Bringing your family

Accompanying partners to employees at Linnaeus University are welcome to join some of the seminars and activities within Relocation LNU.

We can also arrange a meeting with a career counsellor for individual support. If you are an accompanying partner to an employee and want to get in touch with a career counsellor, please contact relocation@lnu.se

Right to work or study in Sweden
In order to have the right to work or study in Sweden, you must have a residence permit or right of residence as an EU citizen.

If you are a non-EU citizen, you are entitled to receive a residence permit if you are married to someone who lives in Sweden, and also if you have entered into a registered partnership with, or are the cohabiting partner of, someone who lives in Sweden.

Once you have either a residence permit or a right of residence, you have the same rights in Sweden as your partner working here. You can study, work or start your own business.

Looking for work
One of the challenges of moving to a new country as an accompanying partner is finding an occupation. A good starting point is the website Work in Sweden, which is the official source for information about working in Sweden.

Everyone who has the right to work in Sweden also has the right to be registered and get service from the Swedish Public Employment Service. On their website, you can find information, advice and support.

In case you need more specific information regarding the local labour market, unemployment benefits and job search, you can get in touch with a Eures adviser. Eures is a network formed by public employment services with the objective of facilitating free movement of workers within the European Economic Area (EEA). For more information, please visit Eures.

To get in touch with a local Eures adviser, please email banna.thioubou@arbetsformedlingen.se or call +4610-488 77 47

For support with writing a CV, preparing for an interview, etc, please contact the Career Counselling Service at Linnaeus University

There are also privately-run job sites like Adecco, Manpower, Ranstad and LinkedIn. You can upload your CV on their websites.

If you are interested in working at a specific company, it may be a good idea to apply for a job with them directly. Many companies include information on available positions on their websites.

Unemployment insurance

Unemployment insurance is included in social insurance in most countries. Sweden have a system with full or partial voluntary insurance (A-kassa). If you are going to work in Sweden for a longer period of time, we recommend that you register with an insurance. See, for example, Akademikernas A-kassa, an unemployment insurance fund for academics. To be eligible for unemployment insurance there are criteria´s that can find out by contacting the different insurance funds. You can always make the choice of joining an A-kassa and not the union, or joining a union but not the A-kassa.

Learning Swedish

If you intend to stay in Sweden for at least one year, you can study SFI (Swedish for Immigrants). This is free of charge and arranged by Kalmar and Växjö municipalities. You can find more information here: SFI Kalmar, SFI Växjö. Contact Emma Krig for more information.

Studying at the university

f you are accompanying someone who is employed at the university, you have the possibility to study for free at the university. For more information and to apply, please contact the Career Counselling Service at Linnaeus University

Starting a company

If you have a business idea that you would like to develop, you can contact Kalmar or Växjö municipality to get more information.

Recognition of foreign qualifications

The Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) evaluates foreign qualifications in order to provide support for people looking for work in Sweden, people who wish to continue studying, or for employers who wish to employ someone with foreign qualifications. Learn more

International Dual Career Network

Join the International Dual Career Network (IDCN). A network that shares information and inspiration. Many of the events take place in other parts of the world but they also arrange online events.

The Swedish Social Insurance is an important part of the social security system for families. Swedish social insurance covers most people who live or work in Sweden. It is administered by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. In order to find out if you are entitled to any sort of social insurance benefits, contact Forsakringskassan Phone number: +46 (0)771-52 45 24

It is important that you inform Försäkringskassan when you move from Sweden.

Two types of benefits

If your stay in Sweden exceeds 365 days, you are generally entitled to residence-based benefits. Examples of residence-based benefits are child allowance, study allowance and parental allowance.

If you are employed in Sweden, you are generally covered by employment-based benefits, which cover sickness and parental benefits.

The Swedish law states that children have equal rights to education regardless of gender, ethnic or political background and economic status of their families. Most of the responsibility for schooling rests with local municipalities. The majority of the budget for schools is financed by local taxes.

Most children in Sweden go to preschool. From the age of 12 months the child can attend preschool. Fees are calculated according to income. If you have children, you should locate a pre-school or school and apply to the municipality for a place as early as possible.

Open pre-school is a meeting place for adults and their children aged 0 to 5 year and a place where you, as a parent, can meet other parents. Parents are responsible for their children during the time they spend at an open pre-school. At the open pre-school, activities such as singing, reading stories, playing games, painting and drawing are organised. Pre-schools are free of charge.

To get in touch with open pre-schools, contact the municipality in Växjö, Language and competence centre or the municipality in Kalmar. In Kalmar you can also find Inflyttarlotsen. They give support on how to find your way in the Swedish society, getting your children to daycare or school and so on.

Education
Education is compulsory for all children from 6 to 15. Sweden offers free education. Gymnasieskolan is an optional continuation of the nine-year compulsory school. There is a great variety of educational programs, and the period of study is usually three years.

The language of tuition at Swedish schools is Swedish, but the schools can offer study assistance in the children’s native language for those who are learning Swedish as a second language. Your child may also have the right to some mother tongue instruction in primary school, regardless of where you are from.

The school year runs for 40 weeks and has two semesters. Most schools are run by the municipality and provide free instruction, books, and lunches. There are, however, so-called independent schools which is increasing rapidly. Several controls are in place to ensure equal conditions for private and public schools throughout the country. Free education continues throughout university.

Primary School and Upper Secondary School
School hours vary by children's age and municipality. The schools also have after-school care for children in primary school, fritidshem. You pay an additional monthly fee for the after-school care.

There are also some international schools in Växjö; Växjö internationella grundskola, English International School, and Nordic International School Kalmar.

In Sweden, there is a strong tradition of organized cultural and recreational activities. It is, for example, common for children to be members of a sports club or play an instrument regularly with a band or orchestra. There is also a variety of organized leisure activities for adults and as a new inhabitant, it is a good way of meeting new friends. The municipalities have a department for culture and leisure management. They can provide you with a list of organized activities that you can choose from.

Culture and leisure management in Kalmar
Culture and leisure management in Växjö