Income requirement: 120,000 SEK and 4 months
The income requirement is met if you have had certain gross earnings during the qualification period. You must have earned at least 11,000 SEK in 4 of the months and had a total income of at least 120,000 SEK.
If you have not been able to work during the entire past 12-month period, the timeframe can be extended backwards by the same number of months you were unable to work. This applies if, for example, you have been ill, on parental leave, or studying. In this way, you can qualify with income that is older than one year, and you can go back up to a maximum of 60 months.
Alternative rule: at least 4 consecutive months
If the income requirement is not met under the main rule, the alternative rule should be applied. This also requires at least 4 months with an income of at least 11,000 SEK per month during the qualification period. However, in this case, the four months must be consecutive.
This is the qualification period
The qualification period begins the month before you register with Arbetsförmedlingen and apply for compensation. It extends 12 months backward and can be prolonged by the number of months during which you did not have an income of at least 11,000 SEK per month and were unable to work, for example due to illness, parental leave, or full-time studies. This also applies to self-employed individuals who have operated their business for less than 5 years.
Length of the compensation period depends on the number of months with income
The length of the compensation period depends on the number of months during which you earned at least 11,000 SEK within the 12-month qualification period.
For a compensation period of 300 days, at least 11 months are required.
For a compensation period of 200 days, 8–10 months are required.
For a compensation period of 100 days, 4–7 months are required.
Compensation level depends on the number of months of membership during the qualification period
Compensation depends on the work income you have had during the qualification period and how long you have been a member of the unemployment fund (and that you are still a member).
80%: at least 12 consecutive months of membership and member throughout the entire qualification period.
60%: at least 6 consecutive months of membership, and you must have had an income of at least 11,000 SEK during at least 4 of the membership months.
50%: 0–5 months of membership.
If you have missed becoming a member of an unemployment fund, you can join when you become unemployed to receive compensation from the fund you wish to be part of.
Example
Ulrika has worked during the past twelve months with a monthly salary of 34,000 SEK. On October 1st, she became unemployed and has been a member of the unemployment fund for over a year. She is therefore entitled to a compensation period of 300 days, based on the number of months with income. Since she has been a member for more than twelve months, she receives a compensation level of 80 percent.
Example
Matilda has worked during the past twelve months with a monthly salary of 34,000 SEK. On October 1st, she became unemployed and joined the unemployment fund at the same time. She is entitled to a compensation period of 300 days, based on the number of months with income. The compensation level is 50 percent, which is calculated based on how long she has been a member of the unemployment fund.
Unemployed and registered with Arbetsförmedlingen
To be entitled to compensation, you must be unemployed and registered with Arbetsförmedlingen. Since you cannot register retroactively, it is important to do so on your first day of unemployment.
Once registered, you must submit an activity report every month. In the report, you account for how you have followed the plan developed together with Arbetsförmedlingen, and what activities you have carried out to find work or other occupation.
The activity report must be submitted to Arbetsförmedlingen no later than the 14th of each month. If you do not report on time or do not follow your plan, it may lead to a sanction from the unemployment fund.
Reduction in the monthly application
Compensation from the unemployment fund must be reduced if you have had work income, received compensation from Försäkringskassan, or have been unable to accept work. Income and work obstacles must be reported when applying for payment in your monthly application.