International staff
Here you will find information for hiring, inducting, managing and supporting international staff.
Guide for international researchers
As a newcomer to the Swedish research system, you are faced with a number of questions about qualifications, networks and practical issues. To make it easier, YAS has produced a guide, A Beginner's Guide to Swedish Academia - Young Academy of Sweden (YAS), for international researchers to help navigate Swedish academia and remove time-consuming obstacles.
Work and residence permits
Luleå University of Technology has a legal obligation to check that all employees have the right to reside and work in Sweden (note that these are two separate legal issues). For citizens of non-EU countries, this right almost always comes in the form of a valid work and residence permit.
The employer's responsibility for monitoring applies both prior to employment and during the course of employment. It is illegal to employ a person before the person has received a residence permit and the employer also needs to check that the right kind of extension is applied for before the expiry of the residence permit, if the employment is expected to last beyond the validity of the current residence permit.
An identity check must be carried out for all new recruitments, including new doctoral positions. Verification of the identity of the person whom the university intends to employ shall take place after the recruitment has been completed. The purpose of the identity check is to ensure the person's identity and to determine whether the person needs a work and residence permit for employment.
Different types of permits
Please note that not all types of residence permits come with the right to work and that some types of residence permits have restrictions on the types of professions the third-country national may exercise.
If you have any questions, please contact your nearest institution administrator.
EU citizens
Main occupation:
- Research more than 50% (e.g. researcher or teacher, not PhD student)
- Other work or research less than 50% (e.g. teacher or TA staff)
- Doctoral students
What authorization is required?
- No authorization needed.
- No authorization needed.
- No authorization needed.
Third country nationals
Main occupation:
- Research more than 50% (e.g. researcher or teacher, not doctoral student).
- Other work including employment involving less than 50% research (e.g. teachers or TA staff).
- Doctoral students (admitted to LTU, regardless of form of support).
- Researcher or teacher, employed for a maximum of three months in a year.
Which permit is needed?
- Residence permit for researchers
- Work permit
- Residence permit for doctoral studies
- No permit is required except that the person needs to legalize their stay during these months*.
* Visa-free persons are entitled to enter and stay in the country for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Persons requiring a visa to stay in the country for up to 90 days legalize their stay in Sweden with a visa applied for through the relevant embassy.
Residence permit for doctoral students
Doctoral students who are admitted to doctoral studies at Luleå University of Technology must apply for a residence permit for doctoral studies if the studies last longer than 90 days. This gives the person the right to both reside and work in Sweden.
Note that exchange doctoral students (i.e. who are not admitted to Luleå University of Technology) belong to a different permit category.
- Read more about residence for doctoral studies (Swedish Migration Agency). External link, opens in new window.
- Read more about visiting Sweden for studies and research (Swedish Migration Agency). External link, opens in new window.
Residence permit for researchers
Persons who have completed a doctorate or are qualified to start a doctoral program, and who are invited to conduct research for more than 90 days, must apply for a residence permit for researchers.
If the person is on an ongoing doctoral program, he or she must instead apply for either a residence permit for doctoral studies or a residence permit for visits as an exchange doctoral student.
- Residence permit for researchers (Swedish Migration Agency) External link, opens in new window.
- Residence permit for doctoral studies (Swedish Migration Agency) External link, opens in new window.
- Visiting Sweden for longer than 90 days - apply for a residence permit for visits (Swedish Migration Agency). External link, opens in new window.
Work permit
As a rule, third-country nationals need a work permit to be entitled to work in Sweden.
However, this may vary depending on the work tasks and role within Luleå University of Technology. If the person will mainly engage in research, a residence permit for research is required instead.
Remember that doctoral students, even if they are employed, must apply for a residence permit for doctoral studies.
If you have any questions, please contact your nearest departmental administrator.
- Residence permit for researchers (Swedish Migration Agency) External link, opens in new window.
- Residence permit for doctoral studies (Swedish Migration Agency) External link, opens in new window.
Important to make a thorough and objective assessment
In order for Luleå University of Technology not to lose valuable expertise, while at the same time fulfilling our employer responsibility under the Aliens Act, it is important to always make a thorough and objective assessment of the employee's right to stay at the university during a time when a permit may be missing.
If in doubt, contact your department administrator.
Insurance policies
Insurance for employees
As an employee, you are covered by various insurances. Some examples are occupational injury insurance to and from work and during working hours, occupational group life insurance and insurance when you are on a business trip.
If there is any information you are missing or want to know more about, please contact the HR department.
Occupational group life insurance Opens in new window.
As a government employee, you are insured for life through an occupational group life insurance policy. The insurance provides financial protection for the employee's surviving spouse/cohabitant and children.
