Asia
- Philippines: 921
- Thailand: 349
- Sri Lanka: 121
- China: 65
- Vietnam: 18
Europe
- Poland: 138
- Iceland: 122
- Sweden: 78
- Norway: 63
- Germany: 54
- UK: 28
- France: 26
- Lithuania: 26
- Spain: 19
- Netherlands: 17
- Italy: 17
- Russia: 15
- Finland: 14
- Portugal: 13
- Romania: 12
- Bulgaria: 10
Americas
- USA: 39
- Canada: 19
- Mexico: 24
What are they likely doing in Greenland?
Greenland has a small population (~56,000) and a high demand for foreign labour, especially in specific sectors.
The patterns in the data strongly reflect this.
Fishing & seafood processing (largest driver)
Countries most represented:
Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Poland
- Greenland’s economy is dominated by fishing and seafood processing (shrimp, halibut, cod).
- Processing plants often recruit workers from Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe because:
- There is limited local labor
- Jobs are seasonal, physically demanding, and remote
- Filipinos and Thais, in particular, are widely employed in fish factories and trawlers.
This explains why the Philippines (921) is by far the largest group.
Construction & infrastructure
Countries involved:
Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Portugal
- Greenland imports skilled and semi-skilled workers for:
- Housing construction
- Port facilities
- Airports and public infrastructure
- Eastern Europeans are commonly hired on fixed-term contracts.
Public services & specialized professionals
Countries involved:
Denmark-adjacent Nordics, Germany, France, UK
- Greenland relies on foreign professionals for:
- Healthcare (doctors, nurses)
- Education
- Engineering and administration
- Many are on temporary rotations, especially in remote towns.
Research & academia (Arctic science hub)
Countries involved:
USA, Germany, France, China, Canada, Nordic countries
- Greenland is strategically important for:
- Climate research
- Glaciology
- Geology and mineral studies
- Scientists, technicians, and graduate researchers often stay for months to a few years.
Mining, energy & strategic interests
Countries involved:
China, USA, Canada, Australia (not listed but relevant)
- Greenland has significant interest in:
- Rare earth elements
- Uranium
- Critical minerals
- Chinese, American, and Canadian nationals often appear as:
- Engineers
- Project managers
- Technical consultants
- Numbers are relatively small because projects are capital-intensive but labor-light.
Tourism & hospitality
Countries involved:
Thailand, Philippines, Southern Europe
- Tourism is growing (cruise ships, Arctic travel)
- Foreign workers staff:
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Cleaning and support services
Big picture takeaway
- Asian workers → fishing, seafood processing, hospitality
- Eastern Europeans → construction and manual trades
- Western Europeans & North Americans → professionals, researchers, administration
- China & USA → research, mining, strategic projects
The map reflects labour demand, not migration in the traditional sense—most of these residents are temporary or contract workers, not permanent settlers.
Also see: Where People Live in Greenland: Towns & Settlements With More Than 100 Inhabitants
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