living and working in sweden lena westling seljee eures adviser göteborg...
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Living and Working in SwedenLiving and Working in Sweden
Lena Westling SeljeeEURES AdviserGö[email protected]
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