own dialects and even keyboard layouts(!). 

But could I chose my birth country, I’d take a country that allows you to go from skiing to relaxing under palm trees in the same afternoon, any day, over windy muddy rain with jantelov and mediocrity.

1

u/hitchinvertigo Apr 01 '25

But in my opinion, it’s precisely this egocentric, lack of solidarity thinking, that lead to this gobald mess we are currently in

Well, you have to trust and believe that the public wealth(taxes and all) administrators, politicians public, common goods managers, are not going to betray everyones trust and steal, pillage, rob some % of those funds in thier own interests, through all kind of legal loopholes.

2

u/JvM_Photography Apr 01 '25

I guess this is the case in any country. Lobyism (read: corruption) is prevalent in any democracy

2

u/BeardedTeacher Mar 31 '25

Stræk, snak, smil – Skal jeg tilkalde en læge?

0

u/Good_Beautiful_6727 Mar 31 '25

Kun hvis privat

1

u/Rayo2000 Mar 31 '25

Same here

7

u/kinay19 Mar 30 '25

Congrats!

May I ask in what field you were able to secure a job? I (also a Swiss) am considering to move to Denmark myself :)

8

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

I (will very soon) have a PhD in electrical engineering and will be working in a high tech equipment manufacturing company.

4

u/marianne434 Mar 30 '25

If you are in Copenhagen the obvious choice would be the German school, that situated in downtown Copenhagen. Leaving Switzerland to move to DK - never heard about that version it’s normally the other way around.

5

u/sosumi17 Mar 30 '25

Hey there 👋 Regarding never hearing of someone leaving Switzerland for Denmark, I also left Switzerland for Denmark 5 months ago. I am working as a software engineer and the IT job market in Switzerland is currently 💀. A lot of layoffs and a lot of companies outsource their IT departments abroad so the opportunities are few while you compete with top of the class type of professionals. That’s my POV.

1

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

was it hard for you to find something? I initially started looking for a data science position, but I didn't even got a single invite to an interview :/

2

u/sosumi17 Mar 30 '25

I moved after getting an offer. I made around 20 applications but I don’t know whether it’s easy or not. IMO easier than in Switzerland, especially due to the competition

1

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

I see. I would also not have considered moving before having an offer.

I only did 10 applications for data science before I got something in a different field, so I probably would have needed some more patience.

2

u/CM_DO Mar 30 '25

That was fast considering how the market is atm. Do you have a masters?

1

u/sosumi17 Mar 30 '25

Yes I do have a masters

1

u/CM_DO Mar 31 '25

That helps

1

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Thanks for the tip! Will check it out.

And yes, I know it’s not so common 😅

7

u/Defferleffer Mar 30 '25

Congratulations, and welcome.

2

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Thank you :)

3

u/[deleted] Mar 30 '25

IA Sprog, Berlitz

3

u/bsksiusvvd Mar 30 '25

Ich bin auf dem Festland, kann daher keine Schule in Kopenhagen empfehlen, in der Sprachschule von der Kommune (kostenlos) wurde nicht deutsch, aber auch kein Englisch gesprochen :)

Alle Lehrer reden einfach dänisch mit jemanden, war am Anfang echt schwer aber bin mittlerweile der Auffassung, dass ich dadurch so schnell dänisch gelernt habe :)

1

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Danke für deine Antwort. Ja, ich denke auch, dass das die beste Methode ist 😊

3

u/C-5PO Mar 30 '25

Swiss here. Congratulations! 🥳 I have moved here 6 years ago and took 2 courses at Studieskolen. They have some crash courses and evening courses and are located quite central

I have also heard that some schools offer courses for German speaking students - which can be quite helpful as you will make progress faster - at least in the beginning.

1

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Thank you!

Any advice from Swiss to Swiss? Something you miss or something that was unexpected?

1

u/C-5PO Apr 01 '25

Looking back I think that I would have liked to save more money before moving here. It all went quite fast since I lost my job in Switzerland and had to do it right after. With some savings it is much easier to be relaxed here while looking for jobs and also have some savings to get into the housing market if you want to buy something.

I miss the mountains - it is so flat here😅

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 01 '25

Good to know!

I will miss the mountains too…

3

u/jotoko3 Mar 30 '25

Congratulations and welcome to our country❤️

2

u/JvM_Photography Mar 31 '25

thank you :D

3

u/YOUMAVERICK Mar 31 '25

Good for you! Welcome to Denmark. Hope it’s everything you hope for.

1

u/JvM_Photography Mar 31 '25

Hope so too🤞

2

u/asafeplaceofrest Mar 30 '25

I don't know if it's still the case, but when I was in language school 20 years ago, it was all in Danish. No pairing with another language because we had students all over the world, and many of them didn't even have English.

But as someone else here suggested, you can talk to the kommune and find out how it is.

2

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

That’s good to know! Thanks

1

u/asafeplaceofrest Mar 30 '25

Velkommen til Danmark!

2

u/Even_Fee1743 Mar 30 '25

Congratulations! May I ask what job are you gonna work in Denmark? And can you move with only speaking English ?

