Rehabilitation in Sweden
Rehabilitation concerns various activities that may be necessary for you if you have been sick or injured, to help you regain your physical and mental capabilities as far as possible.
Rehabilitation schemes in Sweden
If you cannot work because of sickness, the regulations concerning rehabilitation apply to you. Rehabilitation comprises various measures, the aim of which is to help you return to work. The rehabilitation measures are planned together with you when you are sick, and are based on your circumstances and needs.
The Swedish Social Insurance Agency will ensure that your need for rehabilitation is clearly defined, and that the measures needed to help you return to work are carried out.
If you have an employer in Sweden, it is your employer who is responsible for rehabilitation measures at the workplace. Examples are adapting your work tasks, working time and your work environment, or technical aids. Rehabilitation may also involve you being moved to another type of work. Occupational rehabilitation (arbetslivsinriktad rehabilitering) may sometimes be necessary. This is occupational training or education that can help you return to work.
If you do not have an employer and you need rehabilitation activities to help you return to work, you should contact the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen), which is the public agency responsible for this.
Conditions relating to rehabilitation in Sweden
You may be entitled to rehabilitation if you live and work in Sweden, have limited capacity to work, and fulfil the statutory conditions.
Contact Försäkringskassan to see if you satisfy the conditions for rehabilitation in Sweden.
If you have recently moved to Sweden and you were undergoing rehabilitation in the country you have moved from, you should contact the social insurance agency in that country and Försäkringskassan in Sweden for information about your rehabilitation scheme.
Contact Försäkringskassan in Sweden if you are planning to move or travel to another Nordic country from Sweden.
Rehabilitation benefits in the country of work and residence
Rehabilitation benefits can be divided into a financial allowance and benefits in-kind. Normally, you will receive these benefits from the country in which you work and live. Conditions for receiving benefits vary from country to country.
As a rule, it is the legislation in the country in which you are working that determines whether you are entitled to financial allowance.
As an employee, you are normally entitled to benefits in-kind, such as education and occupational training, from the country in which you live.
If you are a cross-border worker, you may also be entitled to benefits in-kind from the country in which you are employed. The benefits are determined by the legislation in the applicable country.
If you live in Sweden, but work in another Nordic country, you should contact the equivalent of Försäkringskassan in the country in which you work. If you need occupational rehabilitation, you should contact Försäkringskassan in Sweden. You will be allocated a case officer at Försäkringskassan who will contact you.
Who should you contact if you have questions?
You can call the Försäkringskassan Customer Centre at +46 (0)771-524 524, or look on the Försäkringskassan website for more information.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.