Business travel insurance Opens in new window.
Employees or contractors of the University are covered by the government's business travel insurance for all domestic and international business travel on behalf of the government.
URA insurance, for those who will be stationed abroad Opens in new window.
A URA agreement is always signed before the URA insurance is taken out by the Authority for staff posted abroad, and the insurance is valid worldwide.
Insurance for guests
Various insurance solutions are available for guests who participate in your activities. Here you can find out more about what applies to these people.
There are collective group insurance policies that automatically apply to guests participating in our activities and staying legally on our premises.
Special personal injury protection (SPS)
Through Kammarkollegiet, Luleå University of Technology has taken out a collective insurance - Special Personal Injury Protection (SPS) - for persons who, without being employees, are visitors or participate in activities at Luleå University of Technology and who have a Swedish social security number.
The insurance applies, for example, to visiting guests, research subjects, retired professors, participants in projects, etc. The insurance provides personal injury protection on the basis of tort law that corresponds to the accident protection of the work injury insurance.
- Insurance confirmation special personal injury protection SPS Pdf, 97 kB, opens in new window.
- Valid 220601-230531, in Swedish.
- Claim form - Insurance for foreign visitors Pdf, 190.4 kB, opens in new window.
- Insurance for foreign visitors, in Swedish.
- Insurance External link, opens in new window.
Read more at Kammarkollegiet, in English.
Insurance for scholarship holders Pdf, 190.4 kB, opens in new window.
Scholarship holders are not employed at Luleå University of Technology and are therefore covered by special insurance rules. Read more about these here.
Before your stay in Sweden
Make sure that you are fully insured throughout your stay in Sweden. If your spouse/cohabitant and/or children accompany you to Sweden, they must also have adequate insurance. Check this before you arrive in Sweden. All scholarship holders at Luleå University of Technology are particularly encouraged to review their private insurance coverage for home and leisure (accident) and life insurance during their stay in Sweden. For more information, see below.
Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland must carry a valid EHIC card (European Health Insurance card) for the period in question in order to benefit from subsidized health care, i.e. pay only the patient fee. It is important that you do not withdraw from the social security system (the equivalent of the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) in your home country before you have been registered in Sweden.
Please note that if you are in Sweden for less than a year, you will not receive a personal identity number. As a scholarship holder, you are then covered by the university's insurance for foreign visitors up to a maximum of 364 days. The insurance covers personal property, liability and accidents. Contact your institution administrator for more information.
On arrival
If you plan to stay in Sweden for 365 days or more, you must apply to be registered by visiting one of the Swedish Tax Agency's service offices. To be registered, you must have a permanent address in Sweden. When you are registered, you are given a Swedish personal identity number.
- Read more about moving to Sweden External link, opens in new window.
Swedish Tax Agency website, in English.
Scholarship holders who will not be or are waiting to be registered in the national register
If your residence permit is valid for less than one year, you cannot get a Swedish personal identity number, which means that you are not entitled to Swedish health care benefits. Instead, you must arrange health care insurance during your stay before you arrive, either through a private health insurance in your home country.
Scholarship holders at Luleå University of Technology are covered by the university's comprehensive insurance policy Insurance for foreign visitors. The insurance includes basic accident coverage and emergency medical and dental coverage for a maximum of 364 days. The insurance also covers accompanying family members.
Please note that foreign visitors' insurance does not cover regular check-ups or medication for pre-travel illnesses.
Foreign visitors' insurance is also valid for travel within the Schengen area if you have a valid Schengen visa (90 days).
It may be advisable to supplement the insurance cover with private insurance, such as home insurance.
- Insurance conditions and claim form for insurance for foreign visitors External link, opens in new window.
Kammarkollegiet's website, in Swedish.
For scholarship holders who have been registered in the national register
Once you have been registered and have obtained a Swedish personal identity number, you will have access to subsidized health care.
Persons who, without being employees, are visitors or participate in the activities of the university and who have a Swedish social security number are covered by the collective insurance policy Special personal injury protection. If you are injured while participating in the activity or on the way to/from the activity, you can apply for compensation via Kammarkollegiet.
Citizens of countries outside Europe or European citizens who are registered in Sweden and do not have a European health insurance card can order one from Försäkringskassan for travel to other EU/EEA countries or Switzerland.
- Insurance conditions for special personal injury protection External link, opens in new window.
Kammarkollegiet's website, in Swedish. - Apply for a European Health Insurance Card External link, opens in new window.
Försäkringskassan's website, in English.
Private insurance
All scholarship holders at Luleå University of Technology are encouraged to review their private insurance coverage for home and leisure (accident) and life insurance during their stay in Sweden.
