Toolbox for employers

Recruitment and onboarding

Why you should recruit international talent 

Are you unsure where to start? You’re not alone – but you’re in the right place. This guide will help you cut through the noise, skip the stress and recruit international talent with confidence. Since rules and laws change rapidly every now and then we decided to focus on general inspiration and advice. To keep you updated on a detailed level, we are providing you with the links you need.

How to recruit international talent in three steps

Prepare before your recruit

Start by understanding why international talent is a smart move – to meet skill shortages, bring new perspectives, and grow your business. Learn the basics about permits, housing, banking and how to write a job ad that speaks across borders. Use trusted sources like Sweden’s official portal for entrepreneurs (Verksamt), Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), and The Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket).

And don’t forget: plan early and ask for help when needed – relocation partners and checklists are your best friends. Publish the job ad on The Swedish Employment Agency (Arbetsförmedlingen). This allows you to recruit from outside the EU and ensures your ad will appear in the Swedish Institute’s upcoming job portal.

We come with purpose

Recruitment doesn’t end with a signed contract. It continues with onboarding. Create a warm, practical welcome with support for everything from the Tax Agency to the coffee machine. Teach the unspoken rules of Swedish workplaces and prepare your whole team, not just HR. Inclusion is a shared responsibility – and the small things matter.

Think beyond the first day

Long-term success depends on real integration – at work and beyond. Support language learning, help partners and families settle in, and understand your responsibilities when things change. Whether your talent is changing roles, relocating within Sweden, or considering their next step, show that you’re in it for the long haul. When people feel welcome, they want to stay.

The Insider’s Guide to Recruiting International Talent

This magazine is designed for anyone who recruits, or is considering recruiting, international talent. It offers inspiration, practical insights, and actionable advice to support you throughout the recruitment process.

The Insider’s Guide to Recruiting International Talent

Recruitment support

EURES

Through the EURES advisers at Arbetsförmedlingen, your organisation can receive support with recruiting from other EU/EEA countries and Switzerland. This is a practical resource for companies seeking to grow through international recruitment, with support for both recruitment and relocation.

Through the EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme (TMS), small and medium-sized companies may also be eligible for financial support when recruiting international talent, including language support and integration and onboarding initiatives.

Contact EURES Västernorrland

Lars Nilsson, lars.y.nilsson@arbetsformedlingen.se

Jobbsprånget

One of Sweden’s most effective bridges between internationally educated professionals and employers. Through a four-month internship programme, companies gain access to highly skilled international talent – without salary costs during the internship period.

Since its launch, more than 5,000 professionals have completed internships through the programme, and the majority have moved on to employment matching their qualifications. An excellent opportunity for companies looking to broaden their recruitment base while contributing to inclusion.

Jobbsprånget.se

Apply for Business development support

Region Västernorrland offers business development support for companies investing in broader recruitment, internationalisation or skills development.

The support can also be used for initiatives related to relocation and welcoming international specialist talent. Financial support can make it easier to bring in new expertise and build long-term sustainability.

Read more and apply: Affärsutvecklingsstöd, Region Västernorrland

Apply for development support

A support programme of up to SEK 30,000 for small and medium-sized businesses. Funding may be granted for investments such as machinery, equipment, product development, skills development and marketing.

Read more and apply: Utvecklingsstöd, Region Västernorrland

Guidance on legal requirements

Verksamt.se is a government platform for companies looking to recruit international talent. It provides clear guidance on laws, regulations, employment conditions and practical steps for employers. It is a good first step for understanding the requirements and how the process works.

Så anställer du utländsk kompetens, Verksamt.se

Employers recruiting outside EU

An information page for employers recruiting people who require a permit to work in Sweden. It includes guidance on who you can employ, how the application process works and what applies before, during and after employment.

Arbetsgivare, Migrationsverket.se

Organizations involved in immigration and relocation

Expedition Sweden

Expedition Sweden supports companies in recruiting international talent, including assistance with work permits and relocation.

Expedition Sweden

Aspia

Strategic advisory and operational support in work permit and relocation matters, often combined with international payroll and tax considerations, ensuring everything is set up correctly from the start and continues to run smoothly over time.

Immigration & relocation advisory, Aspia

What makes a good first day, week and month?

Helping new employees feel at home

When welcoming international talent, it is not enough to prepare HR alone – the whole organisation needs to be involved. Make the arrival personal: meet your new employee upon arrival, offer Swedish fika and take time to get to know one another.

Practical support is jus as important. Help with matters such as registrations at the Swedish tax agency, opening a bank account, insurances, local transport and everyday questions. This can make the transition both easier and more reassuring – especially when processes take time or local knowledge is needed.

Give your new colleauge a contact list to everyone in your team and be available. A successful onboarding is not only about information and work, it is also about building relationships, trust and a sense of belonging.

A welcome dinner or lunch can be a simple but effective way to create connections from the beginning. The company Sylog, for example, introduces new international employees to someone who has personally experienced moving to Sweden. This creates opportunities to ask questions, share experiences and feel at home more quickly. It is not just about good food – it is about honest conversations, shared experiences and the chance to ask the kinds of questions that never make it into an onboarding handbook.

It’s often the small things that make the biggest differnece at the start.

Tips

Before arrival (0-3 months before the move)

Is help with accomodation needed? Can you as an employer arrange accomodation, or can you advice on how to find a home? You can find information on Sundsvall & The High Coast’s webpage.

For someone who is moving to Sweden for the first time, inform about what to pack and what to expect from the move here.

Tips on where to learn Swedish, since it’s good if the learning process starts as early as possible.

Inform them about things you can do or see in our region, so that the employee doesn’t feel totally lost upon arrival.

Give tips on different networks, Facebook groups etc that the employee can participate in, to get to know people.

Inform about Sundsvall & The High Coast and what the employee can get for his/her family.

When moving here (first month)

Have one of the new recruits close colleagues become their “buddy” for the first 2-4 weeks. A person to give extra help and support, and that the employee can ask questions.

Let the chosen buddy pick up the new recruit at the airport and/or meet the employee before his/hers first job day, to show where the office is.

Encourage the buddy to introduce the employee to colleagues and arrange a lunch, fika or after-work gathering during the first week to help people get to know each other in a relaxed setting.

Have a good and extended onboarding together with the new employee to talk about office culture, expectations within your organisation, as well as Sweden, the region and how everyday life works here.

Introduce and show the website www.sundsvallhighcoast.se as it can be a useful source of information for the employee.

After they have arrived (month 1-3 in Sweden)

Continue sharing information about the organisation, Sweden and the region, as much of the information provided during the first week can easily be forgotten.

Support employees in getting practical matters in order, such as insurance, healthcare registration and dental care. For many people moving to Sweden, these systems are unfamiliar, and simple guidance is often highly appreciated.

Schedule a follow-up meeting 2–3 months after employment begins to see how the employee is settling in and whether any additional support is needed.