Denmark sets training, recruitment path for Filipino health workers

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:34 p.m.) — Filipino health and care workers stand to gain from expanded training opportunities and clearer career pathways under a draft bilateral agreement between the Philippines and Denmark, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.

The DMW said both governments have initialed and exchanged the latest drafts of a Memorandum of Understanding on the education, training and recruitment of Filipino health and care professionals during the visit of Denmark’s Minister for Senior Citizens Mette Kierkgaard in Makati City.

Unlike traditional deployment arrangements focused mainly on placement, the proposed framework centers on education, skills alignment and professional development as core conditions for deploying Filipino workers to Denmark’s care sector.

Equal rights, conditions

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the agreement aims to establish an ethical and transparent recruitment system that ensures Filipino workers receive the same rights and working conditions as their Danish counterparts.

Under the draft MOU, deployment would operate on a government-to-government model, reducing the role of unregulated intermediaries or agencies and strengthening safeguards for workers throughout the recruitment and employment process.

"Both countries are working closely to establish a recruitment and deployment process that is free from exploitative practices—making sure Filipino workers receive the same rights, protections and decent working conditions as their counterparts abroad," Cacdac said in a news release.

The framework also supports capacity-building in the Philippines through workforce planning, knowledge transfer and circular migration, allowing workers to gain overseas experience while returning to apply their skills back home.

Danish Ambassador Franz-Michael Melbin said the deal will yield mutual benefits to both sides by creating opportunities for Filipinos while solving labor gaps in Denmark. "It will also contribute to further upskilling and training that will ensure sufficient supply of Filipino health and care workforce both locally and globally," Melbin added.

Next steps. Implementation is expected to begin with a pilot program for social and health care helpers in elderly care, with plans to expand into more advanced positions such as social and health care assistants and nurses.

Filipino workers under the program would undergo preparatory and skills-alignment training in accredited Philippine institutions to ensure they meet Denmark’s standards in elderly and medical care. Training programs would be standardized and recognized by both governments.

A joint committee will oversee the agreement once it is formally signed.

Why this matters for Filipino workers

The initiative comes amid Denmark’s continuing labor shortage in the healthcare sector, which Danish authorities have projected could leave thousands of positions unfilled in the coming decade.

The Philippines itself, however, faces persistent gaps in its healthcare workforce. The country has a shortage of almost tens of thousands of healthcare workers, according to data cited by the International Council of Nurses. Nurse deficits are even expected to rise if current migration patterns continue.

For the Philippines, a major source of globally deployed health professionals, the MOU with Denmark would be a structured labor partnership. It signals a shift toward a labor mobility with worker welfare, skills and long-term employability at its center, rather than simple placement abroad.

The proposed agreement builds on a Joint Declaration of Intent signed by both countries in December 2024.