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Factsheet for measure SE-2020-1/705 – Updated – measures in Sweden
Country | Sweden , applies nationwide |
Time period | Temporary, 01 January 2020 – 31 December 2021 |
Context | COVID-19 |
Type | Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Category |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services
– Mobilisation of a larger workforce |
Author | Anna-Karin Gustafsson (Oxford Research) and Eurofound |
Measure added | 16 April 2020 (updated 20 July 2021) |
The government has temporarily removed the income ceiling for all those receiving student aid. The aim of this measure is to facilitate for health and medical care students to help out in the health care sector without their student aid being reduced. However, the measure does not exclusively cover health and medical students as also other occupations are deemed key in the current crisis, and also so as to support those newly unemployed who now wish to start studying.
The student aid income ceiling is regulated in The Act (1999:1395) on student aid (Studiestödslag (1999:1395)).
In practice, the removal of the income ceiling means that students who have received higher incomes during 2020 than the initially set limit (of SEK 86,782 during half a calendar year), will keep all of their student grants and loans.
For students who are short of credits due to their school being unable to provide teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, the administrating authority (The Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN)), will take this into consideration. And those who have difficulties repaying their loans due to the COVID-19 related situation will be given the possibility to postpone or reduce the payment.
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
20 May 2021 |
Measure has been extended until the end of 2021 since the demand for labour in healthcare is still high and the measure creates a stronger incentive for students to work part-time in the healthcare sector. |
As all students are eligible, the use of this measure might be widespread. However, as many might not be able to work as usual or might even lose their jobs, the removal of the income ceiling will likely not affect all students.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Unemployed
Workers in essential services |
Does not apply to businesses |
Youth (18-25)
|
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
|
National funds
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | Informed | Informed |
Form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
No involvement.
N/A
Citation
Eurofound (2020), Removal of income ceiling for student aid to facilitate work in essential services, measure SE-2020-1/705 (measures in Sweden), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/SE-2020-1_705.html
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