Clary ViderströmEURES AdviserWorking in Västervik – Living in Vimmerbyclary.viderstrom@arbetsformedlingen.se

Living and working in Sweden

• EURopean Employment Services

• A network of Public Employment Services and partners in the EU/EEA and Switzerland,

• Objective: working to increase and facilitate international mobility. EURES provides service to jobseekers and employers.

• More than 750 EURES advisers in Europe, 40 in Sweden.

• http://eures.europa.eu

What is EURES?

• Sweden is the third largest country in EU 25 and has96 000 km coastline.

• 9.3 million inhabitants, 85% live in the southern parts.

• Sweden has been a member of EU since 1995.

• Currency: Swedish Crown (SEK) 10.15 SEK = 1 € (Aug 2009)

www.sweden.se

Facts about Sweden

KirunaKiruna

450.

000

km

2

450.

000

km

2

21 counties

290 municipalities

Ystad

Stockholm

Malmö

Göteborg

1574 km

20 inhabitants / km2

Kiruna

Umeå

Citizens Residence

right

Residence

card

Residence permit

Work permit

Nordic - - - -

EU/EEA* X

Family members

X (X)

Swiss X

Non-EU, long-term resident

X

Non-EU X

* workers, self-employed, students, ”sufficient funds”

Right to work in Sweden

• In Sweden we speak Swedish

• The Scandinavian languages are similar – Swedish, Norwegian and Danish

• English skills are important in many professions

• Language skills in labour shortages and surpluses

Language skills

• 73,7 % of men and 67,9 % of women aged 15-74 are in employment. Good child care facilities make this possible.

• Unemployment rate 6,4 % • Unemployment rate among youngsters 11,1 %

Labour Market StatisticsAugust 2009

Labour market shortages and surpluses

• Shortages: Specialists in health care, Pre-school teachers, Teachers in vocational subjects, Chefs, Dentists, Crane operators, Accountants, Engineers in building and construction, IT-specialists, qualified metal workers (heating and ventilation).

• Surpluses: Motor Vehicle operators, Operators (metal, rubber, plastic), Machine operators, Journalists, Office clerks, Telephone operators/receptionists, Biologists, Photographers, Gardeners

• Temporary or Permanent contracts

• 6 months probationary employment

• Full time, 40 hours per week

• 25 days vacation per year (right to take 4 consecutive weeks holiday in the summer)

• Average wage: SEK 27,500 (men) SEK 22,800 (women)

• No national minimum wage. Collective agreements in

most occupations ensure fair wages.

Working in Sweden

• Public Employment ServicesPlatsbanken and Söka jobb / Länkar www.arbetsformedlingen.se • EURES www.eures.europa.eu

• Swedish newspapers www.onlinenewspapers.com/sweden.htm

• Adecco www.adecco.se• Lernia www.lernia.se• Manpower www.manpower.se• Proffice www.proffice.se

• Company websites

Find a job

Open applicationwww.gulasidorna.se www.foretagsfakta.se

CV database• www.arbetsformedlingen.se (Swedish)• www.eures.europa.eu

Other ways to a job

• E-mail is frequently used and accepted.

• Applications should be typewritten in Swedish or

English.

• Generally you do not enclose a photo.

• An application consists of:

- personal letter (no more than 1 page, often

less)

- your CV (1-2 pages)

- References (can also be given at the

interview)

• You may be asked to present evidence of

professional qualifications and diplomas later on.

• Recognition of foreign diplomas

Apply for a job in Sweden

Service through:

- Internet www.arbetsformedlingen.se (24 hour service)

- by telephone via Customer Service Centres (7 day service) +46 (0) 771-416 416

- The Public Employment Office – “Arbetsförmedlingen” (over 300 offices)

Public Employment ServicesWhen you are a resident in Sweden

• Council Tax between 26-34 %, average 31 %.

• State Tax + 20% of the income over 367 600 SEK+ 25% of the income over 526 200 SEK

(per annum)

Example: 20 000 SEK net income of 15 471 SEK30 000 SEK net income of 22 458 SEK

(per month)

Tax deductions includes social insurance and pension fees, but not unemployment benefits.

www.skatteverket.se

Taxes

• Are not a part of the Social Benefits scheme.

• Consist of two parts:

1. Basic insurance (Alfakassan): For all workers after a qualifying period: No membership requirement, max 320 SEK/day

2. Voluntary insurance: For members of an Unemployment Insurance Fund. After the qualification period, 80% of earlier income, max 680 SEK/day

• 300 days, 5 days per week. Tax will be deducted.

www.iaf.se

Unemployment benefits

Patient fee 100 – 300 SEK

Children (< age 12) free

Hospital fee (> age 20) max. 80 SEK/day

Medicine (prescriptions) max. 1 800 SEK/year

Sick pay/sickness benefit 80 % of the income*First day = no pay

Health care and sickness benefits

Parental benefit:390 days with 80 % of income (max. 910 SEK/day)+ 90 days with 180 SEK/day to be shared equally

between both parents (apart from 60 days)+ 10 days to the father of new-born baby

Temporary parental benefit:60 days per child and year

Family benefits

• 1 child 1 050 SEK/month• 2 children 2 200 SEK/month• 3 children 3 604 SEK/month• 4 children 5 514 SEK/month

Municipalities are obliged to provide childcare to children aged 1 -12 years.

“Maxtaxa”

Child allowance and child care

www.skolverket.se

Pre-schoolAge 1-5, volontary

Pre-school classAge 6, 1 year

Compulsory schoolAge 7-16, 9 years

Upper secondary school

Age 16-20, 3 years

Universities and university colleges

Age 18-

Advanced vocationaleducation (KY)

Age 18-Educational

system

• Rent an apartment or house 1 bedroom apartment, average rent 4,595 SEK/month, 68 m2

• “Buy” an apartment

• Buy a house

Accommodation costs vary greatly

Accommodation

• “Flat” organisations

• Team work

• You must be able to take initiatives and adapt to new situations.

• ”Du” – first name basis – informality!

• Gender equality

• Strong Trade unions

A typical Swedish work place

• Fresh air, clean water, untouched wilderness, open space – “Right of Public Access”

• Personnummer! 650604-6435

• “Fikapaus”

• Shoes off indoors

• “Systembolaget”

Sweden and Swedes

• Tend to avoid conflicts…

• Sweden “closes” for the summer

• Between April – September Swedes become sun worshippers

• Internet – VERY important in the Swedish society

Sweden and Swedes

SWEDEN

Brochure: Do you want to work in Sweden? www.arbetsformedlingen.se under Other languages

Clary Viderströmclary.viderstrom@arbetsformedlingen.se

Thank you for your attention!