Living and Working IN SWEDEN Lena From Gloria

Living and Working IN SWEDEN Lena From Gloria Cunha Byström EURES Advisers eures@arbetsformedlingen. se

Facts about Sweden • Sweden is the third largest country in EU • 9. 5 million inhabitants • 85% live in the south • Currency: Svenska kronor (Swedish Crown) SEK 100 = EUR 83. 60 • EU-member state since 1995

Our dear neighbours!

45 Stockholm Göteborg Malmö 1574 km Umeå 0. 0 00 km 2 Kiruna

Famous Swedes - Alfred Nobel - Nobel prize - Zlatan Ibrahimovic – football - Astrid Lindgren – Pippi books - Stieg Larsson – Millenium books - Ingmar Bergman – film director - Alexander Skarsgård – True Blood - ABBA, Swedish House Mafia - IKEA, H&M - VOLVO

Language skills • Most jobs require good level of Swedish • In some highly skilled jobs you can get by using English only. (Still expected that you learn Swedish) • Few jobs for low skilled workers with no Swedish. www. si. se

Labour Market Statistics Unemployment rate • General approx 8% • Engineers approx 1 % October 2013

Engineering and IT shortages - Power Systems Engineers - Electrical Engineers - Automation Engineers - Mechanical Engineers - Software Developer - System Developer - IT Architects - Software Test Engineer - Mining and Metallurgy Engineers - HVAC Engineers - Civil Engineers

Other shortages • • Physicians Surgical Nurses, psychiatric care Nurses in emergency care Geriatric Nurses Chefs Preschool teachers Car Mechanics, heavy vehicles

Working in Sweden • Full time, 40 hours per week • 25 days vacation per year • No national minimum wage • Collective agreements between trade unions and employers

Engineers working in Sweden Median monthly salaries, gross • Bachelor of Science in Engineering Starting: 28, 500 SEK 10 years experience: 41, 000 SEK Figures from: www. sverigesingenjorer. se (2012)

Working in Sweden • All EU/EEA or Swiss citizens have the right to work in Sweden • After 3 months – register with the Swedish Migration Board • Citizens of a non-EU country - need a work permit • www. migrationsverket. se

Finding a job • Public Employment Services www. arbetsformedlingen. se Many links to other major job websites • EURES http: //www. eures. europa. eu/ • Swedish newspapers www. onlinenewspapers. com/sweden. htm • Jobs in English www. jobsinstockholm. com www. thelocal. se/jobs

Applying for a job in Sweden • Applying via web site, online or e-mail • Applications should be typewritten in Swedish or English. • An application consists of: Cover letter (1 page) CV (1 -2 pages) Study Swedish on-line and in Portugal: www. workinginsweden. se

Recognition of foreign diplomas • Regulated professions – NARIC • The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education, www. hsv. se • New authority, Swedish Council for Higher Education, www. uhr. se

Income Tax • Municipal tax between 29 -35 %, depending on where you live • Most people pay only municipal tax • State tax is paid on taxable incomes above 413, 200 SEK – 20% above 591, 600 SEK – 25 % www. skatteverket. se (2013)

Social Insurance • Sickness • Parental leave • Dental care www. forsakringskassan. se • Pensions www. pensionsmyndigheten. se

Unemployment insurance • Is not a part of the Social Insurance scheme • Basic insurance: No membership requirement, max 320 SEK/day • Voluntary insurance: For members of an unemployment insurance fund, max 680 SEK/day • 300 days, 5 days per week. Tax will be deducted. www. iaf. se

Housing • Rent an apartment or house (cooker, fridge and freezer included) • 1 bedroom apartment, average rent 4, 595 SEK/month, 68 m 2 (heating included) • Buy into a housing co-op • Buy a house • Accommodation costs vary greatly

Swedish work place culture • Flat organisations • Team work and consensus • ”Du” – first name basis – informality! • Gender equality • Strong trade unions

Sweden and Swedes • Coffee and coffee breaks • Tend to avoid conflict • Shoes off indoors (in people’s homes) • Light summer nights and dark winters

Your first EURES job can make it easier for you to move to and to start working in another EU country. You can get payed for your interview trip and get relocation support. You have to be: • aged 18 -30 • citizen of an EU country • legally resident in an EU country Information and application www. yourfirsteuresjob. se

Tack! Thank you! Obrigado! EURES Sweden www. eures. se