When we prompt you to study
If you are participating in a Job and Development Programme (jobb- och utvecklingsgarantin) or introduction programme (etableringsprogrammet), we may determine that you need to study in order to get a job. In that case, we will prompt you to apply for a programme and enter it as a compulsory activity in your action plan.
Compulsory activity to pursue 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.
If you are participating in the Job and Development Programme or introduction programme and are receiving compensation in the form of activity support (aktivitetsstöd), development allowance (utvecklingsersättning), or introduction benefit (etableringsersättning), we may prompt you to study through a compulsory activity in your action plan.
The activity involves you pursuing education. This could mean studying at a municipal adult education (komvux) facility, folk high school (folkhögskola), higher vocational education (yrkeshögskola), college, or university.
When you are prompted to pursue regular education, we enter this as an activity in your action plan, which you can find when you log 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, or
- 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 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 to inform the Public Employment Service immediately so that they can make a decision about studies as 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,
- accepted your admission to the programme.
What happens if I do not pursue education?
If you do not pursue education as per the activity in your action plan, or if you apply too late, you may receive a warning or a deduction from your activity support, development allowance, or introduction benefit. This means you may receive a smaller allowance from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). If you have been admitted to a programme but do not accept, a deduction may also be taken from your allowance.
Allowance during studies
If you begin to study, it may be possible to receive an allowance in the form of activity support, development allowance, or introduction benefit while you study. The Public Employment Service must assess whether this is possible before you begin your studies.
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,
- accepted your admission 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.