BUSINESS REGION AARHUS

WELCOME TO
BUSINESS
REGION
AARHUS
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Tax & welfare
- what’s in it for me?
A region in progress
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Citizen Service in Business Region Aarhus has
published this magazine to welcome internationals
to our region. The purpose is to tell companies and
internationals more about our extensive services,
which include: a welcome pack for newcomers,
an English website for internationals in the region
as well as language training courses for employees
in the local Citizens’ Services. We have done this to
ensure that you receive the best possible welcome.
A warm
welcome
Job and educational opportunities exist not only for you,
but also for your family. Many national and international
companies are present in the region, and the city of
Aarhus is home to an international school that can provide
your children with a recognised, international education –
Hopefully, this will clarify some of the questions you might from kindergarten to upper secondary school level.
have and outline why our region is such an excellent
place to live and work. If, on the other hand, you are Aarhus is the regional capital, while the surrounding municalready here – congratulations! Perhaps you have already ipalities are all unique in terms of their towns, countryfound answers to your questions and discovered the won- side and culture. The towns and villages are clean and
ders of our region. If not, well, this is your chance to catch safe, national parks and coastal areas provide numerous
up on what life can be like as an international citizen in recreational opportunities, cultural events of an internaBusiness Region Aarhus.
tional standard are staged in the region – just to mention
but a few of the attractions.
If you are reading this as an international citizen, thank you
for considering Business Region Aarhus as your next destination. On the following pages, we invite you to come on a
journey with us – to give you a warm welcome to our region.
Living and working in
our region, you will find
that there are countless opportunities for
international citizens.
Two of the best things about Business Region Aarhus are its
size and its geographical location. Wherever you are, cities,
towns and events in the region can be reached within the
hour, while it takes only three hours to drive to Copenhagen
or Hamburg. Moreover, most European capitals can be
reached within two hours by air.
The following pages also provide more information about
International Community, the regional network for internationals which arranges various events for international
workers and their spouses and families. We are confident
that Business Region Aarhus has something to offer you –
just as your talent is of great interest to us.
Welcome to our region – enjoy your journey here.
According to National Geographic, the region of
Aarhus is the happiest in the world. This magazine
is an open invitation to come and join us.
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Business Region Aarhus
An international region
Home to more than 600,000 people
and still growing, Business Region
Aarhus is an excellent place to live
and work for international workers
and students. Several initiatives to
support international citizens in our
region have already been launched.
www.businessregionaarhus.com
As an international citizen in Business Region Aarhus,
you will find plenty of job and education opportunities,
not only for you, but also for your family. Perhaps that is
why a large number of international citizens have already
chosen to make the region their home, with more joining
us every year. In Business Region Aarhus, we know that
good schooling is a key factor for international families.
Aarhus is home to an international school and offers IB
certified education all the way from kindergarten level
through to upper secondary school. In addition, Aarhus
University, including Aarhus School of Business, have
numerous full-time and part-time university programmes
which are taught in English.
Internationalised public service
Most internationals in Denmark find that dealing with the
public services and the authorities is relatively easy. This
is undoubtedly because most people in Denmark speak
English, so you will have little trouble communicating. In
Business Region Aarhus, we want to ensure that international citizens get off to the best possible start, and it
all begins with what we call ‘the best regional welcome’!
This is why the citizens’ services across the region have
spent the past two years developing a number of welcome
services to help internationals on their arrival. A welcome
pack in English, which focuses on the specific needs of
international families, and an English website, constitute
the key services.
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The welcome pack is distributed through libraries, citizens’
services offices, educational institutions and workplaces,
and includes not only practical information, but also goodies like free tickets to cultural institutions and sports and
leisure events. Of the information in each welcome pack,
30% is municipality-specific, while 70% is general information about the region, providing you with all the details
you need. This way, you don’t have to worry about missing out on information about the wider region. In addition, many of the employees in the partner municipalities in Business Region Aarhus have received language
training in English, German and Polish so they are better
equipped to communicate with internationals. The website
www.businessregionaarhus.com offers access in English to
relevant public authorities. Here, international newcomers
can read more about what to do when moving to Business
Region Aarhus as well as about the services available to
internationals.
