Wage subsidy: who can get it, how much and for how long?

What is a wage subsidy?

A wage subsidy (lönebidrag) is a financial contribution to the employer’s wage costs. It is paid when someone with a disability that reduces their capacity for work is hired. The job is a normal job, but it must be adapted to the person’s needs and circumstances.

Arbetsförmedlingen, the Swedish Public Employment Service, investigates and decides, based on the need for adaptation and the conditions at the workplace. The aim is that the job can eventually continue without the support.

The three forms of wage subsidy

The wage subsidy comes in three forms. Which one fits depends on what the person needs.

The development grant is an extra contribution for measures that develop the capacity for work. With a wage subsidy for development while employed, the Employment Protection Act (LAS) partly does not apply.

Who can get a wage subsidy?

The employer gets the subsidy. The person hired must have a disability that reduces their capacity for work in relation to the job. The person must also be unemployed and registered as a job seeker with Arbetsförmedlingen.

The support can apply to both private and public employers. The job can be permanent or temporary, full time or part time.

There are also other situations where the subsidy can apply, and they differ between the forms. One example is when someone leaves a job with a wage subsidy or sheltered employment at another employer.

An employer cannot get the subsidy for someone with great influence in the business, such as a board member, managing director or authorised signatory. Work-integrating social enterprises are an exception. If you have a sole proprietorship you also cannot get the subsidy for your spouse.

How much is the wage subsidy?

There is no fixed percentage. Arbetsförmedlingen decides the amount, and two things affect it:

• The wage cost. This is gross pay, sick pay, holiday pay, employer contributions and premiums for agreed insurance. The subsidy can cover the part that is not higher than a gross salary of SEK 20,000 a month for full-time work. For part-time work it is reduced in proportion to the working hours.
• The capacity for work. Arbetsförmedlingen investigates together with the employer and the employee how much the disability affects the capacity for work.

The subsidy must not be higher than what is needed to compensate for the reduced capacity for work.

The compensation is paid to the employer’s tax account, and Arbetsförmedlingen collects the details from the employer declaration. If it is submitted by the 7th, the money is expected on the 12th of the same month.

How long does it last?

The first decision lasts at most one year in all three forms. If the person still needs adaptation, Arbetsförmedlingen assesses whether the subsidy should continue for a new period.

A wage subsidy for development while employed can run for up to two years, and a wage subsidy for employment usually for up to eight years. A wage subsidy for job security can run for a longer time, at most four years at a time.

How the employer applies

1. Submit an expression of interest. You send it in on Arbetsförmedlingen’s page about hiring with support.
2. Arbetsförmedlingen gets in touch. They contact you within three working days.
3. Investigation. You meet to go through the need and the workplace. Arbetsförmedlingen then prepares a basis for the decision with documentation of adaptation and support, which the employer signs.
4. Decision. Arbetsförmedlingen decides how much you get and for how long. Allow for some processing time, as they must carry out checks.
5. Follow-up. A few months after the job has started, Arbetsförmedlingen gets in touch to follow up how it has gone.

Conditions for the employer

The conditions must be met for the whole time with support. The most important are:

• You are registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency.
• Pay and benefits follow the collective agreement or are equivalent to it, and the insurance is in place.
• The full salary is paid electronically to the employee’s account.
• The work environment meets the requirements of the Work Environment Act.
• Debts for taxes and social security contributions are at most SEK 10,000 in total.
• Changes that may affect the compensation are reported to Arbetsförmedlingen at once. Otherwise you may have to pay money back.

Arbetsförmedlingen checks the conditions before the decision and during the time with support, for example with a credit check.

If you are employed or looking for work

The wage subsidy goes to the employer, not to you. You are entitled to pay and other employment benefits under the collective agreement that applies in the industry. If there is no collective agreement, pay and benefits must be equivalent in important respects.

If you want a job with a wage subsidy, you must be registered as a job seeker with Arbetsförmedlingen. Prepare to explain why the support could improve your chances of a job. You then go through your situation together, and an employment officer assesses whether the support is right for you.

Other support: SIUS and sheltered employment

SIUS (särskild stödperson för introduktions- och uppföljningsstöd) is a special support person for introduction and follow-up. It is for you if you have a disability and need special support before a job. The support person helps you with your job search, contact with employers and the introduction at the workplace. Introduction support lasts at most six months, and follow-up support at least one year after you have started.

Sheltered employment with a public employer (skyddat arbete hos offentlig arbetsgivare) is a temporary job adapted to your circumstances. It can last up to 12 months and can be extended. It is for you if you have a disability and, for example, are entitled to support under the LSS act.

Employers can read about more support in our overview of hiring support, which also covers new start jobs and introductory jobs.

Find staff through Prepare and Match

We are a provider of Prepare and Match (Rusta och matcha) on behalf of Arbetsförmedlingen in Gothenburg. If you are looking for staff, we present candidates who fit what you need and tell you which support could apply to that person. The application is made to Arbetsförmedlingen.

Read more about how we help employers. If you first want to see how the person works at your workplace, a work experience placement can be a first step.

Written by Morad HasanogluQuality manager and administrator at Swefleet

We are a provider of Prepare and Match on behalf of Arbetsförmedlingen in Gothenburg. The text is based on the sources below and was updated on 31 October 2026. Rules can change, so always check your own case with Arbetsförmedlingen or Försäkringskassan.