It Just Got Easier to Move to One of the Happiest Cities in the World
Moving to one of the world’s happiest cities just got a little bit easier. Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, just launched a marketing campaign for its new “life quality insurance,” which is a program that’s designed to draw newcomers to the city and prioritize their longer-term happiness.
But what does “life quality insurance” actually mean? Basically, if you make the leap to move to the greater Copenhagen region and you end up truly hating it, the government might financially cover your return back to your home country.
In order to qualify, interested participants must sign up for the program online, acquire a full-time and permanent employment contract in the greater Copenhagen region, and relocate there between the months of October 2024 and April 2025. If you decide that life in Copenhagen isn’t for you, the program will help you travel back home — hence the “life insurance” name.
According to CNBC, expats are eligible for up to $716 (5,000 DKK) in return travel costs if they decide they hate Copenhagen. However, reimbursement requests cannot be made until after at least 12 months of permanent residency and full-time employment — which is probably a good idea, given it can take a few months to really get to know a city and whether or not you like it.
The greater Copenhagen region has reason to be so confident that people will be happy making their lives there. Copenhagen is consistently named as one of the happiest cities around, ranking eighth in The Institute for Quality of Life’s 2024 happiness index of the world’s happiest cities. (The Danish city of Aarhus was ranked first.)
It’s easy to see why — Denmark is known for its work-life balance, environmental sustainability, and natural beauty. According to a July 2024 Expat Insider survey from Internations, Denmark is also the number-one country where expats are most satisfied with their jobs.
Yes, Danish residents pay high taxes. However, this is equalized by free or low-cost healthcare, no tuition for college students, and subsidized childcare. If you’re looking for an expat escape, this could be the perfect chance!
Life quality insurance or not, Americans can currently stay in Denmark for up to three months before any type of work or resident permit is required. If you’re a business owner whose business has been deemed “innovative” by a group of Danish experts, you can apply for the Start-Up Denmark permit. There are also several other job-based residence permits that you can check out, such as permits for workers with high salaries, agricultural farm managers, and workers who get jobs on the “Positive List,” which applies to roles and industries currently lacking in the country.