Social insurance in Sweden
Social insurance provides support when you need to take leave from work, such as illness or parental leave.
As part of Sweden’s wider welfare system, it is funded through taxes and linked to your work and residence.
Who you will be in contact with
- Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) handles applications, which are submitted online.
- For in-person guidance, you can visit a state service centre.
Who can be covered
You can be covered by social insurance when you live and work in Sweden. The agency assesses whether you meet the conditions for social insurance benefits, based on your expected work and planned stay in Sweden.
EU coordination rules determine whether you are covered through work or residence. This is assessed by the agency when you apply.
You generally need a work permit to be eligible for social insurance benefits.
If you have a residence permit based on your partner’s work permit, you are usually eligible for residence-based social insurance. Benefits that are directly linked to employment require that you work in Sweden.
If you are the partner of an EU/EEA citizen, you can be covered by Swedish social insurance. This applies whether or not you are an EU/EEA citizen yourself.
Visit Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency’s website for a full overview of eligibility, insurance coverage and how social insurance works when you move to Sweden.
Common types of social insurance
Here’s an overview of common support that employees in Sweden may be entitled to at different points in working life. Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency provides further guidance.
If illness affects your ability to work, your employer pays sick pay during the initial part of your absence. If you remain unable to work after that, the agency assesses whether you are eligible for sickness benefit. The level of support depends on your income and work situation.
In Sweden, parents have the right to take parental leave from work when caring for a newborn child. You can receive parental benefit based on your income, and parents can share the leave and use it flexibly during the child’s early years.
If your child is ill and needs care at home, you have the right to stay home from work. You receive temporary parental benefit from the agency for the days you are absent, and you report the days you are at home. If your child is sick for more than seven days, you need a doctor’s certificate.
A monthly allowance for children under 16.
Dental care is partly covered through a dental care subsidy and a high-cost protection scheme.
If you are injured at work or become ill as a result of your work, you may receive compensation from the agency if you are found eligible.
What you may need to apply
- Proof of birth if your child was born outside Sweden
- A personal identity number or coordination number
- Basic details about your employment
- A doctor’s certificate if you apply for sickness compensation (from day 15)
- A doctor’s certificate if your child is sick for more than seven days (vab)
How to apply for social insurance
You are not insured automatically. You apply to Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency when you need support.
Applications are submitted through the agency’s online services. or this, you need a digital identification, such as BankID. If you prefer in-person assistance, you can visit a state service centre.
Child allowance is an exception, as you do not apply for it yourself. The process starts once your child is registered with the Swedish Tax Agency.
