The UK wants to emulate Denmark's hardline asylum model but what does it actually look like?

"Before 2015, refugees in Denmark were initially allowed to stay for between five and seven years, after which their residence permits would automatically become permanent. But 10 years ago, when more than a million people arrived in Europe fleeing conflict and repression, largely from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Eritrea, the Danish government dramatically changed the rules."

"Since then, temporary residence permits have only been granted for one to two years at a time and there is no longer any guarantee of getting a permanent visa. In order to gain permanent status, refugees have to be fluent in Danish and are also required to have had a full-time job for several years. It's about the attitude and feeling of being here as a visitor on a temporary basis."

"Denmark's immigration policies have come into renewed focus after it emerged Britain's Labour government was seeking to emulate their approach in an attempt to make the UK a less attractive destination for people seeking asylum. Despite attracting criticism from the UN and human rights organisations, the restrictions among the harshest in Europe appear to have had the effect politicians were hoping for."

Before 2015 refugees in Denmark received five- to seven-year residence permits that converted automatically to permanent status. Around 2015 the Danish government changed rules amid a large influx to Europe, limiting permits to one to two years and removing automatic pathways to permanence. Permanent status now requires fluency in Danish and several years of full-time employment. The temporary-status approach creates ongoing uncertainty for refugees and can delay permanence for minor infractions. The policies have drawn criticism from the UN and human rights organisations. Asylum arrivals fell from 14,792 in 2014 to about 2,000 by 2021–2024, and refugees accounted for only 1% of recent residence permits.

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