Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has praised the Filipino community for its contribution to Greenlandic society.
Nielsen made the remarks during a meeting with Philippine Ambassador Pablito A. Mendoza in Nuuk on 18 September.
According to the Philippine Embassy in Denmark, Nielsen noted that Filipinos now constitute Greenland’s largest population group after Greenlanders and Danes.
The two also discussed closer cooperation between Greenland and the Philippines, including opportunities in areas where the two sides have shared interests and complementary strengths. However, the embassy did not announce any specific agreement or project following the meeting.
A rapidly growing community
The Filipino community has grown considerably as Greenland has increasingly relied on foreign workers to address labour shortages.
Figures previously reported by Polar Journal show that the number of Greenland residents born in the Philippines increased from seven in 2003 to 697 in 2023. That was already more than one percent of Greenland’s entire population.
Filipinos work in several parts of Greenland’s economy, including seafood processing, retail, restaurants and healthcare. Available jobs, relatively attractive salaries and family networks have contributed to the growth of the community.
Mendoza met Nielsen at the Greenlandic government’s offices in Nuuk. The visit follows the ambassador’s earlier commitment to engage with Filipino communities across Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
ScandAsia previously reported that Mendoza arrived in Copenhagen in February 2026 to take up his position as the Philippines’ ambassador to Denmark.
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