Tasiilaq in serious crisis

According to figures from Statistics Greenland, there are currently 217 job seekers in Tasiilaq, which has 1,811 inhabitants.

The unemployment rate was 218 at the end of 2025, and was at its highest level compared to the previous year.

This serious problem was therefore recently brought to the agenda of the municipal council of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq.

In recent years, both Naalakkersuisut and Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq have made great efforts to promote business in East Greenland. This was done, among other things, by opening a fish factory in Tasiilaq last year and at the same time creating better opportunities for business development support and project funds for young people who want to enter the fishing industry.

However, an attempt to create a long-term development plan for Tasiilaq has failed, believes Justus Hansen, Democrat, who is a member of the municipal council and Inatsisartut.

Choosing job search benefit

According to supporting material distributed to the municipal council, there was a decrease in unemployment over the summer months last year in connection with seasonal work. However, unemployment rose again in the fourth quarter.

Majoriaq states in this connection that it has been very difficult to assign unemployed people to jobs, as the unemployed cannot be retained or motivated to continue working. This is despite the high demand for labor.

- Majoriaq Tasiilaq experiences that the unemployed choose job search benefits over paid work, as the economy is better. In addition, the consequence of refusing assigned work – half a month’s benefit deducted – is not sufficient motivation to take this work, according to Majoriaq Tasiilaq.

The general view that Majoriaq has is that the unemployed’s motivation to register as unemployed is primarily due to the fact that they want to be paid job search benefits. And that they do not expect to receive guidance to return to the labor market or begin an education.

Strengthening Majoriaq

In 2025, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq has been characterized by recurring challenges with the implementation of the IT system that is used for the administration of public assistance and job search benefits. The work for employees in Majoriaq's labor market area consisted of paying job search benefits for the first six months of 2025. This has come at the expense of efforts such as clarification processes, work ability assessments, action plans, and motivation and guidance processes that are intended to create better conditions for getting unemployed people into the labor market.

When it became clear that the challenges with the IT system were ongoing, the Municipality's Job and Social Services chose to shift their focus to preparing work ability assessments so that the unemployed can get into employment more quickly. In June 2025, Majoriaq began preparing clarification processes throughout the municipality, and then began individual interviews with a view to preparing work ability assessments for all unemployed people. It also emerged from the information that Majoriaq - in its efforts to eliminate the problem - will specifically provide outreach guidance for young people between 18 and 30 years of age who are neither in work, education nor registered as unemployed. Majoriaq states that it will resume its core tasks, which is expected to lead to a decrease in unemployment.

- This will be done by hiring four extra employees for Majoriaq, who will primarily handle the tasks of ensuring correct payment of job search benefits in all cities, Majoriaq says.

A sad development

Long-time politician Justus Hansen, Democratic Party, who himself lives in Tasiilaq, believes that the situation has taken a sad development.

- The difference between paid work and job search benefits and the benefits that come with them, such as housing security, child allowances, and more, is obviously not big enough for people to choose to work.

- It is a huge challenge, not only in Tasiilaq, but also in many other places in Greenland.

- It is a sad development that you do not have the pride of being able to feed yourself and your family. I believe that an attempt to create a long-term development plan for Tasiilaq has unfortunately failed in certain areas, he says.

Justus Hansen believes that the public sector cannot continue to be the largest employer, and that Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq has therefore initiated several initiatives to reduce the problem.

Initiatives

According to Justus Hansen, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq's business department offers free courses for the so-called 12-pax courses, including in Tasiilaq, so that tourism can get going and that local operators can apply for boats.

The 12-pax course, which is held in cooperation with the Danish Maritime Authority, grants permission to be a captain on vessels under 15 meters that sail with up to twelve passengers. The course costs 38,500 kroner per person and lasts one month.

- In the past two years, there have been many dinghy fishermen who have also taken advantage of the opportunity to receive support via the business support development, ESU, so that they can get started in fishing, he points out.

The Naalakkersuisut coalition agreement states that work on building airports in Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit will be started during this election period.

- We really also hope that Naalakkersuisut will establish a new airport in Tasiilaq, so that we can kickstart tourism and entrepreneurship. There is a need to demand from people who are able to work that they get to work, he says.

Foreign cleaning staff

Applications for the employment or use of external labour ensure that qualified local labour is given priority for all positions. However, in cases where Majoriaq cannot assign labour to a vacant position, a municipal permit can be issued for the company to employ external labour.

- One of the saddest examples is that the municipality uses foreign labour because too many people don't bother to take a job.

- They have spent a year in vain looking for cleaning staff at the school. That is why they have been forced to employ Filipinos as cleaning staff at the school, says Justus Hansen.

Royal Greenland's fish factory in Tasiilaq is closed in the winter and will not open until June.