Understanding letters from Arbetsförmedlingen
Who sends these letters
Arbetsförmedlingen, the Swedish Public Employment Service, registers people who are looking for work, makes a plan with them, and runs labour-market programmes such as Rusta och matcha (run by external providers) and the introduction programme for newly arrived refugees and their families (etableringsprogrammet). It also checks that people who get unemployment payments follow the rules, and reports to the unemployment fund (a-kassa) when they don't. Its letters are often decisions, reminders about your monthly activity report, and assignments to programmes.
Deadlines and your right to challenge a decision
Arbetsförmedlingen's own unit (Omprövningsenheten) reviews decisions. The time limit for asking is usually three weeks from receiving the decision, but check the decision letter, which states what applies. Whether a decision can then go to court depends on the rules for that kind of decision.
Checked on 2026-10-07 against: Aktivitetsrapportera, Ompröva beslut, Introduction programme (English), Skriv in dig första arbetslösa dagen. Rules change: the official website and your letter always win.
These pages explain the Swedish words in official letters. They don't replace the letter itself or advice about your case. Always check the deadline printed on your letter, and contact the agency (their phone number and your case officer are usually at the bottom of the letter) if anything is unclear. Lingolib is not connected to any of the agencies named here. Facts were last checked on 2026-10-07.
Example letters, word by word
These letters were written by us to show the style and the typical phrases. The names, amounts and dates are made up; real letters look different from agency to agency and year to year. Tap a word to see what it means.
Tap any word for its meaning. Underlined words are key terms with an explanation.
Heading: a reminder about your activity report.
.
You haven't yet sent your report for September.
1 14 .
It must be sent between 1 and 14 October.
.
In it you list the jobs you applied for and what you did to get closer to work.
.
Late or missing reports can affect your payments.
.
The easiest way is on your logged-in pages.
Tap any word for its meaning. Underlined words are key terms with an explanation.
Heading: a decision placing you in the Rusta och matcha service.
2 2026.
You start the service on 2 November 2026.
Exempelleverantören .
You chose this provider (a made-up company).
.
The provider will contact you within five working days to book a first meeting.
. .
Taking part is now in your plan. Not taking part can affect your payments.
.
To ask for a review, your request must arrive within three weeks of receiving the decision.
27 key words in letters from Arbetsförmedlingen
The words specific to these letters first, then the general ones every agency uses.
- inskrivningregistration
- Registering as a jobseeker. Do it on your first day without work, online or at a service office.
- arbetssökandejobseeker
- Someone registered as looking for work.
- handlingsplanaction plan
- Your plan for getting a job, made with an officer. It says what you must do. It is on Mina sidor.
- planeringssamtalplanning meeting
- The meeting where your action plan is made.
- aktivitetsrapportactivity report
- A monthly report of the jobs you applied for and what else you did. Send it between the 1st and the 14th for the month before.
- anvisningassignment (to a programme)
- A decision placing you in a programme or service. Taking part becomes part of your plan.
- Rusta och matchaPrepare and match (job-search service)
- A job-search service run by private providers on behalf of Arbetsförmedlingen. It normally lasts six months.
- leverantörprovider
- The company that runs a service like Rusta och matcha for Arbetsförmedlingen.
- etableringsprogrammetthe introduction programme
- For people aged 20–67 who recently got a residence permit as refugees or in need of protection, or as their family. Up to 24 months of SFI, civic orientation and work-related activities.
- etableringsersättningintroduction benefit
- Money you can apply for while taking part in the introduction programme.
- aktivitetsstödactivity support
- Money for some people taking part in a labour-market programme.
- a-kassaunemployment fund
- A separate organisation, not Arbetsförmedlingen, that pays unemployment benefit to its members who meet the conditions.
- arbetslöshetsersättningunemployment benefit
- Money from your a-kassa when you are out of work. It depends on you following your plan and reporting.
- underrättelsenotification (to the a-kassa)
- A report from Arbetsförmedlingen to your a-kassa that you may have broken the rules. The a-kassa decides what happens to your payment.
- lämpligt arbetesuitable job
- A job you are expected to apply for or accept. Turning one down can affect your benefit.
- Platsbankenthe national job board
- Arbetsförmedlingen's list of job ads.
- servicekontorservice office
- A local office where you can get help, for example if you have no BankID.
- avaktualiseraderegister
- To remove you from the register as a jobseeker, for example if you get a job or don't keep in touch.
- arbetsmarknadspolitiskt programlabour-market programme
- Training or activities arranged through Arbetsförmedlingen.
- arbetsdagarworking days
- Monday to Friday, not counting public holidays.
Words every agency uses
- beslutdecision
- The formal answer to your case. A beslut is legally binding until it is changed. Read the date on it: most time limits for challenging it start from the day you received it.
- begära omprövningask for a review
- To ask the same agency to look at its decision again. At some agencies this is the first step before you can appeal. Do it in writing and within the time limit in the letter.
- handläggarecase officer
- The person handling your case. Their name and phone number are usually at the bottom of the letter. You can call and ask them to explain it.
- Mina sidorMy pages (your account)
- Your personal logged-in pages on an agency's website, where you see letters, decisions and messages. Migrationsverket calls it Min sida.
- tolkinterpreter
- Agencies and healthcare can book an interpreter for meetings and calls. Ask for one when you book; say which language you need.
- senastat the latest, no later than
- Marks a deadline: senast 15 november means 15 November is the last day. It must usually have arrived by then, not just been posted.
- uppgifterinformation, details
- Facts about you: income, address, family. Lämna uppgifter means to provide information. Felaktiga uppgifter are incorrect details.
What to do next
- Find the date and the deadline. Look for senast, inom and förfallodag. Write the deadline in your calendar.
- Find who to contact. The handläggare and a phone number are usually at the end. You can ask them to explain the letter in simpler Swedish or English, and to book an interpreter.
- Answer in writing when it matters. Our email templates include a polite Swedish message asking an agency to explain a letter.
- Look up other words in the all-agency glossary or the Swedish dictionary.
Letters from other agencies
Reading letters like these gets easier fast once the everyday words are automatic. Season 1 of our course is free in full, and the guide to the language you need when moving to Sweden covers the basics.