Less than half of highly skilled green card holders have a job in Denmark today

Highly-educated foreigners lured by immigration scheme wind up unemployed or in menial jobs.

Thousands of university graduates from countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh have come to Denmark in recent years via a green card programme that allows highly-skilled foreigners three years to find work in Denmark. The programme has faced criticism after revelations that only a few green card holders found work within their field while the rest ended up taking unskilled work.

New rules for permanent residence permit

If you have held a Danish temporary residence permit for at least four years, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. With a permanent residence permit, you no longer need to apply for an extension of your residence permit but can reside in Denmark for as long as you wish, provided you meet certain conditions.

In order to qualify for a permanent residence permit, you must obtain at least100 points, awarded by meeting certain requirements.

Published by: The Danish Immigration Service in June 2010

TV2 Program on Green Card Holders

Ramesh Kumar, 34, has worked for 10 years as a lawyer in India.

Until recently, he dreamed of earning good money as a lawyer in Denmark.Now he rates on working as a cleaner or dishwasher in Copenhagen.

“It is impossible to get a good job that suits my qualifications. So I am now interested in anything just to survive,” says Ramesh Kumar.

Watch Video here: http://nyhederne-dyn.tv2.dk/article/29453598/?ss

More are on the way
Ramesh Kumar is one of the 1,373 foreigners who have been Greencard since the system was expanded in summer 2008. But far more is coming.

The number of applicants has risen from 816 in 2008 to nearly 5,800 in 2009. And right now there is a backlog of more than 5,000 cases awaiting a decision from the Immigration Service.