If anything is stolen from your residence, or if any property is damaged or lost, you are responsible for repair or replacement costs. In addition to personal property, home insurance should also cover liability, legal costs and travel insurance. Home insurance policies are sold by most insurance companies in Sweden with different levels of cover. Consider carefully the level of cover you need and pay particular attention to the policy's limitations and exclusions.
Please note that if you are in Sweden for less than a year, you will not receive a personal identity number. However, with a coordination number, some companies (e.g. IF and Folksam) may be willing to help you take out home insurance.
As a scholarship holder, you are covered by the university's insurance for foreign visitors up to a maximum of 364 days. The insurance covers personal property, liability and accidents. Contact your institution administrator for more information.
Personal injury insurance for students
Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students admitted to Luleå University of Technology are covered by Kammarkollegiet's personal injury insurance for students.
The insurance is an accident insurance that applies if you have an accident and suffer a bodily injury, as well as certain cases of illness through infection. The insurance is valid during school hours, and during direct travel between home and school. The insurance can, for example, cover medical expenses and compensate you for loss of income if you cannot work because of the injury. However, the insurance does not cover material damage.
- Insurance conditions and claim form Personal injury insurance for students External link, opens in new window.
Kammarkollegiet's website, in Swedish.
Health and parental insurance for doctoral students
The University has taken out a special insurance policy through Kammarkollegiet for doctoral students who are supported by a scholarship. The insurance is valid for the time when the doctoral student's scholarship lapses due to absence from studies during illness or parental leave or in cases where the doctoral student's studies are extended due to illness or parental leave. The insurance also applies in cases where the doctoral student's studies are extended as a result of illness or parental leave, without the doctoral student receiving a scholarship for the extended period of study.
The insurance does not provide entitlement to compensation if the doctoral student is entitled to equivalent compensation under any other insurance.
Questions regarding insurance for scholarship-funded doctoral students should be directed to erland.torngren@kammarkollegiet.se.
- Insurance terms and conditions and claims notification Sickness and parental insurance for doctoral students External link, opens in new window.
Kammarkollegiet's website, in Swedish.
Insurance for business trips
Scholarship holders at Luleå University of Technology are covered by business travel insurance for all domestic and foreign business trips carried out on behalf of the authority. Travel/accommodation must be booked through a procured travel agency and paid with funds from the University.
If in doubt, contact Kammarkollegiet.
- Insurance terms and conditions and claim form Business travel insurance External link, opens in new window.
Kammarkollegiet's website, in Swedish.
Insurance for foreign employees
Depending on the length of your stay in Sweden and your nationality, you may be entitled to subsidized medical care, without which the cost of medical care in Sweden can be very significant. It is always a good idea to take out private health insurance.
Before your stay in Sweden
Make sure you are fully insured throughout your stay in Sweden. If your spouse/cohabitant and/or children accompany you to Sweden, they must also ensure that they have adequate insurance. Check this before you arrive in Sweden.
Before an employee is registered and given a Swedish personal identity number:
Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland must carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access subsidized health care, i.e. pay only the patient fee.
Please note: When you move your usual residence to another country, you should register with the S1 form External link, opens in new window. instead of using the EHIC to receive medical care in the new country.
If you expect to spend 365 days or more in Sweden, you must apply to the Swedish Tax Agency to be registered in Sweden. To be registered, you must have a permanent address in Sweden. When you are registered, you receive a Swedish personal identity number.
For people who do not have a valid European health insurance card or are not from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, the Insurance for Foreign Visitors (formerly GIF) applies to emergency medical care for the person and their family.
The insurance means that during the period you are here or waiting to be registered, you will receive free emergency medical care in Sweden. When you visit a doctor or dentist, you must either pay the cost or ask for an invoice issued to you. You then attach the receipt/invoice to your claim form (which must be signed by your head of department) and send it to Kammarkollegiet.
Please note that Insurance for foreign employees does not cover planned care, parental leave and maternity care.
Insurance for foreign employees also applies to travel within the Schengen area if you have a valid Schengen visa (90 days).
Home insurance
We recommend that you purchase home insurance during your stay here. If anything is stolen from your residence, or if any property is damaged or lost during your stay, you will be responsible for repair or replacement costs. In addition to personal property, home insurance should also cover liability, legal expenses and travel insurance.
Home insurance is sold by most insurance companies in Sweden with different levels of coverage. Consider carefully what level of insurance you need and pay particular attention to the policy's limitations and exclusions.
Note that if you are in Sweden for a short time (less than a year), you will not get a personal identity number. However, with a coordination number, some companies (such as IF and Folksam) may be willing to help you take out home insurance.
