Swedish government in bid to create 15,000 summer jobs for teenagers
The government is earmarking 250 million kronor to create 15,000 summer jobs for youth in municipalities with high unemployment or segregation.
"Summer jobs are an important initiative to help young people understand what it's like being in a workplace, learning a trade and enjoying the feeling of receiving your first paycheck," Labour Market Minister Johan Britz told a press conference.
Teenagers who have graduated in years eight or nine – or their first or second year of upper secondary school – will be targeted, which includes roughly ages 14-18.
Teenagers who aren't studying at upper secondary level could also be eligible.
Swedish unemployment stood at 8.5 percent in February according to Statistics Sweden, and the government has been criticised for doing too little on the issue.
Swedish vocabulary: upper secondary school (senior high school) – gymnasiet
Sweden halves VAT on food
VAT on food has now been halved, from April 1st, dropping from 12 percent to 6 percent, as part of the government’s expansionary pre-election budget which was approved last year.
Swedbank calculated that the reduction is likely to lower the monthly costs by approximately 600 kronor a month for the average two-parent family with two children, 400 kronor a month for a single parent family with two children, and 200 kronor a month for someone living alone.
Swedish vocabulary: VAT – moms
New mortgage rules set to help house buyers
New mortgage rules are in force as of April 1st, designed to make it easier for people to buy apartments and houses.
The new rules reduce the deposit needed to buy a home from 15 percent of the value of the property to 10 percent.
Amortisation rules have also been loosened. Under the previous rules, someone with a mortgage more than 4.5 times their annual income, who had also borrowed more than 70 percent of the value of their property, would have to amortise 3 percent of their mortgage each year.
If they take out the same mortgage after April 1st, the same person will only have to amortise 2 percent of the value of their mortgage each year.
The new rules are likely to increase demand on the property market, pushing up the prices of houses and apartments.
Swedish vocabulary: to come into force – att träda i kraft
New rules for 'vabbing' parents
As of April 1st, parents who have to take time off work to look after an ill child have only 30 days to apply for VAB benefits from the Social Insurance Agency, rather than as previously, 90 days.
According to the agency, many parents don't remember exactly which days they took off, and the hope is to reduce the number of errors by shortening the application deadline.
There are however exceptions. There is no deadline if you're applying for days of mourning after having lost a child, or if you're caring for a seriously ill child.
The deadline has also been tightened for the parent applying for ten days off around the time of the birth of a child. The parent who doesn't give birth has the right to take ten days off for the birth, on top of the other gender equal pot of parental leave.
Swedish vocabulary: days of mourning – sorgedagar
Sweden makes it into the World Cup
The Swedish team defeated Poland 3-2 to make it into this summer's World Cup. It is a surprise turnaround for the team, which did relatively poorly earlier.
This summer's World Cup will take place in North America. Sweden's first match is set to be against Tunisia, on June 15th. The game will be held in Monterrey, Mexico.
Swedish vocabulary: världmästerskapen (VM) – the World Cup
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