Compensation for travel expenses when attending a job interview

If you have been invited to a job interview in a town or city other than where you live, you may in some cases be eligible for compensation for travel and accommodation expenses. This compensation is known as travel allowance. You must apply for travel allowance before your trip.

Ersättning för resekostnader

When am I eligible for compensation for travel expenses?

Has an employer invited you to a job interview taking place in another location? If the location is outside the normal daily commuting distance, you may be eligible for compensation for your travel expenses. Outside the normal daily commuting distance means that the journey takes more than three hours from your home and back.

You can receive up to 3,600 SEK for travel and accommodation costs if you meet the following terms:

  • you have applied for travel allowance before your trip
  • you are at least 20 years old and are unemployed or at risk of becoming unemployed
  • you are registered as a jobseeker with Arbetsförmedlingen.

Before we can approve your application, we need to:

  • determine that the journey is necessary for you to be able to get the job
  • assess that you are unlikely to find suitable work within daily commuting distance
  • ensure that the job has been advertised in the Job Bank or a similar website in the EU or EEA country where you are looking for work. The job may also have been advertised on the EURES website.
Viktigt att veta

Important to bear in mind

You must apply for travel allowance before your trip. Please contact Arbetsförmedlingen well in advance of your trip.

Save any relevant information about the job you are being interviewed for, such as the invitation and the advert-ID from the Job Bank.

How to apply for travel allowance

1. Apply for travel allowance before you travel

For travel within Sweden, you should apply at least three working days before departure, and for travel to another EU/EEA country, at least five working days before.

When applying, you will need to provide us with the following information:

  • your customer number (kundnummer in Swedish) (available on My Pages)
  • job vacancy ID from the Job Bank or the EURES portal
  • what mode of transport you plan to use, for example, train or bus
  • details regarding accommodation, if required
  • you will also need to be able to show that you have been invited to an interview, for example by providing an invitation from the employer.

You can submit your information at a service centre of Statens servicecenter (the National Government Service Center) or send them by post to:

Arbetsförmedlingen
107 67 Stockholm

You can also apply for travel allowance by calling 0771-416 416. When you call, you’ll be greeted by a voice-activated answering service; just say “resebidrag” (travel allowance) to reach the correct agent more quickly.

2. We make a decision

We will check that all the terms have been met and then make a decision on whether you are eligible for travel allowance.

If we approve your application, we will agree with you on how to book your travel and, if necessary, your accommodation.

Once you have received a decision regarding travel allowance and we have agreed that you will book your own travel and, if necessary, accommodation, you can claim compensation for your own expenses retrospectively. You can do this via “Ersättning för resa” (Travel Compensation) on My Pages. You will receive an email when the service becomes available to you. Remember to keep your receipts for your expenses.

Here's how to do it:

  1. Log in to My Pages using electronic identification (such as BankID).
  2. If we have made the decision that you are entitled to compensation, the option “Ersättning för resa” (Travel compensation) will appear. Please note that it may take a few days after the decision has been made before the option “Ersättning för resa” appears on My Pages.
  3. Click on “Ersättning för resa” and fill in your information as instructed.
  4. When you have finished, sign using your electronic identification.

If you do not have electronic identification and are unable to apply online, please call us on 0771-416 416.

Please contact us once you have received a decision regarding support when travelling to attend an interview, and when Arbetsförmedlingen is to book all or part of your trip.

To book your travels, please call 0771-416 416, Monday to Friday, 9–12. When you call, you’ll be greeted by a voice-activated answering service; just say “boka resa (book trip)” to reach the correct agent more quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Once you have received a decision regarding travel allowance, it may take a few days before the travel compensation service “Ersättning för resa” becomes available on My Pages. The decision must first be approved before a requisition can be created for the case. You will receive an email from us when the service “Ersättning för resa” becomes available to you on My Pages.

The mode of transportation that has been approved is stated in your decision.

Travel should primarily be by train or bus. You may be eligible for compensation for travel by private vehicle if there are special reasons, for example if:

  • there is no public transport
  • services are very limited or
  • you find it difficult to use public transport due to illness or a disability.

If you have been granted permission to travel in your own vehicle, you should claim compensation retrospectively. You do not need to submit receipts.

To receive travel allowance for a trip to attend an interview, you must always apply before the trip. Arbetsförmedlingen needs time to check that all the terms have been met, and to make a decision.

If you apply in good time, we can book all or part of your trip, including accommodation if required.

If you apply shortly before your trip, we may not be able to make a decision before you travel. You may still be eligible for travel allowance, but in that case you may need to book and pay for your travel and accommodation yourself. If you are subsequently given travel allowance, you can claim compensation for the costs retrospectively.

If you have paid for public transport or accommodation yourself, you must keep your receipts. Receipts must be attached when you claim compensation and must show the date of purchase, the validity period and the amount.

You must first apply for compensation via “Ersättning för resa” (Travel compensation) on My Pages or using a paper form. You will normally receive the money within a few working days. If we need additional information, it may take longer.

Swedbank handles the payment. If you have a bank account linked to your personal identity number, the money will be paid into that account, regardless of which bank you use. Swedbank will inform you once the payment has been made.

If you don’t have a bank account, you will receive a payment card in the post. If you would like future payments to be made to your bank account, please contact Swedbank.

The payment date shown under “Ersättning för resa” (Travel Compensation) on My Pages is the date on which we make the payment. It may take a few days for the money to reach your account or for you to receive your payment card.

You may be obliged to repay if you have provided incorrect information or otherwise caused compensation to be paid out incorrectly or in excess of the correct amount.

No, you cannot claim travel compensation via My Pages once you have been deregistered. Please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

Financial support for interviews and relocation to another country

If you meet certain terms, you can apply for financial support to help cover the costs associated with job interviews, moving house and establishing a place of residence in a new country. You can apply for the compensation via the EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme (TMS), an EU-funded project coordinated by Arbetsförmedlingen.

EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme (TMS)

Compensation for travel expenses when taking part in a programme

If you are taking part in a programme in another town or if you have been granted an assessment, you may in some cases be eligible for travel compensation.

Compensation for travel expenses when taking part in a programme