Join an unemployment insurance fund

Instructions for online procedure.

If you are working in Denmark, you are subject to Danish social security legislation. Therefore, you should be insured against unemployment in Denmark.

The Danish unemployment insurance system is a voluntary insurance scheme. This means that you are not automatically insured against unemployment when working in Denmark. If you want to be covered by unemployment insurance in Denmark, you must join a Danish unemployment insurance fund, also known as an 'a-kasse'.

You can become a member of an unemployment insurance fund if you are at least 18 years of age, have more than 2 years left before you reach your retirement age, and reside in Denmark or a boarder worker.

You can find more information on the Danish unemployment insurance system and legislation here: Life in Denmark

When applying for membership, you typically will be asked if you would like to join the 'a-kasse' as
a student, as newly graduate or as an employee or self-employed.

You will also choose between full-time insurance and part-time insurance. The full-time insurance costs more, but you will receive more in unemployment benefits if you become unemployed.

Below you will find some phrases and questions that you usually will be asked when applying for membership in an 'a-kasse'. If you have any questions or need help with your membership application, please contact the 'a-kasse'.

The EU regulation establishing the Single Digital Gateway (SDG) says that cross border users from other EU countries must have access to information and self-service solutions on, among other things, unemployment.

In this guide, you can find information on how to fill out the unemployment insurance funds' (a-kassens) online procedure regarding declaration of unemployment and applying for unemployment benefits.

It is important that you answer the questions correctly. It may have consequences for your entitlement to unemployment benefit if you provide incorrect information or fail to disclose circumstances of importance to your entitlement to unemployment benefit. Information which turns out to be incorrect may lead to claims for reimbursement of unemployment benefits and loss of rights.

If you find it difficult to find a specific question or word in the instructions, you can use the search function in pdf/word.

Please contact the “a-kasse”, if you have any questions or need help when completing the online

Print (pdf)

