Sweden
Registration procedures and residence permits
- You obtain your national registration number at the local office of Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency). If you intend to stay in Sweden for longer than one year you can obtain a personal ID number consisting of your date of birth plus four control digits. If you are staying in Sweden for less than one year you will be given a ‘samordningsnummer’ (coordination number). Your personal ID number/coordination number will be needed in many different contexts in your contacts with various authorities, such as the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, and also when you open a bank account, for example.
- Nordic citizens are free to settle in Sweden. They do not need a residence permit.
- Citizens of the EU/EEA may enter, stay and seek employment in Sweden for up to six months without any permits. EU/EEA citizens who are workers, business owners or students or have sufficient funds to support themselves have the right to reside in Sweden. The ‘right to reside’ means that an EU/EEA citizen and his/her family members may stay in Sweden for more than six months without a residence permit.
- Citizens of Switzerland and people who are not EU citizens but who have the status of being permanently resident in an EU Member State have the same rights, but must apply for a residence permit to be able to stay/work in Sweden for longer than three months.
- There is more information about who has the right to reside in Sweden and which documents are required to register on Migrationsverket’s (the Swedish Migration Board’s) website.
Kinds of employment
Swedish labour-law legislation may be regarded as a general framework. Details contained in the terms of employment are largely governed by collective agreements, which expand on and are based on the legislation. In many cases the conditions are better, but never worse, in collective agreements. The trade unions therefore have a very strong position in the workplace. They can provide further information and advice with regard to terms and conditions of employment within different sectors.
A position may be either indefinite (permanent) or for a certain period of time. In the latter case it may, for example, be a temporary replacement position or for a specific project. The type of position should be made clear in the letter of appointment.
A probation period of up to six months is permitted by law. If employment is not terminated within the probation period, the position becomes permanent.
Staffing agencies essentially have the same forms of employment as other employers, which means that you can be employed either indefinitely or for a fixed period.
There are no special provisions governing part-time employment. Part-time contracts are subject to the same rules as other types of employment contract and part-time employees usually have the same rights and obligations as other employees. A general effort is being made to encourage full-time positions.
Parents with children below the age of eight are entitled to work up to 25% fewer hours.
In Sweden, work as an au pair is treated as a job. This means that the employer must pay tax and employer’s contributions. Board and lodging benefits are also taxable.
Freelance workers may have to pay their own taxes and contributions.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=8124&acro=living&lang=en&parentId=7764&countryId=SE&living=
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=8256&acro=living&lang=en&parentId=7797&countryId=SE&living=