ATC job in Sweden?

[Frunobulax]

Should there be any Swedish ATCOs: what are real chances to get a job in Sweden as a foreigner?
Being Polish I don't need any special permision to work in Sweden, some 2 years ago I wrote to LFV to ask if they were hiring foreigners but the answer was that they would fire people rather than hiring new ones ;)
I have been in ATC for 10 years now, have TWR/APP/OJT ratings with APS training in progress.
As for speaking Swedish: I'm working on it; before ATC I used to study Swedish languange and literature for some time; still driving a Saab though :)

So, is there any chance that I would ever work as an ATCO in Sweden or should I rather stick to my flat country?

[tinytablet]

Hi,
I have written to LFV twice this year asking much the same thing and as of now I am yet to receive a reply. I can only conclude that either they dont look favourably on foriegners or are the only provider in the world without a controller shortage. I was in Malmo this year and it is near impossible to get any information out of them.

If you have come across some information I would be appreciative if you could pass it on.

Thanks and good luck.

[spike_scramble]

Hi folks, first of all, I'm not a swedish ATCO but I've been in contact with the LFV.....

You have to have a good command of the swedish language because the ground operation during night is done in swedish, except Arlanda. This might change in the future if the Swedish Regulator, The civil Aviation Authority, decides that all ATC should be performed in the english language.
Further on you've to know that about 50% of your salary is going by tax to the government and the costs of living are very high, compared to countries like Germany.

The manager TWR/APP business section is Per Hogberg: [email protected]

The consultant HR is Anna-Helena Wahlin: [email protected]

Cheers Spike.

[Myway or the highway]

when are these guys going to understand that ICAO is expecting all to be using english by 2008!!

Its ridiculous that some nations (eg sweden, france, switzerland etc) still have to some of the job in another language. this is how accidents/incidents happen and will continue to happen until they all catch up with the real world. English ALL the time and that includes aircrew as well. If youcant speak the english language to the ICAO requirements then I suggest you go out and get another job, it will be safer for all of us that way.

cheers:ugh: :ugh:

[duece19]

Myway

In Sweden, Denmark, Norway bla bla bla all IFR RT is in english. However it is harsh to expect a 60 year old VFR pilot who doesnt speak english (amazing but you can still manage to get airborne without comanding english) to conduct his RT in english. Same if for tugdrivers and snowsweepers and so on.

It wasnt that long ago when they introduced english as a mandatory language in school and as long as we still have the pre-mandatory genereation in action I think there will be Swedish spoken by tug-crew and on.

I know this may be hard to comprehend but if english is not your first language you will understand the fact that not everyone speaks it. And even if they do their skills may be limited and make nothing for safety.

Ridiculous my a*se, whats ridiculous is when a non-native englishspeaker get spoken to on the RT in a way that only a native englishspekaer would understand.

And that my friends is my view of the harsch reality until our pre-mandatory generation is safely in position at the OAPs home.

duece (only speaks english on rt)

[spike_scramble]

Hi, as I said, the ground operations during night at non-major airports is done in swedish! That's my personal experience and the HR management told me this as well.


Cheers Spike.

[TheKabaka]

I have flown a fair amount in Sweden, at airports other than Arlanda, SDL/GOT/MMX etc. and ATC on the ground (at night) was conducted in ENGLISH.

I found the standard of English very high, and very rarely heard Swedish on the radio.

[Spuds McKenzie]

Myway or the highway
You should work on your grammar, mate.
Besides, since when are they speaking English in OZ...? :}

[M609]

owever it is harsh to expect a 60 year old VFR pilot who doesnt speak english

In Norway 99.9% of ATC comms are in English. The only time I've had to use Norwegian for controlling (not bantering) is with microlights, hot air ballons and some ultra nervous solo PPL students.

That said, if you want a better paid job in Norway (allmost twice the pay), contact Henry Hauglie in Avinor, he is is the HR man for ATS.

[email protected]

We are about 100 controllers short in Norway........

[A7700]

when are these guys going to understand that ICAO is expecting all to be using english by 2008!!
Its ridiculous that some nations (eg sweden, france, switzerland etc) still have to some of the job in another language.....
It is ridiculous that some nations pull down their trousers in front of the arrogant american néo liberalism (just intellectually supported by B52's) and their european poodle.
The level of safety required by ICAO do not necessitate that a clearance sent to a crew should be understood ( how ?) ,at least listen and monitored by other crews.( Who fly the A/C during that time ?)
The next step is data link and the so called "situation awareness" will disapeared with the support of a full positive safety case !
And what is this awareness when spanish, french or italian airclub pilots have to exchange messages with their local ATC in english just because there is one ryanair flight a day that stays 30 mn in total in the aerodrome airspace !
English is one of the worst language in the world to be used by non native speakers in a safety environment . Read kent Jones studies on the subject and think where is the academy that protect the substance of english language. In UK 3 dictionnaries means 3 different meanings...Critics has already been done on that forum about the so called "english" use e.g. in Nigeria and other foreign countries.
Step down from the pedestal from where you have promoted yourself "english" as "the aviation language". Its just a propaganda to gain the next contracts when FABs will be "sold" and you will claim with your level in language, you are the best to gain the offer.

