FAQs about membership

In order to become a full member of Engineers of Sweden, you must hold one of the following qualifications:

• Master of Science in Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering of at least 180 higher education credits
• Degree as Master or Bachelor of Technology
• Have completed at least 165 higher education credits (110credits) within any of the above programmes
• Academics with other technical-natural scientific degrees of at least 180 higher education credits (120 credits) may also become full members of Engineers of Sweden.

To become a student member you must:

Be enrolled at a Swedish university/university college in an engineering programme leading to either a Master or Bachelor of Science in Engineering comprising at least 180 higher education credits.

For applicants with other qualifications the following applies:

Other Swedish degrees within natural sciences or technology and/or qualifications from overseas universities/higher education institutions also entitled to full membership. Please state the name of the overseas university or higher education institution and the qualification you hold in the online application or the application form. If we need any further information, we will contact you. If you are unsure whether your qualifications entitle you to membership, or if it is not available for selection in the application, please contact our membership service.

We are here for engineers and we know more than any other union about your industry, education and work environment. Members gain access to tools that  strengthen them in their professional lives - whether they want to enter the labour market, develop in their current roles or take the next step in their careers. We safeguard your interests and provide you with support when you need us to negotiate for you. We sign collective bargaining agreements that cover everything from general working conditions to parental leave. Naturally, we also provide support for members who work at companies without collective bargaining agreements. Members also have access to a wide range of benefits . Read more about our membership benefits here.

Full membership of Engineers of Sweden costs SEK 240 per month. Student membership costs SEK 180 per year. See all membership fees here.

Membership fees are automatically deducted from your bank account on the next to last working day of each month.

1. Apply for membership of Engineers of Sweden and, if you intend to change unemployment insurance funds at the same time, apply to join Akademikernas a-kassa. Akademikernas a-kassa can help you switch unemployment insurance funds if you complete their change of fund application (in Swedish) change of fund application (In Swedish).
2. Apply to leave your current union.
3. Notify us of your exit date from your current union. You will not pay a membership during the transfer period, i.e. the time it takes to conclude membership of your previous union.

If you are unsure whether you fulfil the conditions for membership of the Engineers of Sweden, please wait before you leave your current union and unemployment insurance fund. By all means apply for membership with us but please note on your exit application that you are waiting for a decision from us on whether you may join or not.

If you already have income insurance with another union, your membership period there can generally be counted in the qualification period for our income insurance. As there are exceptions, we recommend that you contact Akademikernas inkomstförsäkring at Folksam at 0770-78 20 50 to confirm the specifics of your situation.

To change your membership from student to professional, you will have to upgrade your membership. Please fill out the form here  upgrade membership .You pay a reduced membership fee for your first two years as a full professional member.

We work to ensure that everyone has secure employment. An employer without a collective bargaining agreement usually provides a weaker safety net with poorer working conditions for employees. If you work for an employer without a collective bargaining agreement, you typically have no right to an annual salary review or income supplement when ill, and whether the employer provides occupational pension, overtime compensation, or additional parental leave benefits may vary. In order for you to get any of these benefits - without a collective bargaining agreement – they must be included in your contract or in their personnel policy. 

If you are working for an employer with no collective bargaining agreement, there are many reasons to become a member of Engineers of Sweden: 

It is not easy to keep track of all your rights and what should be included in your contract, but members can get help from our in-house experts on labour law and employee rights. They help you check what you need in your particular position and review your contract to make sure that you get as much as possible of what a collective bargaining agreement would automatically entail. You will also receive expert help and advice on holiday issues, salary and general pension issues. 

A company without a collective bargaining agreement does not have an employers’ organization to turn to for legal expertise when questions or issues arise. These may concern anything from dismissals to salary levels. In such situations there is a risk that the employer may not be aware of the relevant labour laws and could make the wrong decision. It is therefore essential that you contact our advisory services as early as possible if you feel that something is not right in your workplace.

We know from experience that it is more common for those who are not members of unions employees who are not union members are more likely to be let go first in the event of redundancies or cutbacks, as they lack the support of a union representative with expertise in labour law. One year’s union membership fee is equivalent to approximately one hour of legal fees - something members receive at no additional cost as part of their membership 
 
Members also gain access to unique and valuable exclusive benefits, such as engineer-specific salary statistics, CV assessments and LinkedIn profile reviews, seminars, discounts on insurance, individual advisory services and legal consultation with engineering-related issues.

Working internationally can be an exciting and enriching part of your career. 
But there is a lot to think about before going abroad. Labour law varies from country to country, as well as salary levels and other conditions. Members receive help and support, for example an assessment of your employment contract. If you are going to work in the Nordic region or in Australia, you can apply for a guest membership of the engineering union in the country you are working in. This is included in your regular membership fee to us. If you are working as an employee of a company outside the Nordic region, report this to us so you can get your union fees reduced.

To our membership information concerning working abroad and overseas membership (In Swedish)

When you retire, contact us to become a retired member and state your personal registration or membership number and the date of your retirement. 
(SEK 480 per year). In Swedish, please choose role “Medlem” and option “Mitt medlemsskap, avgifter eller medlemsförmåner” 

Retired members receive the same general information as full members. The magazine Ny Teknik is included in this membership. Advisory services concerning pensions and other union issues are also included.  
 
