Still temporary after many years

This issue, Aamna Tauheed spoke with Tanmay, a Master’s graduate who has lived in Denmark for eleven years. He is one of many internationals whose stories make up #TheForgottenGold.

Photographs: Morten Falborg Nordström

Text: Aamna Tauheed

A Master's graduate from a recognised institution in Denmark, an international with flawless Danish and a Customer Success Manager by profession, yet living temporarily and invisibly in Denmark. Tanmay Singh Madan's resilience and strength make his story a unique one, different from others. To understand the challenges he faces as an international student from India who has been in Denmark for eleven years, I met him at a coffee shop earlier this week.

“I immediately fell in love with Denmark when I came here as a student eleven years ago from India to study International Business at Copenhagen Business School. I like Danish culture because people are progressive and open-minded, which is quite a refreshing change for me. The Danish way of life, with its focus on work-life balance, flat hierarchies, and informal work environments, has attracted me to this country. I call Denmark home more than where I originally came from. Still, the double-edged sword of uncertainty and temporary visa status has been weighing on me for more than a decade”, said Tanmay in a dejected tone when I asked his reason for moving to Denmark.

It has been over ten years since Tanmay moved to Denmark. He arrived as a student, built his career, and stayed on as a professional Account Executive, dedicating much of his energy to establishing and maintaining a life in Denmark. Unfortunately, today, he finds himself at a crossroads where he must find a new job or leave the country within a limited time.

Tanmay`s story serves as a powerful reminder of why many internationals identify with our #TheForgottenGold Movement: talented and resilient internationals who contribute to Denmark professionally through their skills but still face uncertainty and invisibility.

The relentless streak of misfortunes

Tanmay shared his initial days of struggle in Denmark with a meaningful smile because, according to him, his studies almost ended in disaster.

“I almost got kicked out of my degree because I didn’t pass one course,” he told me, recalling those days. “I failed one module three times, and by the skin of my teeth, I passed that exam in my third attempt”. The experience taught Tanmay resilience and introduced him to the Danish educational system and work-life balance, even as a student who also worked part-time to cover his expenses.

Tanmay spent five years as a student in Denmark, where he studied International Business and Creative Business Process for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively. During his time as a student, he learned Danish and held various jobs, including working as a kitchen assistant and delivering food, all within the limits of a student visa. The series of misfortunes and challenges didn’t stop there, as he received a shocking rejection when applying for a standard job-seeking permit, which most internationals rely on to transition from student to professional life.

“The caseworker misunderstood some information in my job-seeking permit application, and it wasn’t my mistake. I received a response from the immigration centre stating that I have two months to leave the country unless I challenge their decision, which I later did. I launched a fundraiser because I couldn’t afford a lawyer, raised money within 24 hours, and filed an appeal. Within two days, I was granted a permit,” he described the situation while sipping from his glass.

Tanmay was almost stranded in Denmark due to a clerical mistake and complex rules for international students. The only reasons he stayed or made it through were the kind actions of some strangers, community support, and his choice not to give up.

"After spending eleven years here, I am still temporary for Denmark and standing at square one."

Professional struggle, broken bones and a nightmare of identity theft

Finding a professional job in the Danish labour market is quite a daunting task, especially for internationals. There are several stories of foreigners who struggle to find a single opportunity in the Danish job market, only to end up with disappointments and rejection emails, leading them to make the difficult decision to leave. Tanmay's situation in this context is similar to that of internationals and proved to be another mountain to climb in a new country. After two years of job hunting and facing rejection, he decided to give up on Denmark and search for jobs elsewhere. He got a job offer from the Netherlands and accepted it, but life intervened with a full swing and put him in bed for weeks.

“I thought my time in Denmark was over, or this country doesn’t need me because I tried everything, from studying to learning the language, but nothing worked. I thought the job in the Netherlands seemed a way forward to pursue a professional career in a new place, but I had an accident while coming back from work. Due to my accident and internal changes in the company, they decided to keep me in the Copenhagen office instead of the Netherlands. That is when I felt a sense of belonging, and I also called it a twist of destiny for me,” said Tanmay with a wry smile.

The most painful episode and the label of temporary

After sending out hundreds of applications and networking extensively, Tanmay finally secured a job in Denmark. For the first time in years, he felt secure and saw hope on the horizon, but that feeling was short-lived.

“After three months, I have been laid off from my position due to the company's restructuring and financial glitches. The whole episode was too painful for me because that decision affected my legal status in Denmark. I have two months to find a job related to my profession, and according to the rules, I am not allowed to do mundane jobs for my survival.

The timing couldn't be worse for Tanmay, as he has a limited stay in Denmark. If he doesn't find a job within this period, he'll have to leave the country where he has spent more than a decade and call home. “After spending eleven years, I am still temporary for Denmark and standing at square one,” said Tanmay in a dejected tone at the end of the conversation.

Why Tanmay's story matters

Tanmay's story is profoundly personal and highlights the struggles faced by international students living in Denmark. It explores issues ranging from legal rights and visa status to job searching, cultural integration, and social acceptance, all of which highlight the challenges many internationals encounter in Denmark. It serves as a reminder to companies, recruiters, and policymakers that internationals are not just statistics or numbers in the system. They are talented and capable professionals with remarkable resilience who seek nothing more than acceptance and equal opportunities in Denmark. Specifically, in Tanmay`s case, despite the hardships, he is sure of one thing: Denmark feels more like home to him than his original homeland, and he wants to contribute to Danish society by utilising his professional and social skills.

It is the experience of being skilled, competent, and invested, yet always feeling insecure and dissatisfied, that has led many internationals to describe themselves as #TheForgottenGold.