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For those wishing to pick berries in Sweden

Those planning to come to Sweden to pick wild berries must apply for a work permit.  Prior to the berry picking season of 2011, The Swedish Migration Board has established new work permit requirements for those who want to pick berries in Sweden.

The purpose of the new requirements is to ensure your salary and that you have received information about the job and Swedish regulations. You can apply for a permit via the Swedish Embassy in your homeland or the country you are resident in.
In order to be granted a work permit, you must be offered a wage and conditions of employment that are on a par with Swedish collective agreements. The work permit must be granted before you travel to Sweden.

Requirements for being granted a work permit


In order to be granted a work permit, the following conditions must be satisfied
  • You must have a valid passport
  • You must be able to support yourself from this work

Your employer must fulfill the following requirements

  • The employer must have advertised the position in Sweden and the EU for at least ten days (new recruitments)
  • The employer must offer conditions of employment that are on a par with Swedish collective agreements or whatever is customary within the occupation or industry. The work must be on such a scale that you will earn at least SEK13,000 amonth
  • The employer must prove that you have received sufficient information about the type of work you will carry out, your public rights and traffic safety regulations
  • The employer must prove that he/she can pay the salary stated in your offer of employment
  • The employer who has perviously hired berry pickers, must prove that they he/she has paid their wages from the year before
  • The employer must give the trade union organisations concerned the opportunity to comment on the conditions in your offer of employment.

The employer has signed your offer of employment.

Applying for a work permit


You can apply by filling in form 149011, Application for Swedish work permit - for applicants outside Sweden. Attach copies of your passport, two photographs in passport format taken from the front and your offer of employment, form 232011, which the employer must complete. You must also pay an application fee of SEK 2,000. Once your application has been submitted to the Swedish Embassy, it will be sent to the Migration Board in Sweden for a decision. A complete application will be quicker to process. Links to the necessary forms can be found to the right on this page.

 


If you are employed by a company in Sweden


According to the collective agreement that applies, you must earn at least SEK16,372 amonth if you work full-time and are employed by a company operating in Sweden. The company must have advertised the vacant positions in Sweden and within the EU for at least ten days. Then the company must complete the form, Offer of Employment, in which they will confirm your wage and the conditions of employment you are being offered (e.g. working hours, holiday pay and insurance policies).

 


If you are employed by a foreign manpower company


A Swedish company can also purchase a berry-picking service from a foreign company. The foreign company must have a subsidiary office registered in Sweden. It is the subsidiary office in Sweden that will guarantee which working conditions apply by filling out the Offer of Employment form. This company is your employer.  According to the collective agreement that will apply when you are employed by a foreign manpower company, the minimum wage is SEK17,730 a month if you work full-time. You must also have conditions of employment (e.g. working hours, holiday pay and insurance policies) that are on a par with a Swedish collective agreement.
 

The trade union should be given the opportunity to comment


The employer must give the trade union organisation the opportunity to comment on the conditions of employment in your offer of employment. Regardless of which agreement applies to you, you will be entitled to further remuneration for work that is over and above your ordinary working hours and inconvenient working hours.

The conditions must come up to the approved level


Once you are granted a work permit for picking wild berries, the Migration Board and trade union organisation will have checked that the conditions of employment offered reach an approved level. But it is important that you personally find out which conditions of employment apply in the offer of employment you have received. Once you come to Sweden, the Migration Board will not be able to help you if you encounter problems with your employer not fulfilling their offer.
Facts about the agreements
LO, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, has decided that the Swedish Municipal Workers' Union should have the right to organise and negotiate contracts for those picking wild berries. This means that it is also the Swedish Municipal Workers' Union that should be given the opportunity to comment on the conditions of employment offered.

According to LO, the framework agreement with the Swedish Association of Forestry and Agricultural Employees is the collective agreement for those employed by companies operating in Sweden. The agreed minimum wage in this agreement is SEK 16,372 per month (applies to the period 1 June 2009 – 31 May 2010).

In those cases where you are employed by a foreign manpower company that does not operate in Sweden, it is the Manpower Agreement that will apply. The minimum wage level in this agreement is SEK 17,730 per month. This applies regardless of whether or not the foreign manpower company has entered into a collective agreement.

Page updated: 2011-04-27