Business Region Aarhus is a regional partnership between eight
municipalities in the East Jutland area. The BRA partners comprise the municipalities of Aarhus, Favrskov, Skanderborg,
Silkeborg, Syddjurs, Norddjurs, Odder and Samsø. Our vision is to
maintain and strengthen the region’s position as one of the two
leading knowledge hubs in Denmark with an international reputation. Through a number of initiatives, we support development
in the region, making it attractive for companies, entrepreneurs
and newcomers.
International and innovative companies are present throughout
the region. Strong business environments are found within IT,
cleantech, medico and health as well as within the food sector.
In addition, there are many Danes with an international mindset.
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The Region
of Aarhus in progress
The main city of the region has a new international city brand: Aarhus – Danish for Progress.
The goal of this brand is to let the world know
what Aarhus has to offer.
A Windy Region
Wind capital of the world
Aarhus has what the world needs – there just aren’t
enough people who know it yet. This was the conclusion
of British urban development expert Greg Clark after his
first visit to Aarhus almost two years ago. Consequently,
the new brand for Aarhus is an international brand
which aims to realise an ambitious goal for growth:
75,000 more citizens by 2030.
The Aarhus region boasts a unique position in the global wind energy market. It
is home to some of the world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturers and constitutes the world’s most advanced knowledge centre within wind power. It boasts
an array of suppliers and subcontractors, covering the entire supply chain.
Wind energy enjoys solid political support at local, regional and national level.
The wind cluster has a long-standing tradition of collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers, scientific communities and the public authorities.
The goal is clear. The new brand is to strengthen
Aarhus’s ability to attract and retain international companies, workers and students.
Anholt Offshore Wind Farm
Areas of progress
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Aarhus N
Agro Food Park
Navitas
Katrinebjerg
Aarhus N is developing into
one of the most important technological knowledge environments within health and welfare in Scandinavia. The goal
is that, by 2020, Aarhus N is
home to more than 14,000
people – students, scientists,
teachers and employees at
public and private companies.
Agro Food Park is a cluster
initiative that brings together
specialist companies within
all fields of the agricultural
and food sector. The vision
is to make Agro Food Park
one of the world’s five strongest knowledge hubs with 300
knowledge workers at Agro
Food Park by 2020.
Navitas will be Aarhus’s new
centre for energy, innovation,
education and IT. When the
project is completed in 2014,
the ambitious building will host
more than 2,000 students,
300 teachers and scientists
together with 4-600 employees
in local companies.
Katrinebjerg in Aarhus is a
powerful IT cluster that hosts
a unique environment for
IT-based education, development, innovation and research.
The vision is that Katrinebjerg
becomes the strongest IT
knowledge and competence
centre in Denmark.
Denmark’s next large-scale offshore wind farm will be built between Djursland
and the island of Anholt in the Kattegat. Anholt Offshore Wind Farm will be
Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm with a total capacity of 400 MW.
The wind farm will be able to supply more than 400,000 Danish households
with CO2-free power every year. This corresponds to 4% of total Danish
power consumption, and the wind farm will thus make a significant contribution towards Denmark meeting its objective of ensuring that renewable
energy accounts for 30% by 2020.
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What’s going on?
Places of interest
LONDON
Build in
2012-2013
1h. 30min.
