A-kasse and dagpenge guide 2026

Typical members of the Danish A-kasser

Some A-kasser are professionally delineated and therefore only take members who work within one/few specific industries or have an education within the A-kasse's professional field. Other A-kasser are interdisciplinary and take everyone as member regardless of job or education. Below you can see examples of typical members in the various A-kasser.

Det Faglige Hus

Interdisciplinary. Because of the cheap price tag for A-kasse with Trade Union membership, DFH has members from all working groups.
Some of the largest member groups are warehouse and logistics employees, production workers and cleaning assistants.
Free A-kasse for students.

Sign Up for Det Faglige Hus online here

CA A-kasse

Is interdisciplinary, but is targeted/focused on individuals with interest for the "business life". Typical members have a medium or long-term education and work with management, finance and accounting, marketing, communication, HR, IT or consulting.

Read more about CA A-kasse

Krifa

Interdisciplinary. The christian A-kasse and trade union with a focus on your well-being. Have members from many different professions.
Some of the largest member groups are warehouse and logistics employees, production workers and cleaning assistants.

Krifa has a mission to promote job satisfaction and a good work-life-balance.

Read more about Krifa

A&Til A-kasse

Formerly called FTFa, but changed name per 15 May 2025 to A&Til.

Interdisciplinary, but examples of members are Social case workers, Kindergarten teaching assistants, Architectural technologist and construction managers, Marketing employees, Bank advisors, insurance employees, trade school teachers, dental officers, police officers, graduates from professional colleges and business academies.
Free A-kasse for students.

Sign Up for A&Til online here

A-kassen FRIE

Interdisciplinary, but examples of members are white-collar workers and self-employed.

Frie has the most members among people who are employed on the basis of the Danish Salaried Employees Act (funktionærloven).

Professionals who are employed under funktionærloven include:

  • people who work in commerce, offices or warehouses,
  • persons whose work consists of technical or clinical assistance services (e.g engineers, nurses, doctors) and other assistants who carry out work that can be equated with this (not practical/psychical work), or
  • persons whose work consists exclusively or essentially of directing or supervising the performance of the work of others on behalf of the employer
Read more about FRIE

3F A-kasse

Professionally delineated. 3F's members are organized into six main areas that you must work within in order to be admitted to this A-kasse: industry, transport, public sector employees (especially service areas), construction, agriculture, private service/hotel & restaurant.

The largest member group is in the traditional part of industry: iron and metal, process industry, energy sector, plastic industry, clothing and textile, the wood and furniture industry, fish factories, electronics and packaging.

The other groups in 3F include member groups such as cleaning assistants, service assistants, cooks, waiters, receptionists, dishwashers, maids, farmers, agricultural assistants, landscapers, gardeners, zookeepers, machine operators, dairy workers, forest workers, earth and concrete workers, masons, structures, asphalt workers, roofers, rockers, pavers, scaffolders, industrypainters, insulators, joiners, carpenters, glaziers, fitters, craftsmen, cemetery workers, caregivers, pedagogical assistants, drivers, warehouses, rescuers, dockers, fishermen, sailors.

See a list of all job titles covered by 3F (in danish).

Read more about 3F A-kasse

ASE

Is interdisciplinary, and is a popular choice for all self-employed regardless of business field. Offers A-kasse with "Ase Selvstændig" or "HR Jura" for self-employed.
In recent years ASE has also got more members among salaried employees, due to the fact that ASE has cheap union membership.

Sign Up for ASE online here

Akademikernes A-kasse

Takes only academics. The largest membergroups are: Engineers, lawyers, economists, doctors, dentists, architects and veterinarians.
Akademikernes A-kasse is the biggest A-kasse in Denmark with 270,244 paying members as of 01/01/26. They also have the highest numbers of students with free membership in Denmark.