You can become a retired member after written notification to the membership helpline via letter or e-mail.  
 
The month you become 66, you will automatically be excluded from the unemployment insurance fund. If you would like to leave Akademikernas a-kassa earlier you must notify them by filling out their cancellation form here.

Log in using your mobile BankID. Order your mobile BankID from your bank and download the BankID secure ap to your mobile or tablet. If you already have a mobile BankID, log in directly. 
See FAQs on logging in. (In Swedish)

Update your data by logging in. The information concerning your qualifications and employer is especially important if you are to receive good-quality, correct information, help and support when you need it.  
Log in  and select My pages (Mina sidor). All your data is there.

To leave Engineers of Sweden, fill in and submit the exit request form (utträdesanmälan). Your membership will be concluded at the end of the month that your request is received.

Find the cancellation form here.

Membership fees paid previously will not be returned. Feel free to contact the membership service if you have any questions about how to handle invoices you have received.

Fill in the application form to become a member of Akademikernas a-kassa. The form can be downloaded from akademikernasakassa.se (In Swedish).

You may only be a member of one unemployment insurance fund at a time. If you change your current a-kassa fund you may count your previous membership period as long as there is no gap between the two periods. 

How to avoid a gap in membership: 

1. Apply for membership in Engineers of Sweden and, if you need to change unemployment insurance fund at the same time, also apply to join Akademikernas a-kassa. Akademikernas a-kassa will help you transfer from your current fund if you complete their form entitled 'Application for change of fund.' You can find all necessary information at www.akademikernasakassa.se (In Swedish)
2. Request exit from your current union.
3. Notify us of your exit date from your current union. You will pay no membership fees during the transfer period i.e. the time it takes for you to conclude membership of your previous union.

If you are unsure of whether you fulfil the conditions for becoming a member of Engineers of Sweden, delay leaving your current union and unemployment insurance fund. Please apply for membership with us but note in your exit application that you are waiting for notification from us about your new membership. 
For members of Engineers of Sweden who are also members of Akademikernas a-kassa, income insurance is included in membership fees. 
 
If you already have income insurance with another union, your membership period there can generally be counted in the qualification period for our income insurance. As there are exceptions, we recommend that you contact Akademikernas inkomstförsäkring at Folksam at 0770-78 20 50 to confirm the specifics of your situation. 

No, you can choose not to join Akademikernas a-kassa and still be a member of Engineers of Sweden. However, you will not be covered by our income insurance, which is available only to members receiving benefits from Akademikernas a-kassa.

If you are not a member of Akademikernas a-kassa (or any other unemployment insurance fund), you will only be entitled to the basic benefit if you become unemployed. For more information, visit www.akademikernasakassa.se

Engineers of Sweden pays the fees to Akademikernas a-kassa in advance. No member will be de-registered without first being issued with a reminder concerning unpaid fees. If you are uncertain whether you have paid your membership fee, please contact our membership service on 08-613 80 00. 

The fees paid to Akademikernas a-kassa are unchanged even if you are a jobseeker, however your union fees may be reduced. Read the conditions and apply for reduced fees. 

You are granted an automatic exit from the unemployment insurance fund from the month of your 66th birthday. If you wish to leave before your 66th birthday, you must notify the union in writing via contact form or e-mail. Don’t forget to include your personal registration number or your membership number. 
 
If you are retiring, please contact us to start up a pensioner’s membership (SEK 480 per year). 

No, you do not have to be a union member, you can be a member of Akademikernas a-kassa only. However, if you wish to be covered by our income insurance, you must be a union member.   
 
Direct application for membership can be made at www.akademikernas.se.

There is a very favourable income insurance included in the union fees if you are a full member of Engineers of Sweden and Akademikernas a-kassa. You may also supplement your income insurance with two voluntary supplementary insurance policies which extend benefits by 180 days or extend the ceiling amount to SEK 160.000 per month gross. 

If you have been covered by income insurance in another union, the period you have been covered can generally be credited towards the qualification period with us, if there is no gap in membership before joining.  

As there are exceptions, we recommend that you contact Akademikernas inkomstförsäkring at Folksam at 0770-78 20 50 to confirm the specifics of your situation. 
  
Under certain conditions, your period of private income insurance may be credited as a membership period in Engineers of Sweden and as a qualifying period for supplementary insurance. Please contact Akademikernas inkomstförsäkring at Folksam.

You apply for income insurance benefits through Akademikernas Income insurance (In Swedish).

If you become unemployed, you can only receive compensation from Sveriges Ingenjörer’s income insurance if you are a member of both Sveriges Ingenjörer and the Akademikernas a-kassa unemployment insurance fund. To be eligible for compensation from Sveriges Ingenjörer’s income insurance, one of the conditions is that you must qualify for income-related benefits from Akademikernas a-kassa 

You can find out more about how our income insurance works and how much compensation you can receive here.

In order to qualify for the income insurance, you need to have been a member of Engineers of Sweden for at least 12 months and be registered as a working member. You must have been in employment for at least 12 of the previous 18 calendar months and be entitled to income-related benefit from the AEA unemployment insurance fund (a-kassa). During these 12 months, you must have worked at least 80 hours per month. 

Compensation is paid for 150 days and only applies in cases of involuntary unemployment. The insurance expires at the end of the month before you turn 66. 

More information and a calculation of what you would receive if you became unemployed can be found here.