The agreement will enable closer cooperation with Australia and facilitate the mobility of people and business between the two countries.
Sweden and Australia have agreed to enter into negotiations on a new bilateral social security agreement. The aim of the agreement is to promote the social security of individuals who have lived or worked in both countries. An agreement could allow for benefits, such as pensions, to be paid across borders.
“A social security agreement between Sweden and Australia would benefit both individuals and businesses in both countries. From an individual perspective, the agreement could contribute to increased flexibility and be of significance to those working and moving across national borders, for example, in connection with retirement. Furthermore, businesses won’t risk having to pay double contributions for the benefits that will be included in the agreement,” says Minister for Older People and Social Security Anna Tenje.
“Australia is a valuable partner for Sweden, and I welcome initiatives that help to foster even closer cooperation,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard.
Sweden and Australia have well-developed cooperation, and the mobility between the countries is relatively significant. Almost 12 000 Swedes live in Australia and 5 300 Australians live in in Sweden. Australia is also one of Sweden's largest export markets outside of Europe and an important trading partner. Cooperation between Sweden and Australia would be further enhanced by an agreement on social security.
Today, Sweden has bilateral social security agreements with around twenty countries around the world. The agreements regulate, among other things, which country's social security system a person is covered by and in which country social security contributions are to be paid.
The majority of Sweden's existing bilateral agreements cover the part of social insurance that deal with pension benefits, as well as certain parts of the sickness insurance.
Read the press release by the Australian Goverment here.
Telephone:
+61 (0) 403 581 004
E-mail:
SwedishConsulateAdelaide@gmail.com
Address:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Adelaide
5 Elizabeth Court
Burnside SA 5066
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Sebastian Raneskold
Telephone
+64 (0)27 335 4440
swedconauckland@gmail.com
Address:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Auckland
4 North Avenue, Narrow Neck (Devonport)
Auckland, New Zealand
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Catharina Andersson
Telephone
+61-(0)428 337 312
swedishconsul@hawkins.com.au
Address:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Brisbane
Level 19, 241 Adelaide Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email or telephone. Phone hours Monday 10 am to 12 noon.
Honorary Consul:
Michael Hawkins
Assistant:
Carolien Schoots
Telephone:
+61-7-4051 9699
Email:
sweden.cairns@gmail.com
Address:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Cairns
Level 1, 55 Spence Street
Cairns QLD 4870
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Sally Mlikota
Assistants:
Mara Fieldhouse & Ashleigh Leporati
Telephone:
+61-8-8946 2999
Email:
SwedishConsulDarwin@wardkeller.com.au
Fax
+61-8-8981 1253
Address:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Darwin
Level 7, NT House
22 Mitchell Street
Darwin NT 0800
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Kevin Stephens
Assistant:
Sue McLean
Telephone:
+61-3-6226 1258
Email:
swedcons.hobart@gmail.com
Address:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Hobart
Level 4, 99 Bathurst Street
Hobart TAS 7000
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Cara Hawkins
Telephone:
+61-(0)430 591 831
Email:
sweconsul.melbourne@aamvs.com.au
Address:
Honorary Consulate for Sweden in Melbourne
Level 3, 428 Little Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Benjamin Sandqvist
Telephone:
+61-(0)408 717 861
Email:
swedishconsulatewa@iinet.net.au
Visit:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Perth
Level 3, 1111 Hay Street
West Perth WA 6005
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Lisa Jahrsten
Telephone:
+61-2-9909 3336
Email:
info@swedishconsulsyd.com.au
Address:
Honorary Consulate-General of Sweden in Sydney
Suite 301, 107 Walker Street
North Sydney NSW 2060
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul-General:
James Letherbarrow
Honorary Vice-Consul:
Anna Alvsdotter
Telephone:
+64-4-499 9895
Email:
sweden@xtra.co.nz
Address:
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Wellington
Level 7, Molesworth House
101 Molesworth Street
Thorndon, Wellington 6011
Visit:
By appointment only. Please note that all visits to the consulate must be scheduled in advance. Appointments can be booked via email.
Honorary Consul:
Daniel O'Leary
Honorary Vice-Consul:
Tinni Lindén
Sweden has diplomatic relations with almost all states in the world, with embassies and consulates in around half of these. Sweden's foreign representation consists of approximately 100 missions abroad and 350 honorary consulates.