Service abroad
With increased internationalisation, employees of Uppsala University are engaged in service abroad to a greater extent.
A service period abroad may either be done via stationing abroad, with a special contract regulating the employment, or as a business trip. The choice is made depending on the character and requirements of the mission.
Stationing abroad
Stationing abroad means that the employer stations abroad staff already employed, or employs staff for service abroad.
A contract regulating the employment conditions must be set up for individuals being stationed abroad. The conditions are regulated by a central agreement containing guidelines for conditions for service abroad (URA). The URA agreement enables employers to tailor the employment conditions in a contract to suit the agency’s needs, the character of the mission and the employee’s situation. A stationing abroad must always be time-limited. URA enables the employer to hire a co-worker on a fixed-term contract for service abroad in excess of regulations listed in the Employment Protection Act (LAS).
Normally, a co-worker stationed abroad by the Swedish government is seen as residing in Sweden and thus retaining all benefits in Sweden. This means that the co-worker remains registered for social insurance and that the salary is taxed in Sweden. The same conditions apply for any accompanying family members.
When the contract is set up, a URA insurance is taken out for the employer and for any accompanying family members.
A special supplement for extra costs and accompanying family members can be paid out when an employee is stationed abroad. Such supplements are tax-free.
Note that the sending of a foreign citizen to their home country may be seen as a local employment, which is not allowed for Swedish agencies. In some cases, citizenship may not be of importance for where a person belongs. For URA purposes, decisions are based on where the person is permanently resident for social insurance and civil registration reasons.
Internal links
Guidelines for business trips and meetings
Other rules for business trips
More information for employer representatives
Routines for URA contracts
FAQ regarding URA
Contact
HR specialists at the HR Division