Living and Working in Sweden Lena Westling Seljee

Living and Working in Sweden Lena Westling Seljee EURES Adviser Göteborg lena. westling-seljee@arbetsformedlingen. se

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 Sweden • Sweden is the third largest country in EU 25 and has 96 000 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

Kiruna km 2 21 Counties 45 0. 0 00 1574 km Umeå 20 inhabitants / km 2 Stockholm Göteborg Ystad Malmö 290 Municipalities

Right to work in Sweden Citizens Residence right card permit Nordic - - - EU/EEA* X X (X) Family members Swiss - X Non-EU, long- Work permit X term resident Non-EU * workers, self-employed, students, ”sufficient funds” X

Language 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 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 %

Shortages 2008 • 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

Shortages 2008 • LGV truck drivers and lorry drivers • Truck mechanics • Machine engineers • Construction engineers • Electricians • Welders • Machine tool operators (NC/CNC) • Chefs

Working 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 Job • Public Employment Services Platsbanken and Söka jobb / Länkar www. arbetsformedlingen. se • EURES www. eures. europa. eu • Swedish newspapers www. onlinenewspapers. com/sweden. htm • Adecco • Lernia • Manpower • Proffice www. adecco. se www. lernia. se www. manpower. se www. proffice. se • Company websites

Other ways to a job Open application www. gulasidorna. se www. foretagsfakta. se CV database • www. arbetsformedlingen. se (Swedish) • www. eures. europa. eu

Applying 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 foreign 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 Services when 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 - The Public Employment Office – “Arbetsförmedlingen” (over 300 offices)

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 SEK 30 000 SEK net income of 21 833 SEK Tax deductions includes social insurance and pension fees, but not unemployment benefits www. skatteverket. se

Unemployment 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/day First day = no pay *income < 307 500 SEK/year

Family benefits 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

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 System Universities and university colleges Advanced vocational education (KY) Age 18 - Upper secondary school Age 16 -20, 3 years Compulsory school Age 7 -16, 9 years www. skolverket. se Pre-school class Age 1 -5, volontary Age 6, 1 year

Accommodation • Rent an apartment or house 1 bedroom apartment, average rent 4, 595 SEK/month, 68 m 2 • “Buy” an apartment • Buy a house Accommodation costs vary greatly

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 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, 48 3, 08 1 kg coffee 5, 15 5, 53 6, 27 8, 53 9, 35 1 kg roast beef

A 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 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 for Your Attention! lena. westling-seljee@arbetsformedlingen. se Brochure: Looking for work in Sweden? www. arbetsformedlingen. se under Other languages