Örebro is Sweden's seventh largest city and a very picturesque destination thanks to its famous 13th-century castle and its cultural attractions. Its highly central location (200 km from Stockholm, 300 km from both Gothenburg and Oslo) has turned Örebro into a practical, logistical centre for Scandinavia. Örebro is also an extremely diverse city and very popular with expats: its population of 150,000 comprises people from 165 different countries. As the labour market is currently on the rise, looking for a job in Örebro shouldnt prove too challenging.
Economy and labour market
Örebro is home to many major players in the fields of trade and logistics, as its geographic location make it a natural hub for companies who operate all around Sweden and Scandinavia ' one of these companies being DHL. The region is very mobile, with quite a few people commuting to Stockholm for work, but the local economy is also vibrant. Currently, the unemployment rate is 7.6%, which is on the low end of the scale for Sweden.
The high-tech sector is very big in örebro, with companies such as Ericsson Mobile Communications AB focusing on radio modules and radio base stations. Örebro is part of 'Robotdalen', the 'valley of robotics': a cluster of world-leading, high-tech companies located in the area between örebro and Stockholm. These companies focus and develop in areas such as industrial, field and healthcare robotics and are quickly becoming the driving force of the city's labour market.
However, if robotics is not your area of expertise, that does not mean you will not be able to find work. Örebro is also known for its culinary industry and for being home to many food producing companies, both local and international. The public sector, with healthcare, education and social care, is also one of the biggest employing fields ' these occupations have the biggest shortage in the region, so you should have an easier time finding work in these fields.
Good to know: Örebro University is also a magnet for expats, as it attracts students from all over the world. Currently, the university offers 80 study programmes and 800 single-subject courses and has an attendance of more than 14,500. As such, it also have many vacancies.
Job hunting
You are likely to be hired in örebro even if you don't speak Swedish. Indeed, the local labour market is open towards English-speaking expatriates. But in all cases, recruiters tend to prefer Swedish-speaking candidates. Hence, learning the language can be a considerable advantage.
If you are not yet in örebro, feel free to start your job search on the Internet. Start by visiting the Arbetsförmedlingen website, which is the Swedish Public Employment Service and remains until today the website with the most visibility when it comes to job search. If you are already in the city, consider dropping by an Arbetsförmedlingen local office (or call at 46 20-830 830) where they will provide you with relevant assistance, including programs intended for job seekers. If you're an EU national, then the EURES database and programme is also at your disposal.
Good to know: You should also check out the website for Central Sweden, a cooperation forum for the Dalarna, Gävleborg and örebro municipalities.
Wages & cost of living
Each field is different, as wages are negotiated by employers and employee unions, and your salary will depend on your position and qualifications. For example, a job at the service or cleaning industry can offer around 16,000-20,000 SEK monthly, whereas jobs that require Bachelor's and Master's degrees like engineering for instance can pay even up to 35,000 SEK monthly. Engineering jobs, which as very common in örebro, range between 18,000-35,000 SEK monthly.
The cost of living in örebro is significantly lower than in Stockholm or even in Uppsala, so you shouldn't have any problems with a salary like that.
Good to know: You should be aware that any salary amount quoted to you is before taxes. Taxation in Sweden happens at the base, which means the amount you'll have to pay for taxes will be deducted from your salary every month. So before you make any decisions, it would be wise to calculate how much money you'll actually be left with after taxes. The Statsskuld website has a calculator for you to do exactly that.
Useful links:
Örebro City
Career Builder
Blocket: Jobb
Jobb Safari
Monster
Metro Jobb
Stepstone
Start-up Jobs
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