1. Generelt	General
A-kasse	Unemployment insurance fund
Valg af medlemskab	Choose your membership
Medlemskab af a-kassen	Membership in an unemployment fund (Please note that membership in the union is not mandatory)
Bliv medlem af a-kassen	Become a member in the unemployment fund
Optagelse	Join an 'a-kasse'/become a member
Indmeldelse	Join an 'a-kasse'/become a member
Skifte fra anden a-kasse	Transfer from another unemployment insurance fund
Skal vi overflytte dig fra en anden a-kasse?	Do you want us to transfer your membership from another unemployment insurance fund?
Tidligere været medlem af en anden a-kasse	Do you have a previous membership of an 'a-kasse'?
Hvordan vil du forsikres i a-kassen?	What kind of insurance would you like? Full-time insurance and part-time insurance?
Forsikret på fuldtid Forsikret på deltid	Full-time insurance Part-time insurance – you can choose to be part-time insured if you are working part-time.
Har du bopæl og ophold i Danmark?	Do you have your residence in Denmark?
Er du dansk statsborger?	Are you a Danish citizen?
Lønsikring	Salary insurances It is a voluntary supplemental private insurance that you can use during times of unemployment. With salary insurance you can get as much as 90 percent of your previous salary, including unemployment benefits etc.
Efterløn	Voluntary early retirement (benefits)
Ønsker du at betale til efterlønsordningen?	Do you want to pay into the voluntary early retirement scheme? Please note that – as a rule – you must be a member of an 'a-kasse' and start paying into the scheme no later than when you turn 30 years old. To be eligible for early retirement you must also have paid into the scheme for 30 years. Please contact the 'a-kasse' for more information.
Behandling af persondata	Processing of personal data
Tro og love	(To speak or give information on) faith and laws (oath and good faith)
Vælg betalingsmetode Betaling af kontingent Betalingsservice Girokort	Choose payment method Payment of membership fees Direct debit service (automatic payment through the bank) Request of payment (this will be sent to you via post and you will have to pay with your online banking account)
Hvor ofte vil du betale?	Which payment rates do you want?
Blive ringet op	Would you like the 'a-kasse' to call you?
2. Medlemskab som studerende	Membership as a student
Hvilken uddannelse deltager du i? Hvilken uddannelse er du i gang med?	Which education are you attending?
Varer din uddannelse mindst 18 måneder?	Is the duration of your education at least 18 months?
Hvornår startede du din uddannelse?	When did you start your education?
Hvornår forventer du at afslutte uddannelsen?	When do you expect to finish the education/programme?
Gratis medlemskab	Free membership
Kontingentfritagelse	Free membership, usually when you are attending a study and are under the age of 30
Får du SU?	Do you receive SU (Danish education support for students/state education grant)?
Får du elevløn/løn som lærling?	Do you get salary as a trainee/student employee?
Har du anden indkomst?	Do you have any other form of income?
Har du et fritidsjob?	Do you work in your spare time?
Er du over 30 år?	Are you over 30 years old?
Bruttoindtægt inclusive SU de næste 12 måneder?	Your total annual income, including state education grant (SU)
Modtager du hjælp til forsørgelse (fx pension, revalidering, kontanthjælp, barsels- eller sygedagpenge)?	Do you recieve any other kind of public support (for example pension, rehabilitiation, welfare, maternity benefit or sickness benefit)
3. Medlemskab som nyuddannet/dimittend	Membership as a newly graduate Membership after completed education
Afsluttet uddannelse	Completed education
Har du afsluttet en uddannelse inden for de seneste 14 dage?	Did you complete an education within the last two weeks?
Havde du bopæl og ophold i Danmark før uddannelsens start?	Did you have residence in Denmark before your education began? Did you live in Denmark before attending the education?
Havde du bopæl og ophold i Danmark senest to uger/14 dage efter uddannelsens afslutning?	Did you have residence in Denmark to weeks after you finished your education?
Oplysninger om din uddannelse	Information regarding your education
Hvilken uddannelse?	What kind of education did you complete?
Uddannelsessted	School, university
Startdato	Start date (of the education)?
Hvornår startede du din uddannelse?	When did you start your education?
Slutdato/færdig med uddannelsen	End date (of the education)
Hvornår sluttede du din uddannelse?	When is/was your last day of the education?
14-dagesfristen	The 2-week deadline for becoming a member of the 'a-kasse' Requirement for receiving benefits as a graduate
Hidtidige rettigheder	You must choose if you would like to receive benefits as a graduate or continue with current rights
Jag søger om dagpenge som nyuddannet/dimittend	I apply for benefits as a newly graduate
Sprogkravet	Language requirements for graduates All graduates must pass a level of Danish equal to Dansk 2 in order to receive unemployment benefits
Tilknytningskravet	If you don’t meet the Language requirement for graduates, you can meet the requirement by having at least 600 hours of employment within 12 months of the last 24 months.
4. Medlemskab som ledig	Membership as unemployed You should apply for membership as unemployed if you are not a student, newly graduate, employee or self-employed
Er du ledig/arbejdsløs?	Are you unemployed?
Jeg søger om dagpenge	I apply for benefits
Hvad var dit seneste job?	What was your last job?
5. Medlemskab som lønmodtager	Membership as an employee
Hvad arbejder du med?	What is your job?
Oplysninger om dit arbejde	Information regarding your work
Virksomhedens navn	Name of the company you work for
Stilling	Job title
Arbejder du mere end 30 timer pr. uge?	Do you work more than 30 hours per week?
Hvad er din ugentlige arbejdstid?	What are your weekly working hours?
Får du eller din arbejdsgiver tilskud til din løn?	Do you or your employer receive subsidy for your salary?
Er du i fleksjob?	Are you working in a flex job?
Får du førtidspension eller delpension?	Do you receive early retirement pension, supplementary disability pension or partial pension?
6. Medlemskab som selvstændig	Membership as self-employed
Oplysninger om dit arbejde	Information on your work/company
Virksomhedens navn og cvr.nr.	Name and cvr number of the company The cvr number is an 8 digit number identifying the company in Denmark.