What is the recruitment process and what help can you get?

You have decided to hire someone, now what? There are many sources to turn to for help. Move to Gothenburg has all the information you need in one place. It also offers network meetings and informational lectures that can be helpful in both staying informed and making new contacts.

Criteria you need to fulfill

For the prospective employee to obtain a work permit you, as the employer, must satisfy the following conditions (from Migrationsverket) 

• Advertise the position in Sweden (Platsbanken) and within EU/EES and Switzerland for a minimum of ten days
• Offer terms of employment that are at least on par with those set by Swedish collective agreements or which are customary within the occupation or industry
• Offer a salary that is at least on par with those set by Swedish collective agreements or which is customary within the occupation or industry
• Provide health insurance, life insurance, occupational injury insurance and occupational pension insurance from the day when the employee begins to work
• Complete an offer of employment and allow the relevant trade union to provide a statement of opinion regarding the terms of employment.

Become a certified company

One option to make the process faster is to become a “certified company”. If you have recurrent need of hiring people from outside EU you can become a “certified employer” at Migrationsverket which will put you in a fast track and you will always receive a decision within 20 working days (for both your employee and the family members moving together). This registration as a certified company is for free, but you have to fulfill the following criteria: 

• All the criteria for receiving work permits
• Be registered as an employer
• Have the finance to be able to hire
• Have recurrent need of hiring people from outside EU 
• Be responsible for always handing in complete web applications 
• Have met the requirements for work and residence permits if you have previously hired people from outside of the EU.

The important stuff 

The most important things to consider are contracts, tax and social security. If you recruit within the EU, it is important to write an employment contract that is valid for more than 366 days. It is the means of entry into the community for global talent.
The recruit can then be officially registered into the Swedish civil system, apply for social security benefits and pay tax in Sweden.

Do bear in mind that the person you recruit is likely to have limited knowledge of Swedish labour law. Your responsibility as an employer is to explain relevant information so it is clear. Other important rules to be aware of are the requirement for the position to be advertised with the Public Employment Service and for pay to be at market rates.

If you recruit from a non-EU country, often referred to as a third country in this context, the recruit must be in his or her home country when the decision for employment is taken. 

Need support?

It may sound like a lot to keep track of with many pitfalls on the way. But relax, help is available. At Move to Gothenburg, you can get answers to many of your questions and find links to e.g. the Public Employment Service/Eures, the Migration Board, the Social Insurance Agency and the Swedish Tax Agency. There is also further information about additional services such as tax consultants and relocation consultants etc.

'We are here as a support function'

Karin Hellqvist, Birgitta Karlén and Sara Grevsjö at Welcome Services at the University of Gothenburg

“Of a little over 6,000 employees at the University of Gothenburg, around 900 have come here from another country. Some are visiting researchers here for just a short while, and others are here on longer contracts. Because every unit and faculty takes care of their own recruitment and experiences in recruiting internationally vary, many need help during the process. So we are here as a support function.

Our website is aimed at both target groups and we have structured information in categories such as: before arrival, upon arrival and before departure. Information is clarified for recruiting personnel by means of checklists. These have become very popular and inspired other universities to produce similar pages. We complement online information with printed matter such as information folders, guides, important telephone numbers and even, refuse sorting information.

Personal contacts are also incredibly important for creating social networks, finding contexts and generally getting on well. Accordingly, we arrange seminars and invite both researchers and their families to join in activities, all to provide added benefits during their stay.

If we make it easy for people to come here, it makes us more attractive

If we make it easy for people to come here, it makes us more attractive. Our goal is for those who come here to be able to start working immediately. Broadband and accommodation should already be taken care of. We can even pick them up at the airport and arrange a little breakfast in the guest accommodation.”