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A-kassa: The Swedish secret no one tells you

Foreigners face a unique set of hurdles in the Swedish job market, but few understand how unemployment insurance can help. One UK native tells The Local how Akademikernas a-kassa made his working life in Sweden easier.

A-kassa: The Swedish secret no one tells you
Photo; Getty Images

UK-born Richard Wright has a common tale – boy meets girl. The girl just happened to be Swedish.

“I met Anna and the rest is history,” Wright tells The Local. “I’ve been here 22 years now, and we have three kids and a house.”

But his history isn’t without its hiccups.

When Wright first moved to Stockholm so many years ago, he arrived in June – ideal timing in regards to the weather, but a bit problematic for his job hunt.

“Sweden is pretty dead in June and July,” he says. “Nothing happens.”

The best work he could find was as a postman, cycling around Stockholm. He also applied for a position as a language instructor at Berlitz, and began working part-time on a freelance basis there in September.

“I did both for a while, delivering post in the morning and giving English lessons in the afternoons,” he recalls. “And that worked out okay.”

Richard Wright. Photo: Supplied

But as warmer weather rolled around again, business with Berlitz slowed to a trickle, and then vanished entirely for the summer.

“It was very seasonal, and there were summers where I basically became unemployed,” he says.

While those seasonal setbacks were a real headache for Wright in the early days of his Swedish working life, today they wouldn’t be an issue, as Wright is now a member of Akademikernas a-kassa, an unemployment benefit fund specifically for workers with higher education.

Back then, Wright didn’t know about the fund.

“I had been here for well over a year before I even knew that it existed,” Wright tells The Local. “When you move here no one tells you about those small but important things, like unemployment insurance.”

Wright ended up hearing about ‘a-kassan’, the colloquial Swedish term for unemployment funds, from a friend.

“Luckily I landed on my feet and wasn’t unemployed for long,” he says. “But I wish I had known about it sooner; it would have saved me a lot of worries.”

Wright adds that the Swedish a-kassa system is much different from the UK government unemployment service, where “you would get next to nothing for being unemployed”.

“You can’t even compare the two. Here, you get 80 percent of your salary if you become unemployed.”

Akademikernas a kassa is the unemployment insurance for graduates. Discover how it can look after you and your family

In Sweden there are several independent unemployment insurance organizations, many of which have certain qualifications for different job types.

Wright chose Akademikernas a-kassa, and has been a satisfied member for more than a decade now. The only requirements to join are that you have a Bachelor’s degree and have been working in Sweden.

“It’s basically for those who have a degree; it doesn’t really matter what profession you have,” Wright says. “And it’s only 130 kronor a month. It’s not even worth thinking about; just do it.”

Once he knew about it, the fund helped Wright stay on his feet in Sweden, and though he hasn’t had to use benefits for a while, he says his membership has always been a welcome safety net.

“I also benefited when I started my own company and went freelance,” he says. “It was a nice security; the peace of mind that I had it to fall back on if things didn’t work out.”

There have been other membership advantages as well, he adds.

“When I bought an apartment in Sweden, one of the requirements to get a mortgage was that I was in an a-kassa. So it’s a nice thing to have in a lot of ways.”

Richard is now working as a fully qualified teacher at an international school in Stockholm. He’s noticed that many of his colleagues remain unaware of the benefits available through unemployment insurance plans like Akademikernas a-kassa.

“I was talking with some teachers today who had just arrived from the US and Canada,” he says, “and no one really tells them this kind of thing, in the same way, I was never told. Basically, it’s the first thing you should do, as soon as you get a job. It’s a very easy process, and it’s so cheap.”

For Wright, membership in the a-kassa has not only eliminated a lot of worries but also made him feel at home in Swedish society.

“For me, once you understand more about the Swedish system, it becomes a mutual support thing,” he explains. “Once you’re part of the system here, you’re sort of looked after. I don’t mind paying the fee to support other people. It’s about solidarity.”

Protect yourself from unexpected problems with your livelihood – join Akademikernas a-kassa today

For members

WORKING IN SWEDEN

Ten easy-access cafés and libraries to study or work from in Stockholm

Whether you are a student looking for a place to study or someone who works remotely and is looking for a new atmosphere, Stockholm caters to a diverse range of preferences and needs.

