Greenland nurses offered 6,000 kroner monthly bonus

Nurses with eight years of experience can earn an additional 6,000 kroner per month working in Greenland under a new agreement negotiated by Danish Regions and the Danish Nurses’ Organisation, reports DR.

The 15 percent bonus on base salary applies to nurses and doctors participating in a rotation scheme to fill full-time positions in Greenland, particularly in acute care, obstetrics, and psychiatry. The arrangement aims to stabilise staffing amid a severe shortage of healthcare workers.

Dorthe Boe Danbjørg, chair of the Danish Nurses’ Organisation, called the bonus an economic incentive for nurses considering the move. A recent survey by the organisation found roughly 25 percent of Danish nurses expressed interest in working in Greenland.

Under the scheme, flights and accommodation are covered, but salaries follow Greenlandic collective agreements, which are typically lower than in Denmark. Kjeld Møller Pedersen, emeritus professor and chair of Greenland’s independent Health Council, argued the bonus compensates for the pay cut rather than serving as a true incentive.

Greenland’s health service currently relies heavily on expensive agency staff, with spending on temporary nurses rising from 22 million kroner in 2020 to 72 million in 2025. Agency nurses in Greenland can earn double the salary of permanent staff.