International Recruitment Needed More Structure

Since beginning the collaboration with Bixter in September 2021, Civagaard has welcomed 33 international trainees as part of its long-term workforce strategy.

Quick Facts

• 33 international trainees placed
• Partnership since September 2021
• 18-month traineeship programme
• Approx. 11–12 week recruitment process

Initially, most trainees came from Eastern Europe, but over time the farm expanded recruitment to Asia and Africa to secure motivated young professionals for the operation.

As the team became more international, new operational challenges naturally followed:

• Different cultural backgrounds
• Different communication styles
• Integration into one workplace culture
• Maintaining strong team cooperation
• Accessing reliable international recruitment channels

At the same time, the farm recognized that international trainees were becoming increasingly important for long-term workforce stability. 

“It is a conscious choice we have made that we want some foreign trainees.” 
Frank Kartz Johansen
CEO of Civagaard A/S

Hear Directly from Civagaard

In this interview, the Civagaard management team explains:

• why international trainees became part of their long-term workforce strategy,
• how multicultural teams function on the farm,
• and why the partnership with Bixter has helped support recruitment and integration over multiple years.

Long-Term Collaboration Built Around Recruitment and Integration

Civagaard partnered with Bixter to create a more structured and reliable international recruitment process. For the farm, one of the biggest advantages was access to international talent networks that would otherwise be difficult to build independently.

Bixter supported:

• International trainee sourcing
• Recruitment coordination
• Documentation and Communication

The collaboration gradually expanded across multiple regions and nationalities, helping Civagaard build a stable and diverse workforce.

Nationalities represented on the farm:
Uganda, Tanzania, Philippines, Romania, Ukraine, Denmark.

“We obviously don’t have the same contacts out in the world ourselves that Bixter has.”
Frank Kartz Johansen, CEO of Civagaard A/S

The recruitment and relocation process typically takes approximately 11–12 weeks from preparation to arrival. This includes:

• Preparation of documentation and payments,
• Permit processing through SIRI,
• Final passport handling and travel coordination before departure.

The process is also planned around operational needs, allowing trainees to arrive close to the official start date of their placement.

One Common Language Across Multiple Nationalities

One of the key operational priorities at Civagaard is communication.

English became the shared workplace language across the farm, helping workers and trainees from different countries collaborate effectively in daily operations.

Management also focused heavily on social integration outside working hours to strengthen relationships and improve overall team spirit.

This helped create:

• Smoother cooperation,
• Stronger relationships,
• Better long-term integration.

“We have a common language, which is English.”
Frank Kartz Johansen, CEO of Civagaard A/S

“They have a good team spirit.”
Frank Kartz Johansen, CEO of Civagaard A/S

The traineeship programme at Civagaard typically runs for 18 months, giving trainees time to properly integrate into both the workplace and daily life in Denmark while building operational experience on the farm.

Turning Cultural Differences into Operational Strength

Civagaard openly acknowledges that multicultural workplaces require active management and leadership. Different backgrounds naturally influence communication, routines, expectations, and work culture.

Instead of viewing this as a problem, the farm approached it as part of building a stronger operation. Management actively supported adaptation and integration across teams.

“It actually goes really well.
Frank Kartz Johansen, CEO of Civagaard A/S

The collaboration has helped Civagaard build a workforce environment where international trainees and local Danish employees function together as one operational team.

What Civagaard Gained

Through its collaboration with Bixter, Civagaard built a more structured international workforce model that supports both operational continuity and long-term team development.

Key outcomes

• 33 international trainees successfully placed
• Access to motivated international talent
• Stronger workforce continuity
• Stable multicultural teams
• Shared workplace communication
• Better integration processes
• Reliable long-term recruitment partner
• Reduced pressure on local recruitment channels

The farm also emphasized the value of having one experienced international recruitment partner managing access to global talent pipelines and supporting the administrative process.

Employer takeaway

International recruitment works best when recruitment, communication, and integration are treated as one connected process — not separate steps.

“Their opportunity to come up here with Bixter’s help is a big help for us.”
 Frank Kartz Johansen, CEO of Civagaard A/S