38
49
19
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1
Aarhus University
25
Den Gamle By
2
Aarhus School of Architecture
26
ARoS Museum
3
Aarhus School of Engineering
27
Aarhus Festival
4
Aarhus University Hospital
28
NorthSide
5
Aarhus Academy for Global Education
29
Sculpture by the sea
6
Langkaer IB World School
30
FOOD Festival
7
Silkeborg Hospital
31
Marselisborg Palace
8
Aarhus Airport
32
Moesgård Museum
9
European Film College
33
Skanderborg Festival
10
Grenaa IB School
34
Museum Jorn
35
Regatta Silkeborg
36
Rosenholm Castle
24
37
20
36
8
48
17
18
47
39
21
1
4
7
35 46
15
34
25
41
2
5
6
22
3
9
13
32
33
44
COPENHAGEN
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2h. 30min.
50
4h. 30min
www.auh.dk
www.aarhusacademy .dk
www.langkaer.dk
www.regionshospitalet-silkeborg.dk
www.aar.dk
www.europeanfilmcollege.dk
www.grenaa-ib.dk
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www.aros.dk
www.aarhusfestival.com
www.northside.dk
www.sculpturebythesea.dk
www.foodfestival.dk
www.visitaarhus.dk
www.moesmus.dk
www.smukfest.dk
www.museumjorn.dk
www.ildregatta.dk
www.rosenholmslot.dk
Vilhelmsborg
37
Clausholm Castle & Park
12
The Organic Garden
38
Danish Agricultural Museum
13
Himmelbjerget
39
Ebelfestival
14
AQUA
40
Fregatten Jylland
15
Hjejlen
41
Glasmuseet Ebeltoft
16
Dayz Søhøjlandet
17
Frijsenborg Castle
www.frijsenborg.dk
Citizen Service
18
The ruins of Kalø Castle
42
19
Djurs Sommerland
20
Skandinavisk Dyrepark
43
Citizen Service Aarhus
21
Mols Bjerge national park
44
Citizen Service Odder
22
Fregatten Jylland
45
Citizen Service Skanderborg
23
Ree Park
46
Citizen Service Silkeborg
24
Kattegatcenteret
47
Citizen Service Favrskov
48
Citizen Service Syddjurs
49
Citizen Service Norddjurs
50
Citizen Service Samsø
45
HAMBURG
www.iha.dk
www.dengamleby.dk
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11
10 km.
www.aarch.dk
Recreational activities
40
26 27
28
43 42
29
31 30
14
www.au.dk
23
16
Culture
www.vilhelmsborg.dk
www.ecogarden.dk
www.himmelbjerget.dk
www.ferskvandscentret.dk
www.hjejlen.com
www.clausholm.dk
www.gl-estrup.dk
www.ebelfestival.dk
www.fregatten-jylland.dk
www.glasmuseet.dk
www.dayz.dk
www.visitdjursland.com
www.danmarksnationalparker.dk/Mols
www.fregatten-jylland.dk
www.reepark.dk
www.kattegatcentret.dk
www.icitizen.dk
International Community
www.internationalcommunity.dk
www.djurssommerland.dk
www.skandinaviskdyrepark.dk
International Citizen Service
www.businessregionaarhus.com
www.businessregionaarhus.com
www.businessregionaarhus.com
www.workinsilkeborg.dk
www.businessregionaarhus.com
www.businessregionaarhus.com
www.businessregionaarhus.com
www.businessregionaarhus.com
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Tax and welfare
International
Community
International Community is a social and professional network for international employees and their families as well as
internationally minded Danes in Business Region Aarhus.
International Community is also an important partner for
businesses, the public authorities and institutions. Today,
International Community has more than 2,300 members
counting companies, institutions, associations, expats and
Danes.
Wide-ranging activities
Conferences on Danish culture and history, guided trips to
companies and associations, seminars on networking or on
job hunting for spouses and practical assistance are just a
few of the activities organised by International Community.
International Community also publishes a weekly newsletter
in English announcing events in the region, and runs an online community, InterCom, for internationals and businesses
alike. Behind the scenes a lot more is happening, and the
visibility of and demand for International Community’s services is increasing every year.
– what’s in it for me?
