Swedish (SFI), work and a-kassa

SFI: the Swedish course for adults

SFI is the public Swedish course for adults who lack the basics of the language. It is run by the municipality (kommun) where you live, and that is where you apply.

Who is entitled

According to Skolverket (the Swedish National Agency for Education), you are entitled to SFI from the second half of the year you turn 16, if you live in Sweden and lack the basics of Swedish. Key points:

• A personnummer is not required, and the municipality may not demand one. You can start before you are registered.
• EU/EEA and Swiss citizens are treated as residents even if they are not yet folkbokförd (registered in the Swedish population register). For registration see the guide on folkbokföring.
• Asylum seekers and people staying irregularly are not entitled to SFI.
• People who already speak enough Danish or Norwegian are not entitled.

The 3-year limit from 1 January 2026

From 1 January 2026 the right to SFI lasts 3 years from first admission. For people already enrolled before, the clock counts from 1 January 2026. It can be extended by 6 months at a time for particular reasons, such as parental leave, illness or work, but never beyond 3 years in total.

In practice: the time runs from the moment you start. If you have a choice, begin when you can really follow the course regularly, because the years do not "freeze" if you skip lessons, unless an extension for the listed reasons applies.

How to apply

Contact the municipality (kommun) where you live: the municipal website usually has a page called "SFI" or "svenska för invandrare". You will give your details and your starting level. The practical arrangements (enrolment, locations, schedules, initial test) differ from one municipality to another: check your own municipality's website.

Arbetsförmedlingen: the public employment service

Arbetsförmedlingen is the public employment agency. You register as a jobseeker (arbetssökande), and registration is also needed to claim the a-kassa. The agency's website has pages in other languages, English among them.

Before you write your CV, remember that the rules for working depend on where you come from:

• EU/EEA citizens: no permit is needed to work. See the guide on uppehållstillstånd for residence rights.
• Non-EU citizens: you normally need a work-related permit, and the employer must meet the pay and contract conditions. This too is in the guide on uppehållstillstånd.

For details on concrete services (interviews, programmes, courses), the reference is Arbetsförmedlingen's own website: the conditions change and we do not repeat them here.

A-kassa: unemployment insurance

The a-kassa (arbetslöshetskassa) is unemployment insurance. From 1 October 2025 a new, income-based system applies.

The conditions in brief

The main rule requires:

• at least 120,000 kr of income in the reference period;
• at least 11,000 kr a month in at least 4 months;
• a maximum monthly income taken into account of 34,000 kr;
• being at least 20 years old.

The benefit level depends on membership

If you have been a member of an a-kassa...	Level
...for the whole reference period	80 %
...at least for the last 6 months	60 %
...not a member, or a member for a shorter time	50 %

The point to understand: the gap between 80 % and 50 % is the share of your income that will be covered. Not joining, or joining at the last moment, is expensive.

The reference period and the other calculation rules are set by the authorities: for the details and the exact calculation in your case, see the pages of Arbetsförmedlingen and the IAF (the inspectorate that supervises the funds), listed below.

Getting it all in order, in the right order

1. Registration and number: if you stay at least a year, folkbokföring; if less than a year, the samordningsnummer.
2. SFI: apply to the municipality; no personnummer needed.
3. Arbetsförmedlingen: register as a jobseeker.
4. A-kassa: join as soon as you start working, to move up a level over time.
5. BankID: to use online services, see BankID.

Common mistakes

• Waiting to join the a-kassa. The level of the benefit depends on how long you have been a member.
• Believing SFI requires a personnummer. It does not, and the municipality cannot ask for one.
• Ignoring the 3-year limit. From 1 January 2026 the right expires; extensions are 6 months for specific reasons.
• Paying for a private Swedish course before applying for SFI. The municipal course is free by law.
• Thinking that joining an a-kassa is enough to get the benefit. The income conditions must also be met, and you must apply.
• Mixing up Arbetsförmedlingen and the a-kassa. They are two things: one is the public employment agency, the other is the fund that pays the benefit.