Misguided by A-Kasse to collect as a Non-EU graduate

While I was a student I received through postal mail invitations from A-Kasse to join as a member in order to get unemployment benefits.

After completing my academic degree and using the invitations the A-kasse had provided to me via postal mail, I decided to call and get informed on how to apply and what were the requirements to apply for a membership. I explained to the agent I had held student jobs due to my limited student resident permit requirements. At this point I was not told anything about not qualifying, instead I went ahead and applied online as the agent suggested. However, since the online application back then was only available in Danish via their website, I decided to call afterwards to confirm my application was made properly. During the conversation, I specifically explain to the lady:

•     I was given 6 months to find a job in Denmark with a "resident permit as student" and wanted to confirm my application was made correctly and;
•     If there was no documents that needed to be signed in person in order to be approved for A-Kasse benefits.


She requested my CPR No. to verify my application was made properly. As she found no mistakes in the form and was not entitled to tell me whether I qualified or not, I was advised to wait for a formal approval within 10 days.

Eventually, I was approved.

Furthermore, the misguided information given to me from the organization did not end there and subsequently continued in later months. Proves in later months arise where a counselor had made notes in their system about my visa status. Unfortunately, these sorts of mistakes were not caught and I was allowed to go home without any disapproval. In fact, the counselor even suggested applying for an internship visa and even gave me a paper flyer to a dance internship to apply for.

Later, I found out through the Danish Agency for International Recruitment that I was not allowed to collect any unemployment benefits under a student resident permit and A-Kasse should not have approved my membership benefits. This was something I did not know.

With this information at hand and as an honest individual, I decided to call the A-Kasse to address this misguided and misinformed approval your agency had provided to me. However, in the meantime after one day of giving my notice, I received a formal letter from the A-Kasse demanding to pay the 40,000+Kr, immediately within 14 days.

I appeal this case and they agree to take the blame of only half and pay for 22,000kr.

I applied as an American, and was hoping to provide with proper documentation of my status in Denmark. I honestly see no problem in approving this kind of consent if A-Kasse requests it, particularly if it would save me from this entire mistake.

Any help out there? Some public assistance regarding similar cases?

Thanks in advance
in A-kasse membership by

1 Answer

1

Hi,

sorry for long respone-time, but when we got your question we decided to find out what is the rights for non-EEA graduates regarding rights to receiving unemployment benefits after graduation. We decided to send a formal question to "Center for Klager om Arbejdløshedsforsikring", which is the danish authority who is responsible for legislation about A-kasser and unemployment benefits. After two months we finally got answer from them.

According to their answer non-EEA graduates have limited possibilities to get unemployment benefits because the study-permit only includes limited work-permit (you are allowed to work 20 hours per week). To beíng eligible for unemployment benefits you must have FULL-time work-permit. BUT the study-permit gives you right to work FULL-time in the summerperiod (june, july and august).

Therefor - if you are available for taking a job with one workday notice - you can get unemployment benefits also as an non-EEA graduates. But off course only for few months (june, july and august).

After your question and the answer from the authority we have made a special article targeted non-EEA graduates and their rigths to enemployment benefits.

Best regards,
Anders
www.a-kasser.dk

by
Hi there! Did they also revoke your visa? I'm facing this problem right now, would love to talk with you about your experience! I'm also American :) Kind regards, Hannah
Hi,
I think you would like to get in contact with the user ("adritat") who asked the question.
I write as the administrator of the Q&A-forum here at www.a-kasser.dk.

You tell you are facing the problem right now...would you mind explain more details about your case. It would be very helpfull to us, in providing the correct information on our website, and to avoid other non-EU graduates to be misguided by their A-kasse.

In our research until now we are sure that non-EU graduates who only having a resident permit as student, can not have unemployment benefits for the months where they only can work up to 20 hours per week.

But we have got two different answers from two authorities in Denmark regarding the possibility to get unemployment benefits for the months june, july and august where international graduates are allowed to work full-time. This also apply for the 6-months job-seeking period after graduation.
One tell us that international graduates can not have any unemployment benefits, because it is not allowed according to the student visa.

Another tell us that international graduates can get unemployment benefits for the months june, july and august, because the requirements herefor (e.g. right to work full time) is fulfilled.  

Hope you will comment on this. Thanks.

Anders, www.a-kasser.dk