The government's investigator proposes that a language requirement be introduced in the Social Services Act, which means that the employer "shall work towards" ensuring that staff have good Swedish language skills. However, language proficiency will not be a requirement for employment.
The investigator, Peter Danielsson, emphasizes that staffing in elderly care is the greatest challenge for welfare services going forward.
If we had had an absolute language requirement nationally for everyone, it would have made it difficult for many elderly care services to staff their operations, he says.
Lack of Swedish
Instead, employers will be required to develop a plan for how an already employed or newly recruited person who does not meet the level can develop their language skills and meet the requirements.
According to the investigator, language problems exist in most operations. Between 15 and 90 percent are estimated to have inadequate Swedish language skills when the investigation asked around at different workplaces.
We have a situation that is far from satisfactory. It will require a significant effort, says Danielsson.
The proposed requirement is level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It lies midway between beginner and advanced levels.
We have made the assessment that if we manage to educate 9,000 people per year, it will take about seven years to reach that level, says Danielsson.
Many have had to leave
Elderly Minister Anna Tenje (The Moderate Party) is pleased that the investigation has resulted in a language requirement, even if it is not absolute.
I have been clear from the start that I would like to see a language requirement. But we cannot have a requirement that completely removes the rug from under the municipalities, given the difficult situation they have with competence supply, she says.
A strict requirement that all employees must have the level here and now would have meant that many employees would have had to leave.
Then we would have been without staff, and it would have been an unsustainable situation, says Tenje.
She does not want to comment on how the Sweden Democrats (SD) will respond to the proposal. The cooperation party has previously stated that language requirements should apply to both new hires and existing employees to some extent.
If you can't do that, then you're simply not employable, SD's social policy spokesperson Linda Lindberg has said.
The investigator wants to introduce a language requirement in the Social Services Act. Employers "shall work towards" ensuring that staff have a language proficiency level in Swedish that is relevant for the care services they provide in elderly care.
They also want to introduce a government grant – "Svenskalyftet" (Swedish Boost). It aims, among other things, to stimulate employers to develop language-promoting workplaces and to provide opportunities for staff who need it to study Swedish during working hours.
The proposed law change is expected to come into force in 2026, and the proposals will now be processed in the government offices.
Source: The Government
