Work experience in another Nordic country
Work experience cannot be carried out in another Nordic country, as the national labour market legislation is largely based on internships being carried out in the home country. This issue is similar to the right to work experience for individuals from other Nordic countries.
Border Issue Status: Closed
The Freedom of Movement Council has through its Danish representative re-prioritised this issue in 2020. Investigations on whether there is a possibility to find a solution to the closed border issue are ongoing.
Description of the problem:
The rules regarding work experience and internships in the different countries are primarily focused on each national case and the unemployment agencies in the countries determine who is rejected for work experience. In Sweden, the rules are constructed to allowinternships to be carried out in another country on the condition that the organiser is a Swedish legal entity. In Sweden, there are also rules that state that work experience can be carried out in areas close to Sweden. Included in these areas are countries that shares a border with Sweden, and countries that borders the Baltic Sea. The unemployment agencies assignments of programs, such as internships, should always be motivated bythe needs of the labour market.
There are several reasons to the limitations in Sweden. The public authorities must be able to investigate the organiser and the conditions at the internship site. If the organiser is not a Swedish legal entity, and conduct their businesses abroad, the controls that can be performed are limited. Another reason to the limitations in Sweden is that the insurance cover, for example accident insurance, has not been adapted to apply to internships abroad.
In Sweden, there is a state insurance coverage that cover any possible injuries to the person carrying out the internship, or damages to the business caused by the participant.
In Sweden, the assignment issued by the unemployment agency can under certain circumstances be recalled, or the person can be cut of from the right to unemployment benefits. The unemployment agency has limited possibility to exert control functions if the internship is carried out at a non-Swedish organizer in another country.
In Denmark, individuals cannot, as a rule, receive compensation for internships carried out in another country – unless these are special circumstances. The only group that are allowed to carry out an internship in another country are individuals that are entitled to sick pay abroad. This limitation is due to the Danish authorities having to ensure that the conditions during the internship follow Danish labour law and that the internship does not contribute to an unfair competitive advantage for the business.
Suggested resolution:
In the report Nord 2012:002, a Nordic group of experts stated that changes to the national rules are required in all Nordic countries to facilitate cross-border internships. In connection to a rule change, questions related to control, follow-up, and insurance cover would have to be solved. Regarding the assignment to an internship for individuals applying for jobs from other countries, the unemployment agencies would have to clarify how the rules would be applied.
The impact assessment focused on these types of questions. On the basis of the impact assessment, it was concluded that the group of experts would not aim to find a solution to this border issue.
