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Local Sweden
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
INSIDE SWEDEN: Why foreigners in Sweden should get engaged in unions
Hej alla! Some time last year, I put myself forward as a delegate for the Congress of the Swedish Union of Journalists, which is held about every third year, and unexpectedly got selected (I have no idea who voted for me apart from my colleagues at The Local). So last week, I spent three days at a conference hotel in Saltsjöbaden, outside Stockholm, helping in my very small way to set a future course for the union. It could be agonising listening to the same speakers make submission after submission on the same question over and over again. It could be exhausting, returning at 8pm to grind through point after point until half past 10 at night. It was disappointing to watch as the other delegates voted down all three of the proposals I'd been most rooting for. But it was also inspiring and something I would highly recommend any foreigner living in Sweden to do if the opportunity comes up. Congresses like this, where the members of unions, sports federations or campaign organisations agree on future priorities and hold the boards to account, are the foundation of Sweden as a society. The meeting's chair kept a god stämning, or good atmosphere, despite two or three awkward characters who took up far more than their fair share of time. Engaged members who had fought for months to get proposals they really believed in onto the agenda showed extraordinary grace when they were then rejected by the other delegates. And it was wonderful to meet 91 journalists from across the country, all of them passionate about the profession and willing to put in the time to defend it and its practitioners. I thought of all the other congresses held across the country, going back for more than a hundred years, of the countless meetings of unions, sports federations, campaign groups, each of them making hundreds of decisions which together have led to so much of what is great about this country today. If you want to be part of Sweden, get involved. Fika calendar This was the peak week for Swedish fika, including both Fettisdagen (Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras) and fössta tossdan i mass, or "The first Thursday in March", when people in Småland traditionally eat marzipan cakes. So it was only natural to choose it for the launch of the Local's new Fika Calendar. We had a dive into the history behind Semlor, the creamy, marzipan bun that sends Swedes crazy and an explanation of the humour behind the marzipan cake tradition. Readers who share Becky's obsession with Swedish cakes and patisserie in all their forms, and want regular updates, can sign up for the new Fika Calendar here. What else has been in the news? The shockwaves from the bullying treatment of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on February 28th were felt in Sweden, as elsewhere in Europe, throughout the week. After attending a summit in London on March 2nd, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sweden would be willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. Sweden announced that it was sending Gripen jets to Poland to help patrol their airspace. We put together an explainer on how Sweden's defence industry is ramping up to help Europe's rearmament. It wasn't just US President Donald Trump increasing the sense of insecurity in Sweden. Police in Gotland launched a sabotage probe after the pumps suppling the island's water supply were damaged. There was bad news for inflation, with prices rising for the second month in a row, making further cuts to the interest rate in the near term unlikely. Mortgage providers aren't cutting their rates to fully reflect the lower interest rates set by Sweden's central bank, leading Sweden's Financial Supervisory Authority to advise borrowers to actively seek to renegotiate their mortgages. We explained how to move your mortgage to another bank if they don't cut your rate. We looked at what DIY work you are allowed to carry out yourself in Sweden and what requires a professional. The Confederation of Industry has carried out a new analysis, estimating that increasing the work permit salary threshold to 100 percent of the median salary in Sweden, would cost the economy 30 billion kronor. I spoke to parents of pupils at Internationella Engelska Gymnasiet Södermalm (IEGS), who expressed their anger at the way the IES school chain has handled the closure of the school, taking in pupils last autumn only to leave them stranded, without a school in which to finish their educations. There's sun and blue skies outside my window and I'm looking forward to getting outside into the weather, that down here in Skåne at least, is feeling increasingly spring-like. What do you love most about spring in Sweden? Tell us in our survey here. Thanks for reading, Richard Orange Nordic Editor, The Local
Local Sweden
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Local Sweden
Indian festival and job opportunities: What's on in Sweden in March 2025
Malmö Toastmasters – Unlock Your Public Speaking Potential! Are you looking to improve your public speaking and leadership skills? Or perhaps you want to connect with like-minded professionals from diverse industries? Join us as a guest – completely free of charge – and experience how Toastmasters can help you build confidence, enhance communication, and develop leadership skills in a supportive and English-speaking environment. Malmö Toastmasters is part of Toastmasters International, a global network of over 16,000 clubs across 150 countries. When: Every other Monday, the next one is on March 17th, 5.45pm Where: Foo Café, Slagthuset, Carlsgatan 12A (a five-minute walk from Malmö Central Station) Are you an English speaker looking for a job or a volunteer opportunity? Do you want to use your skills, practise Swedish, and expand your professional network? Welcome to this special work edition of Luleå Meet-ups with the theme: Discover job opportunities in Luleå – meet employers and organisations! Luleå Meet-Ups is an English-speaking forum for newcomers and anyone looking to meet new people in Luleå. It´s a place where you can make new connections, find out what's happening around town, enjoy some tasty finger food, and hopefully make a few new friends. We value openness, sharing, kindness, and curiosity. Everyone is welcome, so come join us! When: March 26th, 5-7.30pm Tickets: Free of charge Indisk Fiesta 2025 Sambandh is thrilled to present Indisk Fiesta 2025, Skåne's largest spring festival! Join in for a vibrant celebration of Holi – the festival of colours – and experience a day filled with joy, cultural performances, music, delicious Indian food, and endless fun. Register now by clicking the link above. Let's make this Holi celebration the most colourful one yet! When: March 15th, 10am-1pm and 4.30-9.30pm Where: Sundspärlan, Helsingborg Tickets: 80-235 kronor (based on the category) Fettisdagen – Shrove Tuesday Sweden celebrates Shrove Tuesday (or Fettisdagen, Fat Tuesday, as it's known in Sweden) every year by gorging on cream-filled, cardamom-flavoured wheat buns called semlor (singular: semla, also known as a fastlagsbulle in southern Sweden). Where: A café or office near you Are you organising an event you'd like us to add to this guide? Submit it here.
