Contents. Country Proile. Visa Requirements. Labour Mobility ABC. An International Career in Stockholm. Self- assessment tests.

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1 Contents 4 his Guide 6 15 Country Proile Map Country Climate Population History Religion Language Currency Visa Requirements National Holidays Decision Making Process Meetings Negotiations Decisions Conception of Time Time Perception Appointments Business Behaviour Meeting & Greeting Dress Code Business Gifts Wining & Dining Use of Business Cards 20 An International Career in Stockholm Labour Mobility ABC Self- assessment tests 24 Famous Swedes 57 Questions to ask yourself 29 To Start With Management Culture Being Swedish Organisational Structure Hierarchy Strategy Important Sectors Top 5 companies in Sweden An International Career in Stockholm

2 69 What will I earn? 73 Taxation Matters General Information First Steps Where do you pay taxes? Double Taxation Self-employment 105 More Information Useful Addresses Internet Sites Further Reading Expertise in Labour Mobility Career Consult Looking for Work in... Guides 79 Main Routes to Employment Key facts: Swedish graduate labour market Quiz on Sweden About the Authors 87 General Advice on Job Hunting Strong employability skills for the Swedish market he Application Letter he Curriculum Vitae he Application Procedure On-line recruitment Apprenticeships Sample CV 125 Acknowledgements 95 Checklist for an International Move 103 Test: Successful Expat Skills

3 SWEDEN 7 Country Profile Country Sweden is a constitutional monarchy situated in the north of Europe with a surface of 450,000 square km. he capital of Sweden is Stockholm (871,952). Other large cities are Göteborg (524,158), Malmö (300,000) and Uppsala (200,000) (2012 igures). Sweden is bordered by two other Nordic countries; Norway in the west and Finland in the east. Apart from those landborders the country is surrounded by water; the Skagerrak and the Kattegatt in the south-west, and the Baltic Sea and the Botnic Gulf in the east. he islands Gotland and Öland situated south-east of Sweden also belong to the country. Sweden has a very diverse landscape with mountains in the north-east, hills covered with forests and a relatively lat southern coastline. Sweden also has many lakes, some of which are the largest in Europe.

4 SWEDEN 35 Management Culture Swedes do not engage eagerly in physical contact with others in a social context, usually a handshake will do. his is not unfriendliness, but just their correct way of greeting and behaving, so do not take it personal. Swedes just like to have a distance at most times and like to keep emotions and hand and body language to a minimum. Swedes act calm and quiet (almost shy) and will try to ind eye contact. In general, formal is more appreciated than informal and Swedes do not talk about their private life in public areas. However, Swedish women in general are quite direct and speak to foreign strangers easily to practice their languages. Swedes are usually very punctual and fashionably late is non-existing. When Swedes toss their heads, they mean come here.

5 SWEDEN 69 What will I earn? A high salary level does not say much about what a person can aford. A comparison of purchasing power based on net income is more useful, since it takes account of what remains after tax and social security deductions. Purchasing power, the relationship between income and the cost of your shopping basket, gives an idea of what can be bought in a certain country with a particular level of income. We also give you an indication of regular rent prices because accommodation always takes up a large part of your salary, certainly if you are looking for a short-term lease. he rent prices include all ancillary costs. Some caution is however required when directly comparing rents as the apartments may vary considerable from city to city in terms of size, comfort and location. Net pay is lowest compared to gross pay, in Frankfurt, Berlin, Warsaw, Brussels and Copenhagen, where tax and social security rates are highest. Purchasing power is highest by far in Zurich, followed by Los Angels. New York and London are by far the most expensive cities for renting an apartment.

6 SWEDEN 79 Main Routes to Employment he Swedish labour market has long been known for combining business innovation, generous employment beneits and long-term job security. hese give the country one of the highest living standards in the world. Currently Sweden is keen to attract and retain foreign talent, particularly through new labour migration laws, making it easier for non-eu citizens to live and work in Sweden. From iconic Ikea furniture to afordable H&M fashion and the building expertise of Skanska, Sweden s business sectors cover a wide range of industries. he largest private sectors include cleantech, information and communications technology (ICT), life sciences, automotive industry and materials sciences. Public sectors such as health care and forestry also employ a large number of people. As Sweden is keen to attract and retain (young) people to ease their labour shortage a list is published twice a year. he list is compiled by

7 SWEDEN 117 Q to Quiz test your understanding of this ELM Guide on Sweden: Management culture & job hunting in Sweden 1. he capital city of Sweden is: a. Malmö b. Stockholm c. Göteborg d. Uppsala 2. he currency in Sweden is the Euro. a. True? b. False? 3. Which of the following statements is false when entering Sweden as an EEA national? a. To enter Sweden you need a valid identity card or a passport. b. If you intend to stay for work reasons you are free to look for employment without any kind of permit for a period for three months. c. After three months, you must apply for a residence permit at the Swedish Migration Board (Migrationverket), which will be issued within two months of arrival. d. You may only be refused a residence permit for public policy, security, or health reasons.