Unemployed – what happens now?

We will guide you through the process of signing up as a jobseeker, applying for compensation from the unemployment insurance fund (a-kassa), and starting your job search.

Register on your first day of unemployment

It is important that you register via our digital service on your first day of unemployment. The service is open every day from 7:00 am to 12:00 am. You can start entering information before you have become unemployed. Then wait until your first day of unemployment to submit the information.

  • The unemployment insurance fund will assess your right to compensation from the day you register, are unemployed, and tell us that you are going to apply for compensation.
  • If you are seeking financial assistance (subsistence allowance – försörjningsstöd) from the municipality, you must be registered with the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen).
  • To keep your sickness benefit qualifying income (sjukpenninggrundande inkomst, SGI) from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), you must register on your first day of unemployment.

If you receive notice of redundancies you do not need to register.

Register (in Swedish)

If you do not have e-identification, you can get it quickly.

How to get e-identification (elegitimation.se)

If you do not haveaccess to a computer or mobile phone, you can visit a service centre (servicekontor) at the National Government Service Centre (Statens servicecenter) and use a computer. Before visiting a service centre, check the opening hours, as they may change quickly.

Find a service centre (statenssc.se)

If you are not eligible for e-identification, you can prepare your registration online. Log in with a user name and password and then enter your information under Register (Skriv in dig). To complete your registration, you need to visit a service centre. Your first registered day will be counted from the date that you visit a service centre. We will then notify your unemployment insurance fund that you are unemployed so that you can apply for compensation. Remember to bring identification to the visit.

You must visit a service centre within 14 days from the date that you submitted the information here on the website. If you do not, your information will automatically be erased.

If the service centre is closed when you want to register

The National Government Service Centre (Statens servicecenter) tries to always have a service centre (servicekontor) open nearby. Before visiting a service centre, check the opening hours, as they may change quickly.

If you do not have e-identification and have to travel a long distaace to reach your nearest open service centre, you can call us and speak to an employment officer to begin the registration process. Please note that your registration is not complete until you visit a service centre and prove your identity.

How to register

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11 minutes 7 seconds

The video shows what to do when it’s time to register as a jobseeker at Arbetsförmedlingen (subtitles in English).

Apply for compensation from the unemployment insurance fund

When you have registered, you can apply for compensation from the unemployment insurance fund.

  • Log in to your unemployment insurance fund’s website and apply for compensation.
  • If you are not a member of an unemployment insurance fund, you can apply for membership on their website.
  • If do not want to be a member of an unemployment insurance fund, you can apply for compensation from Alfa-kassan.

You must fulfil certain conditions to be entitled to compensation.

Compensation from the unemployment insurance fund

Important to know when you have compensation

While applying for or receiving compensation from the unemployment insurance fund, you must follow the terms and conditions so that you are not at risk of having your compensation suspended for one or more days.

Conditions when you have compensation from the unemployment insurance fund

Prepare for the planning meeting

When you register, you will simultaneously book a time for your first meeting with an employment officer. If you have work within 3 months, you do not need a planning meeting. At the meeting, we will create an action plan (handlingsplan) together for your job search.

How to prepare for the planning meeting

Get started on your job search

  • Find the right job
  • Tips for your job search
  • Make a smart professional choice
  • Train for work
  • Make use of our programmes and support

How to start your job search

Report activities – every month

Each month, you must report to us what activities you have completed to get closer to finding a job. Submit the report some time between the 1st and 14th of every month.

How to report your activities

Keep track of your job search on My pages (Mina sidor)

When logged in to My pages, you can find your action plan and scheduled meetings, and view the status of your cases with us. This is also where you report activities each month. You can also find other helpful services here for your job search.

My pages

If you need to contact us

You can find the answers to most questions on the website. Use the search function or our chatbot, Ask (Fråga), which can be found on all pages. If you would still like to contact us, we can be reached via chat and telephone. You can also visit a service centre (servicekontor) at the National Government Service Centre (Statens servicecenter) for help with simpler tasks.

Contact us

If you have a disability or need support with phone calls, call us via Bildtelefoni.net, Texttelefoni.se or Teletal