Local Sweden
21-02-2025
- General
- Local Sweden
Tax, pensions and lots of cake: What changes in Sweden in March 2025?
From March 1st, guests at restaurants should be able to ask for information on which country the meat they are served comes from. This includes all chilled or frozen beef, pork – including wild boar – mutton, goat meat and poultry, including minced meat. It does not apply to other meats, such as horse, reindeer or elk meat, purchased meat products like pre-made meatballs or pre-marinated chicken breast, or meat used to make stock or sauces. The rules also apply to food served in school and hospital canteens. March 3rd: Tax declarations Depending on whether you have a digital postbox or not, you should receive your tax declaration at some point between March 3rd and March 7th. If you have a digital postbox (or sign up for one by March 2nd), you will receive your declaration digitally between March 3rd and 7th. The declaration page will then open on March 18th for you to make any changes (although you can log in and read your declaration on March 7th if you have e-ID such as BankID). If you do not have a digital postbox, you should receive your declaration between March 17th-April 15th. You will then need to approve your declaration by April 2nd if you want to receive any tax rebate you're due that month. However, this only applies if you approve digitally and make no changes or additions. Otherwise, you have until May 2nd to declare, after which you'll get your tax rebate at some point in June. March 4th and March 6th: Two important cake-related dates Like Christmas decorations, semla buns start appearing in Sweden's cafés earlier every year. But March 4th, Fettisdagen or "Shrove Tuesday", is the day when people in Sweden are traditionally supposed to stuff themselves with the cream-filled, almondy delicacies. To find out what it's all about, read . If you're still not sick of whipped cream after gorging yourself on semlor on Tuesday, then don't worry – March 6th is , or the unofficial day to eat marzipan cake, which is essentially another name for prinsesstårta. March 14th: Revoking residence permits An inquiry looking into extending the possibilities of rejecting and revoking residence permits due to a "flawed way of life" is due to present its conclusions by March 14th. This could include things like associating with criminal gangs or organisations, prostitution, drug abuse or membership of extremist organisations, but the exact details will be worked out by the inquiry. March 30th: Clocks go forward Daylight saving time starts in Sweden on March 30th, so the clocks will go forward at 2am on the 30th, meaning an hour less in bed. Many digital clocks (like the one on your phone) change automatically, but it's a good idea to make sure you're working to the same time as everyone else before your alarm goes off for work on Monday morning. March 31st: Asylum law inquiry due to report An inquiry is looking at everything that could be done to tighten Swedish asylum migration to the most restrictive level legally possible under EU law. In the directive given to her by the government, the judge who is leading the inquiry is tasked with examining how the law can be changed to stop asylum seekers getting permanent residency and also how permanent residency can be stripped away from those who have already been awarded it. She is also being asked to examine how residency permits can be recalled if the situation in the home countries of those granted asylum changes so that they are no longer at risk. She is being asked to look at how clear-cut cases, where the applicant clearly has no grounds for asylum, can be handled in a rapid way, without going through a full assessment process. She is also being asked to look at how resources such as translators might be restricted. Under EU rules, member states are only required to supply translators in situations where they are necessary for a fair legal process. The inquiry has until March 31st to submit its conclusions on which laws need to be changed to reach the EU legal minimum, and until October 2nd to submit conclusions on other tasks given to it. Throughout March: Pension envelopes sent out Sweden's annual pension statement, which is usually simply referred to as 'the orange envelope' (det orange kuvertet), was sent to pensioners in mid-January – and it's now starting to drop into the mailboxes of everyone who has not yet retired. You don't need to do anything when you get it; it just contains information. But it is a good idea to keep on top of your future savings, whether you're in Sweden for the long run or not. . Here are the postage dates for each region: February 17th-21st: Västmanland, Dalarna, Gävleborg, Västernorrland, Jämtland, Västerbotten, Norrbotten. From February 17th: Rest of the world. February 24th-27th: Stockholm. March 3rd-7th: Uppsala, Södermanland, Östergötland, Jönköping, Kronoberg, Kalmar. March 10th-14th: Västra Götaland, Värmland, Örebro. Here's The Local's guide to how to maximise your Swedish pension.