Get off to a good start in Denmark:
International Citizen Service
There is a lot to attend to when you arrive in Denmark as
an employee or job seeker. International Citizen Service
(ICS) is there to help. ICS makes contacting the Danish
authorities as easy as possible. All the authorities you normally need to contact are represented at ICS, so in most
cases you only need to visit an ICS office to take care of
your paperwork and find answers to your questions.
International Citizen Service Aarhus offers you
face-to-face assistance with applications for:
»» Residence permit for non-EU citizens
»» Registration certificate for EU citizens
»» Tax card
»» Social security number (CPR)
»» Health insurance card
»» Danish driver’s license
Most people around the world know
Denmark as a country with a high taxrate. But very few know what the money
goes to, and that the majority (70%)
of the population is happy to pay their
taxes.
Why? Because this means that social
benefits do not depend on direct contributions or employer contributions. The
principle behind the welfare system is
that all citizens have access to social
benefits regardless of their social and
ethnic background. This also means
that foreigners working in Denmark are
equally entitled to bene-fits from the
system as Danes, such as childcare,
free public education and free public
health care.
Visit the ICS website for more information,
addresses, telephone numbers and opening hours:
www.icitizen.dk
Social Welfare
Education
Police & Military
Infrastructure & Maintenance
Business & Environment
Culture
Health
Other
Bonjour
…that in Denmark you pay a
higher proportion of taxes, but
on the other hand you do not
have to pay social security
and health insurance?
...that under the Danish taxation system, you can deduct
your mortgage and other interest payments?
...that as a foreign researcher
and key employee you may be
eligible for the special 26% tax
rate?
Sources: www.skat.dk/data.aspx?oId=141752 and www.borsen.dk/nyheder/politik/artikel/1/193661
Visit website for more information
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www.internationalcommunity.dk
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SPOUSE
STORIES
Wan-Na
Age 36 from Taiwan.
Moved to Denmark in November 2009.
Married to Oliver.
Freelance translator & Chinese
language teacher.
Kirstie
Age 43 from Birmingham, UK
Moved to Denmark in December 2008.
Married to Iain. Two children, 8-year-old
twins Ines and Lehn.
EU science funding consultant.
“It is not
necessary to
choose between
job or children,
it is possible to
have both”
When my husband came home one day and
asked what I thought about moving to Aarhus, I
was as excited as a kid. We had taken a holiday in
Aarhus a couple of years before, and loved it. The
sun was shining, which helped, but we also loved
the fact it had the big-city feel of our home towns
(London, Birmingham) but on a much smaller scale.
We like bicycles – and this was a cyclists’ paradise.
We discovered ARoS, the beaches, the cafés and
Legoland close by.
I had no intention of looking for a job: This was my
chance to have a year or two just being a mum for
my children, drinking coffee and taking a bit of a
breather. But I was soon to reconsider that decision.
We put the children into a Danish private school
and they settled in really well. In addition, we were
advised to put them in the after-school club, or ‘SFO’,
to help their Danish (it worked!) and most days I was
‘there too soon’ to fetch them, or so they said.
So I decided to work again. It has worked well,
because the Danish work-life balance is so much better than in either the UK or Australia. It is not necessary to choose between your job and your children:
It is possible to have both.
I moved to Denmark because my husband was
offered a job with Siemens Wind Power. In the beginning we lived in a small town called Jelling, but we
moved to Aarhus two months later and my life in
Denmark kicked off.
Language struggles
“Danes like doing
sports, and there
are all kinds of
sports clubs to
join where you
can meet
people”
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Denmark may be the happiest country in the world,
but its language is not as welcoming as you might
expect. I struggled with my pronunciation from day
one, and I’m still struggling. It is said that Danes
speak very good English and you don’t really need
to speak Danish in order to live here. That’s true,
but going to language school isn’t just about learning Danish, but also about getting to know people
in the same situation as you and building social contact with them.