If you are employed at a state university. a public authority, you are covered by Kammarkollegiet's group insurance for foreign visitors during your time in Sweden. This insurance is available for example for foreign visitors, course participants, guest researchers, guest lecturers and their families. The insurance covers personal property, liability and accidents. Contact Luleå University of Technology before arriving in Sweden for more information.
For employees who have been registered
When an employee is registered in Sweden, the Insurance for foreign employees ceases to apply. You will then receive fully subsidized health care and will only have to pay patient fees.
Please note that the Insurance for foreign employees also ceases to apply to family members.
All employees (not scholarship holders) are also covered by other insurances. Read more under Insurance for employees.
Insurance conditions and insurance letters for foreign visitors to Luleå University of Technology, see link below.
- Insurance confirmation foreign visitors Pdf, 85.3 kB, opens in new window.
Valid 230401-240331
- Kammarkollegiet External link, opens in new window.
Read the insurance terms and conditions Insurance for foreign visitors, in Swedish. - Claimform External link, opens in new window.
Insurance for foreign visitors (formerly GIF), in Swedish.
Researchers' tax
Employees and employers can apply for researcher tax, which means lower taxation for both employees and lower employer contributions for the employer for a maximum of three years.
In short, the tax relief means that 25% of the earned income is tax-free and free of social security contributions. In order to belong to the category of expert/specialist or researcher, the person in question must have a high level of competence or specialization. There must also be difficulties in recruiting such competence in Sweden. Decisions are made by the Research Tax Board.
Prerequisites for the application
- The application must have been received by the Research Tax Board no later than three months after the employee began his or her employment with the employer.
- The stay in Sweden must be intended to last for a maximum of five years.
- The employee may not be a Swedish citizen and may not have lived or resided permanently in Sweden at any time during the five calendar years preceding the year in which the work begins.
- Forskarskattenämnden External link, opens in new window.
Application documents and complete information, in English.
International staff support
Here you will find information about practical issues related to moving to Sweden.
Luleå University of Technology welcomes international researchers, teachers and guest researchers. We know that living abroad and working in another country is always an adventure, and quite often challenging, and therefore we want to provide support in matters related to work and residence permits, tax and insurance.
Our international staff are invited to participate in activities such as Welcome Day and Meet and Greet.
Courses in Swedish
Luleå University of Technology offers courses in the Swedish language, the courses are designed specifically for international employees.
For employees at Luleå University of Technology, the Department of Health, Education and Technology offers courses in Swedish.
Courses in Luleå
* Swedish for Employees 1
* Swedish for Employees 2
* Swedish for Employees 3
The courses are posted in our internal training system and usually run for ten weeks, with meetings twice a week and approximately two hours per session. The course cost is charged to the participants' department/area.
Language courses in Swedish via Upgrades Education AB
Luleå University of Technology offers language courses to our international employees via Upgrades Education AB.
It’s you as a manager who is authorized to order the service for your employee. More information about Upgrades education AB, LTU routines, price list and the order form for the services can be found below.
Service summary:
- Interactive teacher-led Swedish lessons online
- Lessons planned according to participant’s current level and goals
- Self-directed learning between lessons to maximize language development
- Coursebook from Rivstart series (textbook)
- Dedicated contact person at Upgrades Education AB
Language training: content
The purpose of Upgrades tailored courses in Swedish is to strengthen language proficiency by completing theoretical teaching in grammar, word comprehension and communication with materials and exercises related to the participant’s working life.
Upgrades Education describes how they teach and measure the progress
It is our firm conviction that people learn – and are not taught - to speak a language. As teachers we can plan, teach, and recommend activities for our participants but they themselves must invest time and effort to learn. With this in mind, we also encourage participants to practice between lessons. The key is to focus on careful planning, inspiring lessons, and practical tools for individual training.
CEFR-scale and level assessment
To adapt teaching to the participant’s current language level and to measure progress, we work with the CEFR-scale. With the help of this scale, we are able to specify the language levels between A1-C2. Level A1 corresponds to beginner level and C2 to fluent.
As part of the course, all participants will carry out an individual placement test online.
Should you wish to try Upgrades self-assessment test in the meantime, it can be found on the website: CEFR self-assessment test External link, opens in new window.
Upgrade Education webpage: www.upgrades.se External link, opens in new window.
- Rutin – Språktjänster via Upgrade education Pdf, 134 kB.
- Prislista Upgrades Education Pdf, 99.3 kB.
- Beställningsblankett Pdf, 115.9 kB.
Contact HR for more information hr-enheten@ltu.se.
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