Guide for you who will work in Sweden

WORK
IN
SWEDEN
Your guide.
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THANK YOU
FOR CHOOSING
SWEDEN
We are very pleased that you have chosen to work
in Sweden. You have chosen well, for many different
reasons. The Swedish labour market is renowned for
combining innovation, generous work benefits and
job security. To maintain its success in these areas,
Sweden needs you.
We hope this guide will be of help to you during your
initial time in Sweden. It contains some brief facts
about Swedish society, and you will learn more about
what applies at a Swedish workplace and what your
rights and obligations are as an employee. It also
provides some tips on where you can find more
information and assistance.
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SWEDISH SOCIETY
Modern Sweden is solidly founded on democracy. Democratic principles shape not only the way the country is
governed, but all levels of society – from preschool to the
workplace. Everyone has the same rights and a chance to
have their say. In Sweden we enjoy a free press, the right
to participate in demonstrations, freedom of speech and
the right to question those in power. Transparency reduces
the risk of abuses of power. This is reflected in Sweden’s
top rankings over the years as one of the least corrupt
nations in the world.
Sweden also has one of the highest levels of gender equality in the world. This is based on the belief that when women
and men share power and influence equally you get a more
just and democratic society. A well-developed welfare
system makes it easier for both sexes to balance their work
and family life. Of course, equality covers more than gender gaps; it is about offering everyone the same chances
regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age. Sweden has a long history
of promoting equal rights for all through legislation and by
openly taking a stand against all kinds of discrimination.
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A GOOD CHOICE
THE TAX SYSTEM
The Swedish welfare state – often referred to abroad
as the Swedish model – is a social and economic system
guided by the principles of full employment, equal pay for
equal work, and universal welfare for the community as
a whole. Wages are on a par with those in other industrialised countries, and people in Sweden generally enjoy a
high standard of living.
Paying taxes in Sweden is very straightforward:
employers pay payroll tax on top of your salary every
month, income tax (about 30 per cent) is deducted
directly from your monthly salary, and value-added tax
is included in the price of food, goods and services.
Every person is taxed individually, even when married.
If everything appears correct on your mandatory,
pre-printed annual tax return, reporting your taxes may
simply involve sending a text message from your mobile
phone to the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) to
confirm this.
A long tradition of active labour-market policies and
powerful unions has meant that workers’ rights are well
protected. Almost 80 per cent of Swedish workers are
union members. One of the unions’ main roles is to pursue
and support collective bargaining. All employees in Sweden
have at least five weeks paid holiday per year and most
people are also off work on all Swedish public holidays.
When working in Sweden you are entitled to paid sick
leave, and the Swedish parental-leave scheme allows
parents to stay home from work to look after their young
children for a total of 480 days per child. If you become
unemployed and belong to an unemployment fund, you
are entitled to unemployment benefit.
It is also easy to see where your tax money goes in
Sweden. Health care, education and public transport in
this country are widely seen as among the best in the
world. Government military spending is quite low, while
peacekeeping missions and foreign aid are top priorities.
For further information: www.skatteverket.se.
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WORK CLIMATE
The Swedish work climate is generally open and informal. We call the boss by her or his first name, encourage
teamwork, dress casually and strive for gender equality.
In Sweden, people feel it is healthy to find a balance
between work and private life. Flexible working hours
are an example of this. At many offices, leaving early to
collect a child from preschool is considered acceptable
behaviour, as long as the employee makes up for the
lost time on another occasion.
A unique feature of Swedish working life is the coffee
break (fika). It gives employees and their bosses an
opportunity to meet on equal terms and talk informally.
If you want to make a good impression on Swedes –
be punctual. We like to begin meetings on time and stick
to the agenda.
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YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK
People who come to Sweden to work are covered by
the laws and agreements that apply in the Swedish labour
market. The rules are spelled out in laws, collective agreements and local agreements.
When working in Sweden, you have the same rights
and obligations as all other permanent residents. This
means for instance that you are entitled to a safe, healthy
workplace whatever form of employment, background,
nationality or ethnicity you may have. It is always your
employer who has overall responsibility for the safety
and security of you and your colleagues, i.e. for all physical, mental and social working conditions. Employers are
expected to reach agreement with their employees and
work safety representatives on how the daily working
environment is to be kept healthy and safe.
The Work Environment Act (Arbetsmiljölagen) lays
down what employers and others responsible for safety
matters are required to do to prevent ill-health and accidents at work. The act also specifies the importance of
creating a good working environment. This applies to all
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aspects of your workplace, from adequate safety requirements for machinery and equipment to an acceptable
pace of work. A good working environment also means
for instance that lighting must be satisfactory and that
noise levels are not excessive.
your work poses an immediate and serious threat to life
or health, and the employer fails to remove the risk at
once, the safety representative is entitled to suspend the
work pending a decision by the Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket).
