Insurance protection when working abroad

From 1 January 2020, there are new provisions in the URA agreement on overseas contracts and employment conditions for employees stationed abroad. These apply to employees who are or become pregnant or who will take parental leave while stationed abroad by a state authority.

In short, the regulations mean that it will be possible to return to Sweden and work under the URA contract if you so wish. You can also remain in the country to which you have been posted, in which case there is now an expanded URA insurance that covers maternity care and childbirth. To be on the safe side, you should check that you are covered by the insurance that is now included in the URA insurance that the employer must take out through Kammarkollegiet, the Swedish Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency.

If you remain in the country where you are stationed during your parental leave, however, you must ensure that you obtain supplementary insurance for yourself, the child and any accompanying family members. If you return to Sweden and work under the URA contract, you must bear in mind that certain conditions in your individual contract may be waived, for example tax-free supplements, and that you will not be entitled to receive supplementary parental allowance unless this has been specifically agreed. If you have a job in Sweden from which you are on leave, you can instead go back to that position when you return, in which case the usual conditions for work in Sweden will apply.

If you are employed under the postdoctoral agreement from 1 February 2022, you are entitled to take leave if you are stationed abroad with a URA contract by the same employer. You can (must) then return to the position you are on leave from if you return to Sweden.

More information

You can read more about the URA insurance and its terms and conditions on the Kammarkollegiet website.

If you have other questions, you are welcome to contact the SULF members’ support service.