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Saturday, January 24 | 2026
Salaries – now that is a loaded word. We often pretend that our careers are all about self-development, the sense of accomplishment, and following our passions. But let’s be honest, getting paid for our time is as important as being able to ‘grow’.
When I help international professionals to succeed in the Swedish job market, this is something that comes up regularly. Many of my clients express their suspicion of being paid less than their Swedish colleagues, which is, of course, frustrating and unfair.
Why international professionals are likely to end up underpaid in Sweden
You may conclude that Swedish companies are underpaying the international co-workers on purpose, and although I have no evidence neither for nor against this claim, I believe that in most instances the answer is easier than that. In my experience, the reason why my clients are underpaid is that they don’t understand the Swedish salary system, and because of this, they can’t negotiate in an effective manner. So take a moment to look at similarities and differences between the salary systems in Sweden and other countries you have worked in, before designing your strategy to get paid what you deserve.
Salaries are set individually
Back in the days, there were salary tables. Yes, I know they still probably exist in other countries, but Sweden has always identified itself as The Future, right? And in the Land of the future, most sectors consider salary systems archaic, obsolete. Therefore, you can’t walk into a new job and expect that safe feeling of being placed in the right box and get what you deserve.
Instead, you have to do two things. First, you will need to provide your potential employer with a number that you consider appropriate, and cross your fingers that this is within the budget they have set for this position. Second, as they are likely to counter with a lower number, you will need to provide a good argument for why they should pay you what you have in mind. These arguments count only as valid if they refer to what you, as an individual, can achieve in the position in question. Any comparisons to other individuals or positions are seen as irrelevant, and mentioning them will be regarded as confrontational and unprofessional.
Your life situation is not a valid argument for a certain salary or a raise
I recently met a Swedish woman who moved to the US many years ago. Just recently, she moved to Washington DC from a smaller town, but kept her position in the same company. To her surprise, this meant she got a raise. The reason was that her living expenses were supposedly higher in the bigger city. This doesn’t happen in Sweden. Arguably, salaries tend to be higher in bigger cities, but this is considered to be an effect of offer and demand on the job market and not related to the cost of living.
In fact, telling your employer or potential employer that you should be paid a certain amount because of your family situation, your recent move, or that you have to buy a car to travel to work is seen as completely out-of-context and unprofessional. Hence, if you find yourself in a salary negotiation, back up your claims only with arguments that are related to your actual job: what you do, what skills you have, and your overall impact on the company’s well-being and turnover.
Even if you have performed extremely well you can only count on an insignificant raise.
You are entitled to a salary review once a year. At this point, your manager has a set budget for the team, say, an average of 2.4%. This is a number that your employer and the trade union has agreed with. They have also agreed on a minimum raise and a maximum raise. This means that there is very little room for your manager to give anyone in the team a raise. Even if you have performed exceptionally well, you can’t go higher than the maximum raise that could be something around 4.0%.
Accepting, or even understanding, this system is difficult. I have met hundreds of international professionals who have fought against this. Some of them accepted a lower-than-expected salary when signing for the job, thinking it would be smart to get a foot in the door, and then later get a substantial raise once they’ve proved themselves. The disappointment and the frustration as this fails.
Takeaway about Swedish salaries
To be frank, the only way of getting a substantial raise is to change jobs and to make sure you are paid adequately as you sign for your new position. Still, you can work strategically and long-term to get the salary you deserve.
