A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

Sweden to ditch ‘exhaustion syndrome’ diagnosis

Around 20,000 people are put on sick leave every year for “exhaustion syndrome“, with the median off for six months. That corresponds to around one in six mental illness-related sick leaves that last for more than two weeks, according to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. 

It’s a diagnosis unique to Sweden, but from 2028 it will be scrapped in Sweden too when the International Classification of Diseases is updated from ICD-10 to ICD-11, reports Psykologtidningen, a magazine for psychologists. The World Health Organization has said ahead of the new ICD-11 that it doesn’t want countries to create their own national classifications, so the decision follows their guidance.

In Sweden, the diagnosis of exhaustion disorder (ED) was developed around 20 years ago and has been gradually implemented in clinical practice. There is an overlap with burnout, but ED includes not only work-related stressors but also those that happen in private life. 

Swedish vocabulary: exhaustion syndrome/disorder – utmattningssyndrom

What will happen to work permit holders at Northvolt?

A new update from the Swedish Migration Agency reveals that it’s not yet clear what’s going to happen to the many work permit holders still employed by Northvolt, which filed for bankruptcy last week. Normally, a work permit holder loses their right to stay in Sweden three months after their notice period runs out – unless they manage to find a new job by then – but it all depends on how the bankruptcy process unfolds.

“The bankruptcy of a major company such as Northvolt is an unusual situation which the Migration Agency hasn’t handled on this scale before. Generally, employees at a bankrupt company keep their employment until they are dismissed and their notice period expires,” a statement issued by the Migration Agency reads.

There are today 1,650 approved work permits where Northvolt was listed as the employer at the point of application. However, that doesn’t automatically mean that they’re all still working for Northvolt, as work permits aren’t always tied to a certain employer. In other words, some of those people may have already moved on to other employers, and some may have been laid off but their permit not yet revoked.

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Following last year’s layoffs at Northvolt, the Migration Agency followed up on 350 people who then had work permits. Some of them have now left the country, around 100 have applied for new permits, around 60 have been granted new permits and just over 80 temporary permits are currently subject to revocation. However, no decision to revoke residency or work permits has yet been made, said the agency.

People with pending work permit applications for work at Northvolt will have their applications processed “once the situation regarding their employment is clarified”, said the Migration Agency, both regarding first-time applications and applications to extend a work permit.

“These cases can no longer be considered complete as the bankruptcy trustee has now taken over the company’s assets. How they are to be processed going forward depends on how the bankruptcy process develops – but we are of course monitoring this and are in contact with the bankruptcy trustee,” said Migration Agency official Hanna Geurtsen in a statement.

Swedish vocabulary: a bankruptcy trustee – en konkursförvaltare

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It’s time to file your Swedish taxes

Tax declarations opened in Sweden on Tuesday, meaning it’s now possible to file your taxes.

April 2nd is the deadline to submit your declaration online in order to receive a tax refund in April. If no changes needed to be made, people submitting it online by this date will receive any refund between April 8th and 11th.

The overall deadline for declaration submission is May 2nd. Everyone who meets this deadline will receive any tax refund they are entitled to by June 3rd to 5th.

The paper declaration will be sent out between March 17th and April 15th.

The Tax Agency expects around 1.5 million people to submit their declaration online on March 18th. If you don’t have to make any changes, it’s a case of approving the pre-filled-out form which (unless the Tax Agency’s website buckles under the heavy load) only takes a minute.

Swedish vocabulary: tax – skatt

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Swedish foreign minister visits India to boost business and trade partnership

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard is in India, where she will among other things cut the ribbon for a new trade office to boost Sweden-India relations.

Malmer Stenergard is in India to take part in Raisina Dialogue, India’s annual conference on geopolitics, and a roundtable of Indian and Swedish business leaders hosted by Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal, according to the foreign ministry.

“India is an important partner to Sweden. In today’s geopolitical situation, cooperation is more important than ever before. We additionally have a joint goal: that the EU and India will sign a free trade agreement before the turn of the year. It will lead to more trade and investment which create growth and jobs,” said Malmer Stenergard.

On March 18th, Malmer Stenergard is scheduled to attend the inauguration of Business Sweden’s new office in Mumbai, set to continue to promote Swedish exports in India.

“There is huge interest in India and we will now be able to help even more Swedish companies to realise their business opportunities in the market, in sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, the green transition and manufacturing,” said Sofia Högman, trade secretary and Business Sweden’s country manager in India, in a statement.

Swedish vocabulary: India – Indien