Improve your chances of getting a job

Last updated: 26/1-2023

There are several different ways of improving your chances of finding a job.

If you already have training in one of the professional areas listed below, read more about what you can do.

Short-handed professions – with a shortage of labour

A short-handed profession is one for which there is a shortage of labour. There are many short-handed professions in Sweden at the moment, including ones that require higher education training as well as those with lower training requirements.

Some examples of short-handed professions:

  • Nurses
  • Preschool teachers
  • Civil engineers
  • Teachers
  • Doctors
  • Cooks
  • Heating, ventilation and sanitation installers
  • Assistant nurses
  • Electricians

Traineeships

Doing a traineeship can be a good way of improving your chances of finding a job in Sweden.

A traineeship is a good idea if you want to:

  • Get experience of a particular profession.
  • Learn what a particular profession involves.
  • Become better at a particular profession.
  • Get references from an employer in order to apply for a job.

You will be helped by a supervisor during your traineeship. At the end of your traineeship you'll get a certificate from the employer.

You can contact various employers yourself to ask whether you can do a traineeship with them. Arbetsförmedlingen can also help you find a traineeship place.

Snabbspår (Fast Track)

If you have recently been granted a residence permit and are looking for a job, you may be eligible for what is known as a Snabbspår, or fast track. This is a training programme organised by Arbetsförmedlingen.

You may be eligible for a fast-track training programme if you have experience of a profession for which there is a shortage of labour in Sweden. Such professions are referred to as short-handed professions.

A snabbspår includes:

  • Swedish language training for your profession.
  • A traineeship.
  • Assessment of how well you know the profession. This is known as validating your knowledge.
  • Extra training in the profession if you need to. This is known as supplementary training or labour market training.

Snabbspår are available for several different professions.

Local job tracks – work for recent recipients of a residence permit

Arbetsförmedlingen and municipalities together organise what are known as local job tracks (lokala jobbspår). A local job track is a programme you can attend via Arbetsförmedlingen. You will be matched with an employer close to where you live, who needs to hire employees.

A local job track will often include:

  • Swedish language training.
  • Training in the profession in question.
  • A traineeship.

Contact Arbetsförmedlingen if you are interested in local Jobbspår (Job Tracks).

Listen to Arbetsförmedlingen's podcast "New in Sweden"

Arbetsförmedlingen has started a podcast in several languages, called "New in Sweden" in English. Listening to a podcast is similar to listening to a radio show, but you use a computer, a tablet or a smartphone instead of a radio. Listen to the "New in Sweden" podcast to learn how things work in Sweden – about jobs, education and training, how to write a good job application and how to prepare for a job interview.