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Unemployment insurance abroad

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If you get a job in another EEA country

If you get a job in another EEA country, you must generally be insured against unemployment there. The rules for unemployment insurance abroad also apply even if you continue to reside in Denmark or if your employer is based in Denmark.

It is important that you become insured in the country of work within 8 weeks if you want to retain your seniority from your Danish unemployment insurance fund. You must apply for registration with the foreign unemployment insurance yourself.

You can read more about working, unemployment insurance and unemployment insurance abroad on Self Service.

Your membership with Min A-kasse

As an employee, you can only be a member of one unemployment insurance fund. Therefore, if you want to join an unemployment insurance fund abroad, you must unsubscribe from Min A-kasse. You should only unsubscribe once you are sure that you are covered by the other country's unemployment insurance. You can continue to be a member of Min A-kasse if you can prove that you cannot be insured in the other EEA country.

If you leave Min A-kasse, you will not be able to pay early retirement contributions. However, you can pay the contribution in arrears when you return to Denmark and meet the conditions for admission or re-admission to Min A-kasse.

If you get a job outside the EU/EEA

If you get a job outside the EU/EEA, you can generally maintain your membership of Min A-kasse - if the country you travel to does not have unemployment insurance. 

If you return to Denmark within 5 years

Return to Denmark after working in an EEA country and unemployment insurance membership abroad

Are you returning to Denmark after working in an EEA country and being a member of an unemployment insurance fund abroad? It is important that you join a Danish unemployment insurance fund within eight weeks in order to retain your seniority from the foreign unemployment insurance fund.

If you left your Danish unemployment fund less than 12 months ago

If you left your Danish unemployment insurance fund less than 12 months ago, you may have less than 8 weeks to join. You may not be without an unemployment insurance fund for more than eight weeks in total within the last 12 months.

If you return to Denmark after more than 5 years

Back to Denmark after working abroad for more than five years

If you have not previously been a member of a Danish unemployment fund or if you return to Denmark after more than five years of unemployment insurance in another EEA country, you must meet certain requirements to maintain your seniority:

  • You must start working in Denmark and apply for admission within 8 weeks.
  • Prior to your unemployment, you must have reported 296 hours to SKAT's income register within the last 12 weeks/3 months.
Benefits while looking for a job abroad

You can get unemployment benefits while looking for a job abroad

If you are unemployed and a member of Min A-kasse, you can look for work in an EEA country with Danish unemployment benefits for up to 3 months. Read more about EEA unemployment benefits. However, you must meet the conditions below.

  • You must be a citizen of an EEA country.
  • You must meet the general conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefits at the time of departure.
  • You must have residence and stay in Denmark until the time of departure.
  • You must have been registered with the Jobcenter as unemployed for at least 4 weeks.
  • You must apply for a permit before you travel.

Read more about applying for work abroad at the Danish Agency for Labor Market and Recruitment.

How to apply for unemployment benefits abroad

You can download the application form for unemployment benefits while looking for work abroad via Self-service Send your application in good time, at least 4 weeks before departure, so we can process it before you leave.