Read more about Akademikernes A-kasse

Lederne A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Only for Managers, trusted employees, self-employed and people who are employed on the basis of the Danish Salaried Employees Act (funktionærloven) and want to become managers.

Professionals who are employed under funktionærloven include:

  • people who work in commerce, offices or warehouses,
  • persons whose work consists of technical or clinical assistance services (e.g engineers, nurses, doctors) and other assistants who carry out work that can be equated with this (not practical/psychical work), or
  • persons whose work consists exclusively or essentially of directing or supervising the performance of the work of others on behalf of the employer

"Lederne" consist of 3 unions and 1 A-kasse. If you want Union membership you can chose to become member of "Lederne" (managers), "Lederne Spring" (coming managers) or "Lederne Virksom" (self-employed, entrepreneur or freelancer).

Sign Up for Lederne online here

MA A-kasse

Accepts all candidates with university degrees, but specialise in people with a degree in the humanities or the sciences.

Their members are in the private as well as the public labor market and in NGOs. Works e.g. with HR, communication, teaching, research, administration, project management.

Read more about MA A-kasse

HK A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Takes following jobtitles/educations: Office and IT Staff, Laboratory and Environmental Staff, Correspondents, Attorney Secretary, Real Estate Agents, Customer Relations Center, Sellers, Printing Workers, Multimedia Designers, Media Graphics, Market Economists, Medical Secretary, Warehouse Assistants, Graphic Designers, Shop Assistants, Bookkeepers, Advertising Consultants, Employees within Traffic and Railway, Employees within Post and Communication.

Read more about HK A-kasse

AJKS

Is in principle interdisciplinary, but targets/focuses on Journalists, Communicators, Translators and Photographers.

Read more about AJKS here

Din Sundhedsfaglige A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Wage earners and self-employed persons in the field of health care. You must have completed one of the following six required educations: Bioanalysts, Ergotherapists, Physiotherapists, Midwives, Radiographers and Nurses.

Read more about DSA here

BUPL A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Takes Wage earners and self-employed with a pedagogical education. Largest membergroups are Pedagogue workers in creche, kindergarten, SFOs, clubs or schools.

Read more about BUPL here

Lærernes A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Takes everyone who is or may become member of one of the professional organizations: DLF - Danmarks Lærerforening, FSL - Frie Skolers Lærerforening, Uddannelsesforbundet (DTL (LVA), DPL og LVU). This means Primary school teachers, adult and youth educators, teachers at the free elementary schools, teachers at AMU centers and production colleges.

Read more about Lærernes A-kasse here

Socialpædagogernes A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Takes only Social pedagogy workers as members. You must work in the social pedagogue area, ie. with vulnerable children, children and adults with physical or mental disability, mentally ill persons.

Read more about SL A-kasse here

Teknikernes A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Takes Individuals who have a practical education or higher education and work in engineering, design or construction. Examples may be coordinator, project manager or individuals responsible for details in production or documentation.

Read more about TL A-kasse here

FOA A-kasse

Professionally delineated. FOA accepts members who provide public service, eg. Social and Health Assistants, Social and Health Aiders, Day Care Professionals, Pedagogue-Aiders and Pedagogue-Assistants, Nursing Assistants.

Read more about FOA here

Dansk Metal A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Dansk Metal covers the following industries: Auto, gold and silver-jewelers, IT and telecommunications, Maritime, Construction, Industrial.

Example jobtitles are Automotive mechanics, Automotive engineers, Bike mechanics, Truck mechanics, Flight mechanics, Goldjewelers, Engravers, Silverjewelers, IT Supporters, Computer Technicians, Web integrators, Call center employees, Ship mechanics, Machinists, Ship assistants, Navigators, Ship's cook, Plumbing, Energy Technicians (Tubed), Boilermakers, Welders, Blacksmiths, Industrial Engineers, Automation Technicians, Electrical Engineers, Cnc technicians, Cooling technicians, Fin mechanics.

See a list of all job titles covered by Dansk Metal (in danish).