Cultural activities
Besides ‘Lærdansk’, I participated in the activities
arranged by International Community and Aarhus
Internationals. This has helped me to get to know
Danish society, but not much. For those who like to
run or do sports, Aarhus is the perfect place to live
and meet new people. There are beautiful sandy
beaches at Bellevue in Risskov and near Moesgård,
and the whole city is swarming with bicycles and is
very runner-friendly.
The main reason we came here was for my husband’s job. I started to be proactive about looking
for work as soon as we arrived. I looked for groups
I could join, and people who could give me guidance and help with the culture and lifestyle and
with the job market. That’s how I found International
Community. Their meetings, workshops and conferences have been really helpful – and especially the
one-to-one personal contact and help I was offered,
and the tips and information in the weekly newsletter. Through the social meetings I met some beautiful people who I still hang out with, and they have
become very good friends of mine in Aarhus.
Setting up on my own
At the moment, based on the fact that ‘organic’ and
‘natural’ are such key themes in the Danish consumer market, I’m developing and manufacturing
a new natural beauty product based on organic
ingredients grown only in Mexico. I’ll be launching
and promoting this product on the Danish market
early in December.
Liliana
Age 33 from Mexico City.
Moved to Denmark from Auckland, New
Zealand in May 2010.
Married.
Franchising consultant specialising in
business development strategies · Bachelor’s degree in International Business
from Tecnológico de Monterrey University,
Mexico City, and HEC University, Rouen,
France.
“I decided
to set up my
own business”
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Our Tools
We encourage our young to look
out into the world, and we welcome
foreigners coming to our region.
The very core of the future of our
society is an environment where
people come and go and constantly
share their experiences. Each time we
We believe in diversity.
learn something new and each time
we are proud to send people on to
We see this region as a place where their next adventure.
you can work with the world’s best We believe in sharing.
companies or study at the world’s best
schools. But surely, it is also a place
where you can realise your own ideas; With this, we encourage you and your
a place where entrepreneurship and family to be a part of our region and
take this with you on your journey.
new ideas are welcome.
Throughout this magazine, we have
tried to give you a taste of this region
we live in. It is very important to us
that Aarhus is a place that attracts students, workers, people from all around
the world.
We believe in creativity.
www.businessregionaarhus.com
Believe with us.
The tool box includes
the following services:
Welcome pack
The welcome pack contains important
information about arriving and living
in Denmark. Get a welcome pack at
your local citizen service office.
International Citizen Service
One Stop Shop – the one place you
need to get in contact with all Danish
authorities. Find it on the map.
It’s green.
Language courses
Our citizen service workers have learned Polish, German and English. Find
your local Citizen Service on the map.
It’s also green.
Businessregionaarhus.com
An international web page where
you’ll easily find all the information
you need.
International Community
A place and network for all internationals in the region of Aarhus.
www.internationalcommunity.dk
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Handheld sustainability
In the Aarhus region, we are also well aware of the problems associated with
global warming, and the municipalities in Business Region Aarhus are working to
reduce their overall carbon emissions.
We have to take care of the nature, our citizens and our ability to compete in the
global market. And even small initiatives can make a great impact.
The magazine you are now holding is printed on Cradle-to-Cradle certified stone
paper, completely free of wood fibres and bleaches. Stone paper production only
consumes 50% of the energy used in conventional paper production and consumes no water. A Nordic Ecolabel-certified printing house prints the magazine,
using printing inks made from vegetable dyes.
The local Aarhus region is also doing its bit to tackle global problems. This magazine might be a small initiative; however, it is an important one: It is one of the first
steps towards Sustainability.
This magazine and its distribution have been climate-compensated by rainforest
preservation in collaboration with Forests of the World.
Read more about stone paper at stenpapir.dk
SAMSØ
Concept & design by WorldPerfect.
Content created by: Business Region Aarhus and WorldPerfect
With kind permission from Business Aarhus and International Community, content has been reworked
from the two magazines: ‘Business Aarhus’ and ‘Expat Partners: Our Stories’.