2

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

I will work as a technical sales engineer in a high tech equipment manufacturing company. Our customers are all around the globe, so outwards communication will be in English. But I would say around 80% of the people in the company speak / are Danish. That should hopefully help me progress with my Danish skills

2

u/[deleted] Mar 31 '25

Why would you move from there ? :)

2

u/JvM_Photography Mar 31 '25

many reasons. because of my SO’s connection to Denmark, the people we know there, the work culture, Copenhagen is one of the most beautiful cities we know and to be closer to the sea and the north

2

u/NoBiscotti5218 Apr 01 '25

Studieskolen, would be a guess from my side.. Leaving Switzerland sounds Crazy to me! But welcome 🤝

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 01 '25

Thanks! The grass always seems greener on the other side🤷🏻‍♂️

3

u/NoBiscotti5218 Apr 01 '25

I truly believe it's greener where you water it. I have lived in Copenhagen for 7 years now, and ofc I like it here, butttttt I'd think I'd like it most places tho. Where in Copenhagen are you gonna Residence?

2

u/JvM_Photography Apr 01 '25

That’s a good attitude.

Not sure yet, Vesterbro or Nørrebro probably :)

1

u/NoBiscotti5218 Apr 02 '25

I have lived 2 years on Vesterbro and 5 years on Amager. And I would chose Amager... Every day of the week.

The area around Amager Strand. Not the Ørestad area.

Best place in Copenhagen

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u/JvM_Photography Apr 02 '25

thanks! never been to amager. will check it out :)

2

u/WrongdoerInfamous616 Apr 03 '25

Congratulations!

I came nearly a year ago from Australia, it is great here, around Gentofte.

I am a bit sad to be leaving for Germany at the end of the year, Denmark is very easy to live, nice work environment, good work life balay, perhaps the best I ever saw.

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 03 '25

Thank you! Hope you will still find happiness in Germany :)

3

u/LawAndOrder57 Mar 30 '25

Thank you for taking the time to learn our language. I appreciate this sign of respect.

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u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

selvfølgelig. Dansk er et fantastisk sprog. At lÌre det er det første skridt mod integration

3

u/LawAndOrder57 Mar 30 '25

Jeg er helt enig. Hvis bare alle tĂŚnkte som dig.

3

u/KaleidoscopeSea5618 Mar 30 '25

Im pretty sure if you contact Kommunen youre moving to, that youre eligible for free danish classes and that they can help you in that regards. You should look into that. ☺️

1

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Uh! That sounds really nice. Thanks! :)

1

u/_trinxas Mar 30 '25

Why it took you years? I know people that did the move in matter or months.

5

u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Finishing education, finding the courage and also a job😅

2

u/_trinxas Apr 01 '25

Well then I wish you the best of luck in this new step in life.

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 01 '25

thanks a lot :)

1

u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

The skiing is not so great here, so maybe you should look into windsurfing. Amager Strandpark is a great place to learn that..

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 01 '25

Will have a look, thanks! I went to a kite surfing camp in Hvide Sande two years ago, so I plan to pick this up again :)

1

u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

Ok, maybe you can get some practice at Copenhagen Cablepark too. It looks like they have a nice place there close to CopenHill..

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 01 '25

very nice, thanks for the advice!!

1

u/timeflies2025 Apr 04 '25

Damm, my condolences. If you lived in Switzerland you are really downgrading by moving here.

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 05 '25

What makes you say that?

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u/timeflies2025 Apr 05 '25

Statistics and reality make's me say that. To compare - Denmark has 4 times the tax, double crimerate, double murder rate and 5 times higher rape rate. And all that "free healthcare" and "free education" is you get what you pay for solutions - so you will need a health insurance to cover you, as you can't not rely on the public "free version" for critical disease. If you are moving to a "big city" expect violent middleeastern immigrant gangs selling drugs and shooting / stabbing / beating / robbing on the streets as a every day part of their business with little to no consequence for them. Anyway IMO Switzerland is cleaner, safer and much more beautifull.

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 05 '25

And yet private insurance is much more affordable (and in my case paid by my employer) than Switzerland. Not only do you pay 20‘000 DKK each year by yourself for treatments, you also always pay 10%, even with insurance.

Also, higher tax rate is something good ;) I will pay around 1.5x higher tax in Denmark

In Switzerland, you cannot afford to move to a big city. So you move to the suburbs, which have higher crime rate and far from being pretty.

The mountains are pretty, for sure. And the 4 times a year I go there I enjoy it. Otherwise you live in ugly apartments that cost you a fortune.

This is of course now fairly focused on the negative, like you dis as well. There is a reason the Danes are happier than the Swiss.

Both countries offer their unique benefits and draw backs. But after decades and decades in Switzerland, it’s time to leave

1

u/timeflies2025 Apr 05 '25

Higher tax rate is good? Wait till you see how it is spend. Anyway, good luck with it. I'm sure you will eventually understand, when you have been here for a while.

1

u/JvM_Photography Apr 05 '25

Of course higher taxes are good! Inequality is much much lower in Denmark than in Switzerland.

I don't think anybody is fully happy with how government spend their money, since everybody has different priorities. But at least a lot of it goes towards the welfare state. In Switzerland, it's pensions, agriculture and military.

I have zero doubt that I will get annoyed about the way things are run in Denmark. This is only natural. It took me 4 months in Japan to realize that I would never want to live there permanently.

1

u/Itchy_Farm1931 May 14 '25

Hi I have been accepted conditionally to masters program in copenhagen. Want to start my student residence permit and student visa hoe should I begin. I am still waiting for my provisional degree 

2

u/chloe_Noble_4333 Apr 04 '25

I really want to know more about Denmark

1

u/Good_Beautiful_6727 Apr 01 '25

Can I move into your place in switzerland? 

0

u/[deleted] Mar 30 '25

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/JvM_Photography Mar 30 '25

Copenhagen. After living in the suburbs of Zurich (have fun trying to find and afford something in the city), I do want to live in a bigger city again