Ten easy-access cafés and libraries to study or work from in Stockholm

At times, it’s necessary to seek out a fresh workspace or study environment to enhance our focus and productivity.

Here’s our selection of Stockholm cafés where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and the aroma of the beans in the air, to libraries where you can completely get into the zone and options that give you a chance to network in an office-like space.

Stockholm City Libraries

If you like to work in a quiet and peaceful place, then one of Stockholm City’s Libraries might be the place for you. It offers work and study places, free Wi-Fi and they also have printing facilities. A library card is not required to access the library, but if you want to borrow or reserve books then it is needed.

More information and to find the closest library to you, can be found here.

Stockholm University Library

The library on Stockholm University’s campus is open to everyone. This library has a mix of quiet work areas as well as noisy sections. Most seats have power outlets available, students and those who have access to Eduroam can use that network, but a temporary login can be found at the library entrance. In addition, there is a café and two shops situated within the same building.

More information can be found here.

Location: Universitetsvägen 14D, 114 18 Stockholm

KTH Library

Another university library which is open to everyone is the KTH Royal Institute of Technology’s library.

Here you can find a number of quiet places to work and study, with the majority of seats equipped with power outlets. Eduroam’s wireless network is available throughout the library along with a guest network, details on how to connect to this can be found at the information desk.

Café Stories is located in the entrance hall, but be aware that no foods, such as sandwiches, wraps or salads are allowed in the quiet sections of the library. Snacks and drinks which have lids are allowed in.

Find additional details here.

Location: Kungliga Tekniska högskolans bibliotek, Osquars backe 21, 114 28 Stockholm

Goto 10

Goto 10 allows its members to access work lounges, hold events, record podcasts and test a 3D printer all within their premises (they’ve also got hubs in Malmö and Linköping). The membership is free and in return you are asked to contribute to creating content for Goto 10.

Their lounges include Wi-Fi, seating with power outlets, microwaves and a coffee machine.

Information about Goto 10 and how you can become a member can be found here.

Location: Hammarby kaj 10D, 120 30 Stockholm

Scandic Hotel

The hotel group Scandic offers co-working spaces and a hotel room office in their hotels. Prices for their co-working spaces start from 99 kronor per day and it includes free Wi-Fi, power outlets, coffee and tea, printing and copying services, and a 10 percent discount on food.
The co-working spaces are available in all 270 Scandic hotels, in six countries and 26 of those are in Stockholm.

More information and a price list can be found here.

Bröd & Salt

The café chain Bröd & Salt has shops all across the city. The chain also offers a workspace subscription called Club Salt, which gives you access to six of their co-working spaces. These workspaces are located in Torsplan, Jarlsgatan, Odenplan, Kungsholmen, Fleminggatan and Uppsala if you want to venture outside the capital. They offer shared spaces to work, with power outlets and Wi-Fi, and the subscription comes with a discount on a variety of menu items sold at Bröd & Salt.

Subscriptions for the co-working space start from 599 kronor per month.

More information can be found here.

Espresso House

You can find Espresso House in many corners of the country. They may be part of a chain with everything that entails, but they are popular spots to work from, which is evident from the many laptops that can be seen when you enter. The cafés usually offer free Wi-Fi and some seats have a power outlet as well. It is important to note that it could get a bit loud in the café.

Find your closest Espresso House here.

Waynes

Another café chain in Sweden and in Stockholm is Waynes. The company has a number of shops across the city and like many cafés it provides free Wi-Fi and a certain amount of power outlets. If you do not want to travel too far, but still want a nice coffee shop to work from then Waynes fits that description.

Find out more here.

ilcaffé

Another popular café to work from is ilcaffé. Located in Bergsgatan, Drottninggatan, Långholmsgatan and Södermannagatan, this café has free Wi-Fi and a number of power outlets. The café offers a range of sandwiches, treats and coffee, so there is no wonder why it has become a popular work hub.

Information about ilcaffé can be found here.

Urban Deli

The hotel, restaurant and café chain Urban Deli has five shops in Stockholm. They are located in Sveavägen, Nytorget, Sickla, Centralen and Hagastaden. The shop in Sveavägen in particular is a popular spot used by those who want to enjoy a coffee or a meal and work or study away. It has free Wi-Fi and power outlets at certain seats.

You can find more information here.

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