The Swedish Working Hours Act (Arbetstidslagen)
applies, with certain exceptions, to all work performed in
Sweden. It applies to all companies, whether Swedish or
foreign, as long as they operate in this country. The law
sets out rules on how many hours you are allowed to work
per day, week and year. Apart from regular working hours
and overtime, it covers time on call and standby time, the
right to breaks and pauses, and what applies with regard
to night rest (between midnight and 05.00). As regards
daily rest, the law states that all employees must have 11
consecutive hours of free time in every period of 24 hours.
In Sweden, no one may be subjected to discrimination.
This means that no one may be treated unfairly on
grounds of
• gender, transgender identity or expression
• ethnic origin
• religion or other belief
• disability
• sexual orientation, or
• age.
Every workplace with at least five employees must
have at least one safety representative (skyddsombud).
This person is chosen by the employees at the workplace themselves. Besides representing them in safety
matters, he or she monitors the working environment to
ensure that it is satisfactory from a safety viewpoint. If
It is also prohibited to harass someone. If you feel that
you have been subjected to harassment in any form in
connection with your work, your employer must investigate the matter. The employer’s responsibility in this
applies to all workers, including those carrying out
temporary assignments.
For further information: www.av.se.
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APPLICATION PROCESS
WORK PERMIT
INFORMATION
1. You have received an offer of employment from an
employer in Sweden. You and your employer have
agreed on your terms, including length of employment, pay and insurance.
2. You complete your application for a residence and
work permit at the Swedish Migration Board
website: www.migrationsverket.se. When applying,
you pay a fee of SEK 2,000.
3. The Migration Board processes your application.
4. Once the Migration Board has reached a decision,
you are notified of this.
As proof that your permit has been granted, you
will receive a residence permit card (uppehållstillståndskort).
If you wish to continue working after your permit
expires, apply to extend it. You apply to the Migration
Board. If you have had a work permit for at least six
months and apply to the Migration Board before it
expires, you may continue working while awaiting a
decision.
Your work permit is restricted to work with the
employer and in the occupation stated in your decision
from the Migration Board. If you terminate your employment yourself or are dismissed, you may remain in
Sweden and apply for a new job for three months. If you
are unable to find a new job within three months, the
Swedish Migration Board may revoke your permit.
For further information: www.migrationsverket.se.
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PLAN YOUR MOVE
FIRST DAYS IN SWEDEN
One of the first things to consider before moving to
Sweden is finding a place to live. Depending on where
your job is located, the process of finding a flat or house
may vary. Wherever you plan to move, leave plenty of
extra time for your housing search.
During your first few days in Sweden, you should
register with both the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency
(Försäkringskassan), and open a Swedish bank account.
When you arrive in Sweden, you and all the members
of your family must have the following documents
with you:
A valid passport and ID card from your
country of origin
A valid work and residence permit
A marriage certificate or a registered partnership
certificate for an accompanying partner
A birth certificate for each accompanying child
For further information: work.sweden.se.
The Tax Agency issues personal identity numbers/
co-ordination numbers and ID cards.
You must be registered with the Social Insurance
Agency in order to receive compensation when you are
on sick leave or parental leave.
To receive pay from your employer, you need a Swedish
bank account.
You also need to inform the Social Insurance Agency if
you move from Sweden. All of the above organisations
cooperate with one another and share information, such
as your income, leave from work, marital status or
address. Supplying inaccurate information or failing to
inform any of the organisations of changes to your
personal situation may be subject to penalties.
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LEARN SWEDISH
Swedish Institute:
www.si.se
Your ability to speak the language will improve your
career prospects and help you to get more out of life in
Sweden. The Swedish Institute offers an online Swedish
course that allows you to get started before you arrive.
It also has cooperation agreements with 240 universities
in 40 different countries, so be sure to check if Swedish
courses are offered at a university in the country where
you currently live, www.si.se.
Swedish Migration Board:
Call 0771-235 235 or visit www.migrationsverket.se
SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) offers free courses
specifically for people who have recently moved to
Sweden. SFI is a basic, tax-funded Swedish course provided free of charge for those who migrate to Sweden.
To qualify, you need to be registered with the Swedish
tax authority. Because the courses are administered by
your local municipality, you will need to apply directly
there in order to begin a course.
Some employers will sponsor Swedish classes for
foreign employees, so be sure to ask your future
employer about language study opportunities.
Swedish Social Insurance Agency:
www.forsakringskassan.se
Swedish Tax Agency: www.skatteverket.se
Swedish Work Environment Authority:
Call 010-730 90 00 or visit www.av.se
Facts about Sweden: www.sweden.se
Guide to working in Sweden: work.sweden.se
©The Swedish Institute, the Swedish Work Environment Authority
and the Swedish Migration Board, 2013
Translation: Stephen Croall
Printed by: Trydells tryckeri in Laholm, Sweden, 2013
ISBN: 978-91-86995-28-7
Photos: Ulf Lundin/imagebank.sweden.se; Jörgen Wiklund/Bildarkivet;
Kristin Lidell/imagebank.sweden.se; Lena Granefelt/imagebank.sweden.se;
Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se; Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se;
Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se