- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2021
Implementing contracted-out employment services in Sweden
The Commission helped to enhance the capacity of the Swedish public employment service, Arbetsförmedlingen, to design and implement an effective system of contracted-out employment services by providing them with technical support. The broader goal of the project is to improve labour market outcomes for the unemployed in Sweden.
Context
In 2019, the Swedish government initiated a major transformation of the Swedish public employment service, Arbetsförmedlingen. In the reformed system, a larger share of the job brokerage and counselling services are to be contracted-out to external providers instead of being provided by Arbetsförmedlingen counsellors.
Although Sweden has long-standing experience with contracted-out employment services on a smaller scale, this project provides an opportunity to further evaluate contracted out employment services and suggest lessons for the planned reform. The reformed system is intended to help connect people to better jobs, thus facilitating an economy that works for people.
Support delivered
During the period from July 2021 through March 2023, the OECD and the European Commission provided technical support to the Swedish authorities. The support covered several areas relevant to creating a market where employment services are largely contracted-out, such as achieving a fair competition among contracted providers, ensuring the provision of services at the local level, and creating a suitable outcome-based compensation model.
The support was provided through a series of seminars and workshops, including a study visit to the Netherlands, as well as via written outputs.
This project was funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the European Commission.
Results achieved
The project strengthened the capacity of Swedish authorities to make informed decisions about the design and implementation of their contracted-out employment services. The insights gathered span a variety of topics covered, including:
- better understanding the importance of having clients make an informed choice of provider, as well clarifying that there are no legal obstacles to having Arbetsförmedlingen counsellors help clients make an informed choice,
- refining the minimum service requirements to ensure that less employable jobseekers receive more support, which was subsequently implemented, and
offering suggestions for improving local coverage and harnessing the advantages of social economy actors.
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