Ensure your assignees are well-informed about working outside of Sweden
Are you considering expanding your workforce to include cross-border commuters? Our Swedish team has gathered valuable insider tips to help you navigate the complexities of working outside of Sweden. With their expertise, you can ensure that your assignees are well-informed and prepared for the unique challenges that come with working in a different country.
There can be many reasons as to why someone may choose to begin work in a different country. Under EU Law, being a ‘cross border commuter’ means that you live in one EU country but work in another and return to your country of residence at least once a week. Depending on where you are based, it can be an option worth thinking about: for those who live in Sweden and who are eligible, there are no shortage of opportunities for cross-border work. But if you are not an EU citizen, there are some challenges you need to be aware of…
The commute across the Øresund Bridge from Malmö into Copenhagen is perhaps the most popular cross-border commute from Sweden. Being the capital city of Denmark and almost double the size of Malmö, Copenhagen boasts a far wider range of job opportunities. Not to mention the pay: livingcost.org estimates Denmark’s average salary to be over 20% higher than Sweden’s. Working – but not living – in a city where the cost of living is significantly higher than your own means you can enjoy the inflated salaries, minus a significant proportion of the everyday costs.
So, what’s not to love? Well, if you are not an EU citizen, getting the permits required to legally become a cross-border commuter is not as straight-forward as many would like. You will require:
- One permit for the country of active employment.
- One permit for the country of residence. This is usually tied to a dependant in that country.
Unfortunately, there is no ‘one-permit-solution’ that allows for cross-border commuting from Sweden.
Even if you are an EU citizen, there may be tax, social security, pension and registration considerations, all of which we would recommend discussing directly with your employer. We would always recommend you educate yourself on the nuances of cross-border work; areas such as tax, social security and pensions can be complicated to navigate, and if not navigated correctly, can develop into long-term problems.
