Denmark to ease residence requirements?

I choked on my coffee when I read this in Politiken. All the way back in February.

The Liberal-Conservative government are planning to make it easier to get permanent residence in Denmark. Foreigners who learn Danish, send their children to child-care institutions, and become coaches in their local football clubs are to be rewarded by getting permanent residence much faster than is possible today. While it currently takes 7 years, that time will be reduced to 3 years, if you can demonstrate an ability to become integrated quickly.

Integration spokesman Nasser Khader from the Conservatives says "It's a good business-like approach that rewards the people who show initiative. So if one shows the willingness to integrate, one will be able to quickly get permanent residence. It's a form of carrot".

The Liberals and Conservatives want to introduce a kind of point system similar to the one used in Canada. "This can be about your employment record, if you've gotten by without welfare support, your language skills, and if your children are in day care institutions. But you can also get points for cultural integration, for example if you train the local football team. This is about attracting foreigners to Denmark, because we need those who want to" says Karsten Lauritzen, integration spokesman for the Liberals.

Dansk Folkeparti strongly disagrees

Peter Skaarup from Dansk Folkeparti : "It sounds very strange. We decided in 2002 that the waiting time be raised to 7 from 3 years. To amongst other things send a clear signal to refugees from the whole world that they could be sent out of Denmark again, if the condition in their homeland should improve. We are therefore very skeptical about changing the period again. We don't negotiate through the press, but I want to make it very clear that changes in the immigration law shall be done with us in agreement. I won't deny that we are talking about a productive group of people who deserve to be rewarded for good integration, but it will then require further restrictions in other areas".

Karsten Lauritzen has already made it clear that there will in fact be additional tightening of the immigration law. Both he and Nasser Khader stress that the proposal marks a fundamental shift in Danish immigration politics, which since 2001 has centered around tightening entry into Denmark.

"This government has tightened and tightened immigration law in a range of areas, but these restrictions have hit everyone. In the coming year we will need workers, and we therefore need to reach out to everyone who wants to take part in the Danish society" says Lauritzen.

According to Khader : "Even though we want to make it more difficult to give residence to the foreigners who work against democracy and integration, we are reaching the limit to possible immigration restrictions. Therefore we're saying that we need everyone, and we're giving incentives."

I didn't expect to hear this. Well, it was becoming increasingly clear that we were reaching some sort of endgame. There several years' of pessimistic evaluation of the government's integration failures, and then Denmark's immigration laws were decisively trumped by the EU's, the latter being less restrictive. Then there were also growing signs that Dansk Folkparti were running out of political momentum. But this was the first time since 2001 that the government were formally conceding ground, so you'll have to forgive me for being swept up in the moment. Wow, they're actually making it easier? As in, less difficult?

On the surface, the proposal seems fair enough. It's not great, but after 10 years of no's, a maybe isn't so bad. I'm not happy that points are awarded to which institutions you place your children in : what happens if you don't have any? If you're scraping points together, each one counts, so that seems a bit unfair. Also, I'm just not comfortable with the government drawing up a list of "passable" activities, like ... coaching a football team. That stinks of McCarthyism, of a bunch of people on a hill telling us what's right and proper behavior. Well, I write a blog about Danish politics which requires that I'm well versed in Danish current affairs and can read the language. That, and I clearly seem to have a better grasp for democratic concepts than some Danes who think democracy is a window at a fastfood drive-through. Do I get special points for that?

Note that this proposal seeks to lower the waiting time : it doesn't affect the insane battery of language courses and exams you're compelled to take. It's also only about permanent residence : if you're wondering about citizenship, that can of worms stands untouched.

I'm happy the powers that be have come out and admitted a few things though. The Liberals and Conservatives are finally copping to the fact that their immigration restrictions have been overly-broad in their impact, and also, that they've run out of legal options. And Dansk Folkeparti, without shame and clear as day, lay out the bizarre rationale that it's okay to make everyone wait 7 years to get permanent residence, because that's apparently how long a war lasts, so they can still forcibly repatriating all the displaced people they don't want here. I'm starting to wonder if the expression "Kill 'em all and let god sort 'em out" originated here.

What's as telling as everything they're saying, is what they're not telling us : that integration and immigration are working well, thanks for asking. They've given up trying to put a positive spin on it because everyone knows integration works only as far as people can be shoved kicking and screaming into it. The right kind of immigrants are still not arriving in droves. And those who do arrive don't seem to need much encouragement to leave again. No one likes being made to jump through someone else's silly little hoops. It doesn't add up when a country desperately says it needs you, then tells you you're not allowed to stay if don't learn to look, sound and act exactly like them. Integration anno 2010 is probably worse off than it was in 2001, because now a lot of immigrants are running scared after seeing what Denmark is capable of.

Oh, has anyone else noticed the telltale signs of a well-functioning marriage here? The Liberals propose something, Dansk Folkeparti immediately pout, and the Liberals without missing a beat are right there with the necessary offerings. Yes, there will be restrictions, there always are. This is Denmark, and contrary to what some might think, you don't get anything for free in Denmark.