The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise have released a new report that they have conducted together. It is about immigrants' employment in Sweden and it is based on country of origin, age, and in particular the time they have resided in Sweden.
Immigrants from different countries have not the same conditions as Swedes when they arrive to the Swedish labor market. Their problems can be compared with how difficult it is for young people in Sweden to find work today. The report shows that it is not important which country you come from when you apply for work.
To establish on the Swedish labor market takes time. It has been shown that the chances of work increase the longer one have been on the Swedish market.
Only 30 percent of the people who have lived in Sweden for less than two years have gotten hired. On the other hand, for the ones who have been on the Swedish labor market for over 20 years the figure rises to 70 percent compared with native Swedes when the figure is just under 80 percent.
For foreign persons who try their luck in Sweden, there are differences in the choice of professions. Many people who just arrived work with office cleaning. Of course language skills play a big role in this and when the knowledge increases, the chances for a wider range of opportunities increase as well. Health and social care are also popular industries even for those who have lived in Sweden for over 20 years.
Cecilia Helland