About time off from a programme
When you are in a programme through Arbetsförmedlingen, you are expected to participate throughout the entire period. You cannot ordinarily take time off from your programme, but there are some exceptions which you can read about here.
If you need time off, you must always contact Arbetsförmedlingen.
Time off for important personal matters
If there is an important matter that you cannot attend to outside of your programme, then in some cases you may be granted time off. For example, this could be a medical appointment for which you need to take an entire day off, a funeral for a relative, or important meetings with the municipality or a government agency. First, you must apply for time off from Arbetsförmedlingen. We determine whether you may have time off and how much – three days per occasion at most. You keep your compensation during approved time off. In your application to the Swedish social insurance agency (Försäkringskassan) for compensation, write that you have had a personal matter.
Break during studies
If you are participating in a programme through Arbetsförmedlingen and the programme provider takes a summer break, you may have time off during that break. You may be off for ten benefit days at most and only in June, July and August. To keep your compensation, you must notify Arbetsförmedlingen of the break. It is not enough for the provider to notify Arbetsförmedlingen of the break. In your application to the Swedish social insurance agency for compensation, write that you have had a temporary break in your studies.
Break during the job and development guarentee
If you are participating in the job and development guarentee (jobb- och utvecklingsgarantin), you may have a temporary break in your activities for a total of 20 benefit days in a 12-month period. You apply for the break from Arbetsförmedlingen and it must be approved before you take time off. You keep your compensation during approved time off. In your application to the Swedish social insurance agency for compensation, write that you have had a temporary break in the job and development guarentee.
Time off from the introduction programme (etableringsprogrammet) due to exceptional family circumstances
If you are participating in the introduction programme, it is possible to take time off without compensation if you need to do so due to exceptional family circumstances, such as collecting your children who have been granted a residence permit in Sweden, but who are currently abroad. You may have a total of 20 days off, during which you would have otherwise received compensation. You apply for time off from Arbetsförmedlingen and it must be approved before you take it. In your application to the Swedish social insurance agency, you do not apply for compensation for the days that you have been granted time off due to exceptional family circumstances.
Parental leave
Some programmes may be combined with brief periods of parental leave or part-time parental leave. Contact Arbetsförmedlingen to find out what applies for you. When you apply for compensation from the Swedish social insurance agency, you do not write that you have had parental leave. The Swedish social insurance agency reduces your compensation in the programme with parental benefit.
Contact us
To apply for time off or to notify us of a temporary break in your studies, call us on 0771–416 416.