Foreigners receive 42 percent of fish plant support payments

Foreigners received 42 percent of payments from the fish processing support scheme in September, according to figures reported by KVF.

They received just under 5.5 million kroner that month. The share was 10 percent for the whole of 2016 and has risen every year since, reaching 37 percent last year.

From 2016 through September this year, foreigners received just under 45.2 million kroner from the scheme, out of total payments of 159.6 million kroner. The figures were given by Minister Margit Stóra in response to MP Lilja Weihe.

Foreigners are defined as people who are not Danish citizens. Measured in full-time equivalent jobs, the figure was 454 through September this year, compared with 534 last year and 170 in 2016.

The scheme provides unemployment support for temporary interruptions to work at fish processing plants, for example when fresh raw material is unavailable. Payments are made weekly and begin after the ninth hour of unemployment, covering up to 32 hours, or four working days, per week.