Living and Working in SwedenLiving and Working in Sweden

Lena Westling SeljeeEURES AdviserGöteborglena.westling-seljee@arbetsformedlingen.se

What is EURES?What is EURES?

• 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 700 EURES advisers in Europe, 40 in Sweden.

• http://eures.europa.eu

Facts About SwedenFacts About Sweden

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

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

• Sweden has been a member of EU since 1995.

• Currency: Swedish Crown (SEK) 9.30 SEK = 1 € (May 2008)

www.sweden.se

KirunaKiruna

450.

000

km

2

450.

000

km

2

21 Counties

290 Municipalities

Ystad

Stockholm

Malmö

Göteborg

1574 km 20 inhabitants / km2

Kiruna

Umeå

Right to work in SwedenRight to work in SwedenCitizens 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”

Language skillsLanguage skills

• 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

Labour Market StatisticsLabour Market Statistics

• 80,8 % of men and 76,2 % of women aged 16-64 are in employment. Good child care facilities make this possible.

• Unemployment rate 5,2 % (July 2008)

• Statistics from the Public Employment Services (July 2008)

• Unemployment rate 2,9 % • Subsidized employment 1,7 %• Labour market programmes 1,3 %

ShortagesShortages20082008

• Medical doctors • Nurses (emergency, operation,

psychiatric care and geriatric)

• Pre-school teachers• Upper secondary school teachers,

vocational subjects• Teachers, for students with special needs • Computer specialists,

programmers and systems developers

ShortagesShortages20082008

• LGV truck drivers and lorry drivers• Truck mechanics

• Machine engineers• Construction engineers • Electricians• Welders

• Machine tool operators (NC/CNC)

• Chefs

Working in SwedenWorking in Sweden• 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 26,600 (men) SEK 22,000 (women)

• No national minimum wage. Collective agreements in most occupations ensure fair wages.

Finding a JobFinding a Job

• 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

Other ways to a jobOther ways to a job

Open applicationwww.gulasidorna.se www.foretagsfakta.se

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

Applying for Work in SwedenApplying for Work in Sweden

• 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

Recognition of Recognition of foreign diplomasforeign diplomas

Regulated professions – NARIC

The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education www.hsv.se

Health care professions www.socialstyrelsen.se

NRP (Vocational education and training) www.senrp.se

Public Employment Public Employment ServicesServices

when you are a resident in Swedenwhen you are a resident in Sweden

Service through:

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

- by telephone via Customer Service Centres (7 day service) 0771-416 416

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

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

• State Tax + 20% of the income over 340 900 SEK+ 25% of the income over 507 100 SEK

Example: 20 000 SEK net income of 15 221 SEK30 000 SEK net income of 21 833 SEK

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

www.skatteverket.se

Unemployment BenefitsUnemployment Benefits• 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

Health care and sickness benefits

Patient fee 100 – 300 SEK

Children < 20 years free

Hospital fee max. 80 SEK/day

Medicine (prescriptions) max. 1 800 SEK/year

Sick pay/sickness benefit 80 % of the income*21 – 654 SEK/dayFirst day = no pay

*income < 307 500 SEK/year

Parental benefit:

390 days with 80 % of income (max. 872 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

Child allowance and Child care

• 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”

Educational SystemEducational System

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-

AccommodationAccommodation

• 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

Food Costs Food Costs (€)(€)

Sweden Holland France Germany Norway

1 kg butter 4,72 5,09 6,60 5,13 7,37

1 l milk 0,77 0,79 1,03 0,95 1,49

1 kg cheese 8,27 8,40 12,23 9,85 10,82

1 kg chicken 3,22 4,27 3,58 4,96 7,65

1 kg roast beef 13,87 17,80 16,71 29,74 22,13

1 kg bread 2,35 1,48 4,36 1,78 3,05

1 kg potatoes 1,32 0,66 1,29 0,99 1,11

1 kg apples 2,47 1,38 2,38 2,48 3,08

1 kg coffee 5,15 5,53 6,27 8,53 9,35

A Typical Swedish Work PlaceA Typical Swedish Work Place

• “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

Sweden and Swedes

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

• Personnummer! 650604-6435

• “Fikapaus”

• Shoes off indoors

• “Systembolaget”

Sweden and SwedesSweden 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

Thank You Thank You for Your Attention!for Your Attention!

Brochure: Looking for work in Sweden? www.arbetsformedlingen.se under Other languages

lena.westling-seljee@arbetsformedlingen.se