SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

JOBS

The answers to 10 of your questions about the Swedish job market right now

Is it possible to find a job if you don't speak Swedish, and which job sectors are expected to take the longest to recover after the pandemic? The Local puts readers' questions to the experts.

The answers to 10 of your questions about the Swedish job market right now
What are the most important qualities Swedish recruiters look for? Photo: Stina Stjernkvist/TT

The Local asked readers to send us their questions about working in Sweden and we put them to Fredrik Mörtberg, analyst at the Swedish Employment Agency (Arbetsförmedligen). Here are his answers.

The first three questions are from our journalist, the rest are from readers.

What jobs were in demand before the pandemic and which ones have been less affected?

Before the pandemic most job vacancies (in numbers) were in customer service staff, assistant nurses, nurses, cashiers and personal assistants. This is based on the number of vacancies at our employment website between January and March this year.

The jobs that have been less affected are nurses and assistant nurses, due to the high demand for staff in the healthcare sector.

Which job sectors have taken the biggest hit as a result of the coronavirus? Which ones are likely to take longer to recover?

These are examples but some of the jobs that have taken a big hit are cashiers, waiters, customer service staff, shop assistants, chefs and also restaurant and kitchen assistants. Shop assistants and cashiers are likely to take longer to recover. The jobs in restaurants may also have a longer way back if the restrictions will last for a very long time.  

Could you give us a general overview of the Swedish job market as a result of the pandemic? Any trends or forecasts?

The situation on the Swedish job market is strained at the moment. Redundancies from March to September are at an all-time high and the number of unemployed has increased rapidly. Unemployment will increase further until 2021 but the uncertainty is great. 


The restaurant industry has taken a big hit during the pandemic. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT

Do employers consider hiring people over the age of 55 in Sweden?

A difficult question to answer. It depends on a number of different factors, for example the jobs you are applying for and your level of education.

Do Swedish companies prefer to offer full-time positions or short-term contracts or private contractors?

Both. It depends on what kind of job and in which sector. Entry-level jobs are more likely to have part-time contracts.

Is it possible to find a job if you don't speak Swedish?

If you wish to live and work in Sweden, learning the language is very important. You will find it difficult to get a job without at least basic knowledge of Swedish; most jobs require fluency.

There are some exceptions such as in higher technical professions or other sectors where highly skilled competence is required. Then, English is often the working language. 


English may be more common in the tech industry in Sweden. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

Do I need a personnummer to get a job?

If you are moving to Sweden for one year or more, you should normally be registered in the Swedish Population Register (administrated by the Swedish Tax Agency, Skatteverket), and thereby receive a Swedish personal identity number. It is however possible to have the right to reside in Sweden, without a personal identity number.

You do not need a personal identity number in order to seek employment in Sweden. You can register on the Swedish Public Employment Service website and through them look for job opportunities. The Employment Service can assist in providing you with a coordination number from the Swedish Tax Agency.

What are the most important qualities Swedish recruiters look for overall?

The most important thing is to have completed a high school education. If not, you will have a much tougher situation when applying for a job.

Where can someone who isn't in Sweden apply for jobs in the country before moving there?

You can start your job search on Arbetsförmedlingen, which is Sweden's largest and most visited employment website. In addition to job ads, we also offer useful advice and tools to help you find work.

What are the requirements for refugees to be able to work?

This question is difficult to answer but I can refer you to the Swedish Migration Agency.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
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.

SHOW COMMENTS