Working and living in the Linnaeus Region

Tips for working and living in the Linnaeus Region

1. Before you start looking for a job

If you are interested in finding a job in the Linnaeus region once you have completed your studies, you should, as a first step, contact the Swedish Migration Agency in order to gain an understanding of what requirements need to be fulfilled to get a work permit.

2. How to find a job

Linnaeus University encourages you to start collaborating with, and contacting companies, early on in your studies. For instance through projects, internships or thesis work. This is a good way to establish a professional network and to meet potential employers.

• Linnaeus University Career Counselling Service

The career counselling service at Linnaeus University offers support and advice when you try to figure out how your education, your experience, and your personal qualifications can best be summarised into a powerful job application. You will get help pinpointing your skills and experiences and  guidance on how to best design your CV and cover letter. 

• Professional social network

LinkedIn is one of the most well-known, professional social networks on the internet. Recruiters from the region can now find their perfect candidate by simply using the right filter. Therefore, it is important for you to have a complete LinkedIn profile in order to increase your chances of getting a job in the Linnaeus Region/Sweden. 

• Work after your studies

Sweden is a great place to start your career. The country hosts a wide range of innovative international companies. For information on requirements and how to apply for an extension or a work permit, visit the Swedish Migration Agency's website. Please see more detailed information on: Work and life in Sweden or migrationsverket.se.

• Start your own business

Linnaeus University promotes entrepreneurship and the Linnaeus Region is famous for its entrepreneurial spirit! If you have a business idea and are interested in developing it, you are welcome to contact LNU Innovation; an entrepreneurial support system of the university. LNU Innovation helps new entrepreneurs to start and run their companies, or to develop their ideas. 

If you would like to start your own company and get more support, we can also recommend getting in contact with Videum Science Park in Växjö or Kalmar Science Park. They work to support the establishment of new businesses and create meeting places for the trade and industry that connect students, researchers and companies. 

• Internship

The standard way for internship in Sweden is that they are included in a course. Paid internships are quite uncommon, but can be found in larger companies.

Sometimes in the university courses there are tasks included that involve contacts with a company or an organisation. These kind of tasks are good ways to get contacts for the future. You could ask your professors/program coordinator if there are such opportunities planned for your courses.

We encourage both companies and students to find work possibilities in parallell to the studies – a few hours a week is a great way to get experience and also to get other views on the course literature that will enrich your studies. You can look for opportunities on our career portal Jobteaser!

There are also several local networks of companies, you can look for information on the municipalities websites etc. 

Also, you can ask for a meeting with one of our career advisors to discuss how to go about reaching more companies. It is important to try reach the right person, and  sometimes to not just email but also call by phone is a good idea. The way you address a person might matter a lot. 

3. Language – Learning Swedish

The Swedish language is often the key to get a long-term job in Sweden. Linnaeus University offers Swedish courses for international students. Please contact internationalstudents@lnu.se to get further information about the Swedish courses. There is also a lot of useful information about the Swedish language that can be accessed online.

Also, keep in mind that the municipalities in Sweden offer Swedish language courses (Swedish for immigrants, SFI). For more information about the SFI courses, please visit SFI Växjö or SFI Kalmar.