Read more about Dansk Metal here

Din Faglige A-kasse

Professionally delineated. Members are electricians, plumbers, chimney sweepers, roofers, building painters, industrial painters, painters, artists, fishermen and those working in the food industry, including the baking, butchering, dairy, sugar, chocolate and tobacco industries.

Read more about FAK here

Min A-kasse

Interdisciplinary, but examples of members are individuals working with IT, sales and marketing staff, cleaning staff, property managers, agricultural workers, dairy workers, hairdressers, watchmakers and opticians, people working in prison or as guardians, train drivers, station officials, employees in Customs&Taxes, employees in the air force, employees in the Navy, church and cemetery workers.
Free A-kasse for students.

Sign Up for Min A-kasse online here

Optional supplement to A-kasse membership

You can often get a discount if, in addition to unemployment insurance (A-kasse), you also buy wage insurance, trade union, or both as a package deal.

Here are some of the best deals right now (checked 20/03/2026):

Det Faglige Hus

In "Det Faglige Hus" you get free union membership for 12 months if you become a member of A-kasse and choose wage insurance with coverage of at least DKK 2,000 per month in addition to unemployment benefits for up to 3 months. It costs DKK 590/month for the first 12 months. Then DKK 659/month.

You can get up to DKK 6,000 in wage insurance coverage and still get 12 months of free union membership. The price increases by approx. DKK 30 per DKK 1,000 extra in wage insurance. So the price for A-kasse + union membership + DKK 3,000 in wage insurance is DKK 620/month for the first 12 months. Then DKK 689/month.

A&Til A-kasse

In A&Til you can get a package consisting of A-kasse and wage insurance with payments for up to 6 months. If you have been a member for 9 months, you can get up to DKK 3,000 in addition to unemployment benefits for 6 months. If you have been a member for more than 15 months, the coverage from wage insurance increases to DKK 4,000 per month. If you have been a member for at least 22 months, the coverage from wage insurance increases to DKK 5,000 per month. After 28 months of membership, the coverage from wage insurance increases to DKK 7,500 per month.

You pay DKK 150 per month for wage insurance. The total cost of the package is therefore DKK 671 per month.

ASE A-kasse

In ASE you can get a package consisting of A-kasse, trade union and wage insurance with payment for up to 6 months. If you have been a member for 6 months, you can get up to DKK 3,000 in addition to unemployment benefits for 6 months. When you have been a member for 12 months, you can get up to DKK 6,000 in addition to unemployment benefits for 6 months. The 6,000 from wage insurance assumes that you earn at least DKK 33,865 per month. The entire package costs DKK 699/month.


Main topics about A-kasse

Transferring periods of work and insurance from another EEA CountryAs an EU citizen you can transfer acquired rights from Unemployment Insurance between EU contries. Be aware that there are some requirements and deadlines that are important to meet. And you have to use a PD U1 Form. Read more here..
Transferring unemployment benefitsUnder certain conditions you can go to another EU country to look for work and continue to receive your unemployment benefits from the country where you became unemployed. And you have to use a PD U2 Form. Read more here..
Unemployment benefits ("dagpenge")Remember you have to be member of an A-kasse for 1 year before you can claim Unemployment benefits ("dagpenge"). And you must meet the income-requirement. Read more here..
International graduatesGraduates in Denmark can get Unemployment benefits from the first day after graduation, if they have been member as student of an A-kasse for at least 1 year. Read more...
Residence CardIf you are a non-EU citizen you must have a residence Card which allows you to take any job with one day notice. This is because you must be available for the labor market for being eligible for unemployment benefits ("dagpenge").
Membership fee and taxYou will automatically get a deduction in your tax for your fee to the A-kasse and trade union. There is no ceiling on the amount you can get a deduction for when it comes to contributions to A-kasse, whereas you can get a maximum deduction of DKK 7,000 for a trade union.