Jobs in Sweden - in English
Hundreds of great job opportunities for foreign professionals at Sweden's top
employers - in cooperation with Monster, Experteer, Stepstone, and CareerBuilder.
Minister defends labour migration law
Sweden's migration minister has denied claims by a Swedish umbrella union organisation that unscrupulous companies are abusing new rules that have eased the migration of foreign workers.
Published: 23 Nov 2010 16:52 CET
Sweden's minister for migration has denied claims by a Swedish umbrella union organisation that unscrupulous companies are abusing new rules that have eased the migration of foreign workers.
The chairwoman of Swedish union organisation LO, Wanja Lundby-Wedin, has demanded the previous regulations governing labour migration be restored, either under the direction of the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) or the Swedish National Migration Board (Migrationsverket).
However, after meeting with labour market partners, Migration Minister Tobias Billström, who has been dogged by criticism over the law over the last two weeks, insisted on Tuesday that he will not change the current law.
"What we can discuss are the terms, but not who makes the decision," said Billström.
The ruling Swedish government undertook reforms in 2008 over laws governing labour migration, granting companies more leeway in decisions over the issuance of Swedish work permits.
The labour market scrutiny involves allowing decisions to be made at the agency level to determine how much manpower is needed in the country.
Billström acknowledged that problems do exist under the reforms.
"Abusive employers have always existed and always will exist. It has nothing to do with the labour laws," he said.
The government will now look into what can be done, Billström added.
"It is the enforcement of the law that is important," he said.
Other trade union confederations have criticised the law, saying that it makes it easier for unscrupulous employees to exploit migrant workers.
Last week, Swedish trade union Unionen alleged that the law facilitates allowing Ericsson and other IT companies to attract and train foreign workers in Sweden so they can perform similar tasks in the home countries, resulting in the disappearance of Swedish jobs.
Unions have previously criticised the law for a rise in abuses against low-skilled workers such as berry pickers, the most common occupational group that receives work permits for Sweden, and other agricultural workers.
The chairwoman of Swedish union organisation LO, Wanja Lundby-Wedin, has demanded the previous regulations governing labour migration be restored, either under the direction of the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) or the Swedish National Migration Board (Migrationsverket).
However, after meeting with labour market partners, Migration Minister Tobias Billström, who has been dogged by criticism over the law over the last two weeks, insisted on Tuesday that he will not change the current law.
"What we can discuss are the terms, but not who makes the decision," said Billström.
The ruling Swedish government undertook reforms in 2008 over laws governing labour migration, granting companies more leeway in decisions over the issuance of Swedish work permits.
The labour market scrutiny involves allowing decisions to be made at the agency level to determine how much manpower is needed in the country.
Billström acknowledged that problems do exist under the reforms.
"Abusive employers have always existed and always will exist. It has nothing to do with the labour laws," he said.
The government will now look into what can be done, Billström added.
"It is the enforcement of the law that is important," he said.
Other trade union confederations have criticised the law, saying that it makes it easier for unscrupulous employees to exploit migrant workers.
Last week, Swedish trade union Unionen alleged that the law facilitates allowing Ericsson and other IT companies to attract and train foreign workers in Sweden so they can perform similar tasks in the home countries, resulting in the disappearance of Swedish jobs.
Unions have previously criticised the law for a rise in abuses against low-skilled workers such as berry pickers, the most common occupational group that receives work permits for Sweden, and other agricultural workers.
Practice for employers' tests with JobTestPrep
Your Swedish Career
As part of our ongoing series of Swedish career profiles, The Local catches up with American Billy McCormac to find out how he went from refurbishing antique furniture to heading one of Sweden's most influential real estate lobbying organizations.
Foreigners who arrive in Sweden with a university degree can find it tough to find a job that matches their education from back home. The Local talks with Josefin Edström, an expert in employment issues for foreign degree holders, to learn the top tips for a smooth transition.
After a bumpy ride on Sweden's unemployment roller coaster that ended with a position at Swedish telecom giant Ericsson, Jessica Nkusi, an HR consultant from Rwanda, has learned a thing or two about finding a job in Sweden.
Unable to find good Mexican food after moving to Stockholm to study in 2008, Monterrey native David Licona now finds himself running La Neta, one of the most popular Mexican eateries in the Swedish capital. The Local finds out more.
The archive of our 'My Swedish Career' interviews with foreign-born professionals making a life and a career for themselves in Sweden.
Want more money? Want to learn how to convince your Swedish boss that you are indispensable? Sure, but make sure you do your homework first, explains union ombudsman Anna-Karin Mattsson.
Swedish Employment News
Since 2008, migrants to Sweden can swap course from seeking asylum to seeking a work visa with the help of an employer. The Local speaks to one migrant who praises the system, while saying it could be improved.
The Swedish Migration Board wants to improve knowledge of labour migration possibilities to Sweden for migrants, hoping in part to make sure future employees know their options and rights.
Sweden needs to hire more foreigners, but Swedish employers remain reluctant to hire them due to barriers of language and distance, a new report from Sweden's job agency found.
Swedish companies need to keep the power to hire foreign workers, argues Karin Ekenger of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, who fears letting government agencies and unions determine who can work in Sweden will hurt firms' ability to compete globally.
As white-collar union Saco slammed Sweden for not helping well-educated foreigners into the labour market, The Local spoke to researcher Josefin Edström about the disconnect between foreign professionals and Swedish employers.
The white-collar union Saco has lambasted Sweden's Employment Agency for its failure to help well-educated, foreign-born job seekers, whose unemployment rate is more than three times the average for people born in Sweden.
Sales Executive
KSNY is a young and agile company looking for International Sales Executives. We are looking for you who want to become KSNY´s ambassador with a strong focus on sales and an entrepreneurial mind set. The key characteristics we are looking for are: ambition, sales drive and creativity. In short, we are looking for a "doer".
FULL JOB AD »
SMG is hiring for the Stockholm office!
SMG is looking for International Sales Executives to sell their VIP Corporate Sports Hospitality Packages
FULL JOB AD »
Project manager/editor
Much of your work will be for Spoon's multi-language productions, which means your
customers will be businesses with global operations. You will have daily contact
with people from around the world.
FULL JOB AD »
Math & English Teachers
SSHL is a leading national boarding school located just outside
Stockholm, and is seeking to appoint two English-speaking positions for the coming academic year from August 1st.
FULL JOB AD »
Marcus Evans is hiring!
Marcus Evans is looking for International Sales Executives
FULL JOB AD »
Senior Manager/Manager with Finance, Risk & Regulatory experience within Banking and Capital Markets
BearingPoint SE
Stockholm, STHM
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
It will also make it easier for skilled workers and engineers that are lacking in Sweden. It will also make it easier to have well-educated migrants rather than ... (well, fill it yourself. there are many news these days ).
Excuseme whatthee...? So it has nothing whatsoever to do with legistlation, just how much the legitslative text might be misused. Am I the only one who thinks there might be a case of legistlative illiterate here?
"It is the enforcement of the law that is important."
Where can I find this particular piece of legistlation, word by word, please?
The law is designed to allow employers to treat staff from low wage countries as subhuman, while keeping out other Europeans.
Anyone does not believe me, call to any large city hotel and look at the cleaning staff, particularly those there for seasonal work. You will also find them cleaning stairwells in large cities. There are numerous other jobs they perform as well, all out of sight, so as to be out of mind.
To give freedom to th eemployers is a right thing. After all the Employer is one who bears all the risks.
Furthermore, skilled immigrants are told that their skills are not suitable and their Swedish poor while people are being recruited from outside the society with the same competence and no Swedish.
Is no Swedish preferred to poor Swedish?