Danish Govt to Require Migrants Work 37 Hours a Week to Get Benefits

The Danish government has proposed making migrants work at least 37 hours a week in order for them to qualify to receive state welfare benefits.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, along with Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen and Employment Minister Peter Hummelgaard, announced the proposed measures on Tuesday.

“The aim is that all citizens with an integration need — new entrants as well as those who have been longer in the cash assistance system — should eventually be covered by the requirement for a 37-hour duty of work,” the proposal states, according to Danish broadcaster TV2.

“The starting point must be that you participate and contribute for 37 hours a week if you are on public support,” the proposal adds.

Around 20,000 people will be targeted by the new proposal, which aims to get individuals of foreign background more integrated into the Danish labour market. TV2 noted that some of those outside the labour market include those from the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey, especially women.

According to the broadcaster, some of the work may be agreed upon by various municipalities and could take the form of helping to clean areas like beaches and forests or renovating and maintaining municipal services.

The new proposal comes after several others by the Social Democrat-led government that are seen as tough on mass migration.

Late last month, Danish Integration Minister Mattias Tesfaye stated that his dream was that Denmark would see no new asylum seekers, saying: “I believe that the existing European asylum system cannot be defended either morally or politically.”

“The asylum system is being used for migration on a scale that our welfare society cannot absorb, and it challenges cohesion in Denmark. That is why we have to bring asylum immigration under control,” he added.

In April, Denmark also saw various political parties in the country’s parliament agree to ban convicted criminals from becoming Danish citizens.

“Among immigrants, some are doing well, and then some are doing poorly. We want to make sure that those who receive Danish citizenship have settled well in Danish society and has embraced Denmark — including Danish values,” Minister Tesfaye said, commenting on the proposal.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com