When we prompt you to study
When you are registered with the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen), we may determine that you need to study in order to get a job. In that case, we will prompt you to pursue education and add an activity to your action plan. This could mean studying at a municipal adult education (komvux) facility, folk high school (folkhögskola), higher vocational education (yrkeshögskola), college, or university.
Many jobs require education
Education can increase your chances of getting a job. The risk of long-term unemployment is higher if you do not have an education. Many employers are in need of workers, but struggle to find the right people with the right training. To be eligible for some jobs, you may need to study. Maybe you have an education, but need to change professions to increase your chances of getting work.
Activity to pursue education
When we prompt you to pursue education, we enter it as an activity in your action plan. You will find your action plan by logging in to My pages (Mina sidor). There are two different activities and you will have one of them in your action plan:
- Pursue education with the municipality or folk high school
- Pursue education via higher vocational education, college, university, or folk high school.
The activity includes what you are expected to do, which is to pursue studies in the regular education system.
If you are admitted to a study programme, notify the Public Employment Service immediately.
Reporting an activity
Every month, you are to fill in your activity report (aktivitetsrapport) so that we know how things are going for you. When you have been prompted to pursue education, you will have three activities in your activity report to which you must respond. Click “I have done the activity” (“jag har gjort aktiviteten”) and enter the date on which you:
- applied for a programme
- were admitted to the programme.
What happens if I do not pursue education?
What happens if you do not pursue studies depends on whether the activity in your action plan is mandatory or recommended.
If the activity is mandatory
If this is a mandatory activity in your action plan, then if you do not apply to a study programme or apply too late, you may receive a warning or deduction from your compensation (activity grant [aktivitetsstöd], development allowance [utvecklingsersättning], or introduction benefit [etableringsersättning]).
If you have been admitted to a study programme, but you do not begin to study, a deduction may also be taken from your compensation.
If you are participating in the Job and Development Programme
If you are participating in the Job and Development Programme (jobb- och utvecklingsgarantin), but do not have compensation via the programme, and you do not apply to studies, or do not begin the study programme you have been admitted to, your participation in the programme may be revoked. This means you will no longer be allowed to continue to participate in the Job and Development Programme.
If the activity is recommended
Your right to compensation is not affected if your action plan contains a recommended activity to pursue education, but you do not apply or apply too late. Not studying, despite the Public Employment Service determining that you need to do so, could result in a lengthened period of unemployment.
Allowance during studies
If you are admitted to a study programme, you can receive compensation in the form of an activity grant, development allowance, or introduction benefit while you study. The Public Employment Service must determine whether you can receive compensation before you begin to study. You can also apply for student finance from CSN.Compulsory education – if you are in an introduction programme but have no education
If you do not have an education and are participating in an introduction programme (etableringsprogrammet), you may be subject to compulsory education. This means you need to study to improve your opportunities to be hired for a job, and you must apply to study at a municipal adult education (komvux) facility or folk high school (folkhögskola).
Education can increase your chances of getting a job. The risk of long-term unemployment is higher if you do not have an education. Many employers are in need of workers, but struggle to find the right people with the right training. To be eligible for some jobs, you may need to study. Maybe you have an education, but need to change professions to increase your chances of getting work.
If you are subject to compulsory education, you must study:
- Swedish for Immigrants (SFI)
- social orientation and
- basic or upper-secondary level at a municipal adult education facility or folk high school. Examples of what you might study are: a vocational programme, maths, or a class that teaches you how to use a computer and the internet.
Compulsory education applies to people who
- are in the introduction programme.
- have limited education.
- must study while in the introduction programme in order to get a job.
Limited education means you have not completed upper-secondary school. This may mean that you started, but did not finish upper-secondary school in your home country. Or you may have only studied through primary school, or have not attended school at all.
Compulsory activity to pursue education
You will receive an activity in your action plan when you are subject to compulsory education. The action plan can be found when you log in to My pages (Mina sidor).
The activity is compulsory and is called:
- Pursue education with the municipality or folk high school
The activity states what you are to do. You are to apply to study at the basic or upper-secondary school level with a municipal adult education facility or in a general course at a folk high school. You must apply for a programme before the date stated in the activity.
If you are granted a place in a programme, you must accept it and immediately inform the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) of the date your studies begin. It is important that you notify us immediately, so that we can make a decision about studying being your activity.
Reporting an activity
Every month, you are to fill in your activity report (aktivitetsrapport) so that we know how things are going for you. When you have been prompted to pursue education, you will have three activities in your activity report to which you must respond. Click “I have done the activity” (“jag har gjort aktiviteten”) and enter the date on which you:
- applied for a programme
- were admitted to the programme.
What happens if I do not pursue education?
If you do not pursue education with a municipal adult education facility or a general course at a folk high school, or if you apply late, you may receive a warning or a deduction from your introduction benefit (etableringsersättning). This means you may receive a smaller allowance from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). If you have been admitted to a programme but you decline, a deduction may also be taken from your introduction benefit.
Compensation when you participate in the introduction programme
Contact us
If you are uncertain about what to do, call us on 0771-416 416.
If you are participating in the introduction programme and need information in a language other than Swedish, call 0771-860 100.