The requirements for receiving benefits can sometimes feel a bit complicated. That’s why we have gathered a lot of important information to answer your questions.

What is an unemployment insurance fund?

An unemployment insurance fund is an organisation that pays money, known as benefits, to people who are unemployed. We work like any other insurance. You pay a monthly fee and can then receive benefits if you become unemployed. There are 24 unemployment insurance funds in Sweden. All unemployment funds follow the same rules and pay the same amount of benefits.

Alfa-kassan welcomes everyone regardless of profession or form of employment. Unlike other unemployment funds, we also have an additional task from the government to pay benefits to those who are not members of an unemployment insurance fund.

Requirements for benefits

To receive benefits, you must always fulfill the basic conditions and the work requirement. If you have not worked at all, you cannot receive unemployment benefits.

The basic conditions

The basic conditions mean that you have to be

• able to work at least 3 hours each working day and for at least 17 hours a week on average.
• registered as a job seeker with the Swedish Public Employment Service and have informed them that you want to apply for unemployment benefits.
• are able and willing to take a job immediately.

The work requirement

The work requirement means that you have worked before you registered at the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen). You must meet one of the following requirements:

• You have worked 60 hours per month during 6 of the 12 latest calendar months.
• You have worked 40 hours per month, in total 420 hours during 6 consecutive calendar months.

A maximum of 2 months of compulsory military service and/or parental allowance can be included in the work condition.

Have you not worked at all?

You can not receive benefits from an unemployment insurance fund if you never have worked before. We do not count studies as work and can not be used to fulfill a work requirement.

How much can I get in benefits?

How much benefit you can receive depends, among other things, on whether or not you are a member of an unemployment insurance fund. You can receive either the basic benefit or the income-based benefit.

The basic benefit

You can receive the basic benefit if you

• fulfill the basic condition and the work requirement
• have turned 20 years old, if you are not 20 years old, you cannot receive the basic benefit
• are not a member, or if you have been a member for less than 12 months.

The basic benefit is based on the number of hours you have worked. The maximum payment is SEK 510 per day. If you are not a member you pay an administration fee of SEK 7 for each day you receive benefits.

The income-based benefit

You can receive the income-based benefit if you

• if you are a member of Alfa-kassan and have been one for 12 consecutive months or longer, membership in another unemployment insurance fund can be counted as well
• fulfill the basic condition
• fulfill the work requirement during your membership.

The income-based benefit is based on the number of hours you have worked and your previous income. The income-based benefit is a maximum of SEK 1 200 per day and is paid as follows:

• Day 1-100: you can receive a maximum of 80% of your previous income, up to a maximum of SEK 1 200 per day of payment.
• Day 101-200: you can receive a maximum of 80% of your previous income, up to a maximum of SEK 1 000 per day of payment.
• Day 201-300: you can receive a maximum of 70% of your previous income, up to a maximum of SEK 1 000 per day of payment. If you have a child or children under 18 years of age you can receive this amount until day 450