“It definitely takes longer to build friendships in Denmark”

When 41-year-old Forough Hafezi was offered a job at the University of Copenhagen five years ago, she had never set foot in Denmark.

She grew up in Iran and has previously lived in both Turkey and England, but Denmark was uncharted territory.

It is not anymore.

Today, Denmark is Forough’s home. And she cannot imagine moving away.

“No one knows what the future holds, but my plan is to stay in Denmark,” says Forough.

“I love the high quality of life, and I truly appreciate the work-life balance here in this country.”

“I love the high quality of life, and I truly appreciate the work-life balance here in this country.”

Forough has now obtained – or rather fought for – permanent residency, which means she can live and work in Denmark for the rest of her life.

She has learned Danish, made friends, and thrives in her everyday life in her apartment in Nordhavn, Copenhagen.

Forough feels lucky. Even though it is very much her own achievement that she has built a life in Denmark and can stay as long as she wishes.

In the autumn of 2025, she lost her job during the major round of layoffs at Novo Nordisk.

Because of her permanent residency, Forough was able to remain in Denmark without worry. However, many of her other international colleagues who were laid off suddenly faced the risk of having to leave the country.

“If you come from a non-EU country and do not have permanent residency, you have six months to find a new job if you lose your employment – otherwise you have to leave Denmark,” Forough explains.

“I have several friends from Novo who are now in a very difficult situation. They have families and children attending Danish schools, so it is extremely stressful for them not knowing what the future will bring.”

Denmark is now home

Forough received her permanent residency in September 2025. In October 2025, she was laid off.

She had waited six months for the crucial document – and if it had arrived just one month later, her situation would have looked very different.

“When I moved to Denmark, I decided to learn the language. Danish is really difficult to learn, but I passed both the language test and the history test required to obtain permanent residency.”

It has taken many hours, and a great deal of energy and determination, to learn both the Danish language and Danish society.

But for Forough, it has all been worth it. She has settled in well – and when she lost her job at Novo, she wanted to stay, even though other opportunities arose.

“I received job offers in both Brussels and Switzerland, but I didn’t feel like starting from scratch in another country-”

“I received job offers in both Brussels and Switzerland, but I didn’t feel like starting from scratch in another country,” she says.

Forough has invested herself in Denmark. This is where she wants to live, and she has also secured a new position at Zealand Pharma as Senior Drug Product Specialist.

Adventure and career dreams

The Danish life science industry has proven to be a perfect match for the Iranian scientist.

Forough is trained as a chemist and holds a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences. She comes from a family where education and science have always been core values – and after completing her master’s degree in Tehran in 2013, she had no doubt that she wanted to use her education to see the world.

“I am a very adventurous person,” says Forough and continues:

“With my education in my backpack, I had the opportunity both to explore the world and to launch my career.”

Forough first moved to Istanbul, where she began a PhD in materials engineering. During this time, she spent six months in London, where she was offered the opportunity to begin a new PhD focusing on wound healing and the development of artificial skin.

London was tempting, so Forough decided to change direction and swap Turkey for England.

After completing her PhD, she continued as a postdoc at the University of Greenwich. The covid-19 pandemic was raging, and Forough felt the need for a change of scene. She applied for a position at the University of Copenhagen, got the job, and moved to Denmark in March 2021.

“There was still covid, which of course made things a bit challenging, but I received a very warm welcome at my new workplace and slowly began getting to know the Danes and Danish culture,” she says.

After about a year at the university, Forough was offered a position at Novo Nordisk. It was difficult for her to leave academia, but today she has no regrets about making the leap.

“When you work in industry, you can clearly see how you make a difference and help patients."

“When you work in industry, you can clearly see how you make a difference and help patients. That is incredibly motivating for me,” says Forough.

Difficult to integrate socially

When asked what she particularly appreciates about working in Denmark, Forough highlights three things: the high level of trust in the workplace, the flat hierarchy, and the strong work-life balance.

“It is completely different from the places I have lived before. In England, for example, the work-life balance is not the same, so there was a much greater risk of burning out,” she says.

Although there are many advantages to the Danish labour market, moving to Denmark has not been without challenges.

As mentioned, learning the language has been difficult. But for Forough, the greatest challenge has been connecting with Danes and building close friendships.

“Even though people at work are welcoming and friendly, it is difficult to integrate socially,” she says.

It is one thing to chat casually by the coffee machine, and quite another to build relationships that extend beyond working hours.

For Forough, building a safe and supportive network has been essential.

“I have done my very best – and I am a fighter. But I have to be honest and say that it has been difficult, and I have really had to work for it,” she says.

Forough has tried to build social relationships at work, and she has also met people at the gym and through social running clubs.

"My experience is that once you finally have a Danish friend, they are truly there for you."

It has required effort, but today she has developed close Danish friendships.

“In the beginning, you can feel that Danes are a bit cold and reserved. It definitely takes longer to build friendships in Denmark than in the other countries I have lived in,” says Forough, adding:

“But my experience is that once you finally have a Danish friend, they are truly there for you – and I am very grateful for the friendships I have found here in Denmark.”