The Kerala government has entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Senior Citizens of Denmark for the recruitment of healthcare workers from Kerala to work in Denmark’s public health system. The formal signing took place in Thiruvananthapuram between Kirsten Hansen, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Danish ministry, and Ajith Kollassery, CEO of Norka Roots, the Kerala government’s designated overseas recruitment agency.
Under the agreement, Denmark plans to recruit healthcare professionals including BSc nurses, social and healthcare assistants, and healthcare helpers to address workforce needs in its senior care and health sectors. Selected candidates will receive free Danish language training up to the B2 level before deployment. The initial phase of the program will involve recruitment of 100 individuals on five-year contracts, with further expansion anticipated. A Danish ministerial delegation visited Kerala to finalize the pact and engage with state officials and nursing students.
Norka Roots, the Kerala government’s overseas employment agency under the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) - will facilitate the recruitment process. Norka Roots manages overseas recruitment of healthcare professionals, including nurses, doctors, and technicians, and has previously coordinated placements in Gulf countries and Europe. The agency’s role includes matching qualified applicants with foreign employers, organizing interviews and offers, and ensuring overseas employment procedures follow migration regulations. Language training and skill support form key components of the new agreement’s preparation for selected workers.
A distinctive feature of the Kerala-Denmark agreement is the provision of Danish language training up to B2 level for selected healthcare workers before departure. Training up to the B2 level aligns with Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), indicating independent language use and comprehension ability suitable for workplace settings. This training is being offered free of cost to candidates, according to the state government’s announcement.
In addition to the formal recruitment pact, Kerala’s Kudumbashree, a state-run women’s empowerment and poverty eradication mission has expanded into elderly care services, including a collaboration that supports Denmark’s need for trained care workers. Under initiatives such as K-4 Care, Kudumbashree trains caregivers in geriatric and patient care skills. These trained personnel are being considered for deployment to Denmark as social and healthcare helpers to work with the elderly and in community care settings. Training partnerships involve institutions like the National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and other care education providers to ensure standardized preparation for international roles.
The expansion into elderly care has been prompted by Denmark’s relatively high demand for senior care workers as its population ages, requiring additional workforce capacity in nursing, home care, and assisted living sectors.
Kerala has a long history of international healthcare worker migration, with professionals seeking opportunities abroad due to global demand for skilled nurses and allied health staff. Recruitment drives organized by state agencies have previously placed workers in Gulf countries, the UK, Germany, Canada, and other destinations. Denmark’s formal agreement adds to this trend, representing a government-to-government partnership that integrates language preparation and structured placement processes for prospective workers.
(Rh)