It seems there is a rule about dominant position abuse in the EU that should also be applied in that field.

[Smurfjet]

Alright before this tangent diverges to infinity, why are you considering Scandinavia? (Other than for the blondes with coloured eyes :cool:)

[tinytablet]

I dont know about the Polish fellow but my reason for wanting to go there does involve a swedish girl with coloured eyes. She wants to go home, otherwise I would be happy here on my little island. Well for now anyway, we will see how the next pay negotiations go.
Thanks for the contacts, my swedish at this stage is not so flash so it might be a problem but you never know how desperate they might get. The level of english with most of the swedish society is really high, just like mentioned the 60yr old VFR pilots of which hopefully there are not too many.

[BurglarsDog]

Without getting the correct ICAO Doc out I think you will find that the mandate agreed with ICAO, is that English is to be "Available" to International flights. So in China for example they can still babble on in local lingo but once Speedbird 001 calls up then English should be the go ( sorry that is English should be the primary language used) or at leat available on request for clearances etc. In any event I think all this English language stuff is a red herring (sorry - smoke and mirrors - no real substance to it all and a false road to follow). It will make a few $$ s for those already prepared to brief and test those countries willing to participate - but for those that are a bit too slow to comply - what is the penalty? Afterall ICAO have no teeth !!:ugh:

Standards and Recommended Practices are just that !! - Recommended !

DogGone

[Frunobulax]

Sweden is a comfortable country to live in, that's all.

[W.R.A.I.T.H]

And also, when jumping on European countries for not using English RT, Sweden would certainly be one of the last ones in the queue, along with Norway. Before places such as CDG, MAD and SVO are sorted out, I don't see anything to point out to Swedes, one of the best English speaking nations there are.

Back to the topic, to my knowledge LFV does not suffer from ATC understaffing at any point. Me knows quite a few atcos who are doing other other jobs than controlling within the organisation. And they have a considerable training capacity in the form of the ATC academy at MMX.

[namne]

I know this is an old thread, but the job opportunities in Sweden for an ATC should be quite good.

LFV is understaffed and has been for several years. It's gradually gotten worse because of controllers leaving the country due to the relatively low salary. You don't have to move far to almost double your income. Delays caused by staff shortage has been heavily debated in media the last months and they're even borrowing controllers from other countries at this point. Lack of ATC's seems to be a worldwide problem and Sweden is no exception.

[Frunobulax]

Sounds good for me, I think I should reconsider that.

[Mr. Pig]

Hey M609 - what about positions for English-speaking instructors in Norway? Anything going there?

Pig

[Tompano]

Do you mean working as instructor in Norway? `cause now Norway (as well as Sweden and Denmark) educates all their ATCO's at Entry Point North in Malmoe, Sweden. It is the new Nordic ATS Academy, owned by the three countries. They employ instructors from the three Scandinavian countries, but they also have some english-speaking instructors. So, if you're interested it could be worth trying.
Don`t remember an e-mail adress right now. But check out the web-page and you'll probably find something there..
www.trynorth.com

Regards
T

[thealps]

Hi there!

I'm a swedish ATCO currently working abroad. Have to say, though, Sweden is a really nice place to live and to work. The sallary hasn't been that great until now when they recently got a 40% increase...

You still make more money in Norway (but there everything is more expensive) and in Denmark (big money but even higher taxes than in Sweden) but with this new deal you're well off in Sweden also.

I have quite a few colleagues who have been abroad and now went back so there has been, and is, a shortage of staff for sure.

I think the Swedish language still is mandatory but I guess that will change soon. There actually are a couple of foreigners working in Sweden already (german, OZ, austrian). Where I worked, in the ACC, Swedish was only used in RT with some VFR:s and in coordinations with the Swedish airforce. However, I've heard the airforce has more or less changed everything to English so I'm not sure that's still valid.

If anyone wants a job in Sweden, just go ahead and contact LFV. They're not that used to hiring foreigners but I guess they'll soon have no other option.

[ATCO OMAA]

There are some international controllers at the area centrals. If you are working in App or Twr they might demand the swedish language. Some of the VFR pilots does only speak swedish.
If you see to a larger airport they are using english language on the freqency, but the ground movements (vehicels, not aircrafts on taxifreq) only speak swedish. That might be one of the reasons that they demand the swedish language even there.

But as many other countries, Sweden has a big need for controllers today, so this is a very good time to apply.

Regards from a former ATCO in Sweden

[cpt.fellow]

Do you need any reason other than blondes with coloured eyes? :) I like Sweden in general, went on vacation to Linkoping and found it totally awesome. Plus Saabs, plus Volvos, plus open spaces and the people... it generally looks pretty welcoming! But I don't know what is the salary/price level ratio and stuff... I heard that although you pay enormous taxes, this money works for you afterwards. Is that right?

[ron83]

I agree,that a lot of ground conversation is done using local language,and agree that you can't expect 60 old guy to learn english.
But why than such countries like Sweden,Norway,Netherlands and probably most of EU countries require knowledge of local language for APP/ACC ATCO's?
Here you posted e-mail for Norwegian job,but I'm curious if they gonna hire someone with APP/ACC rating who doesn't speak norwegian...been in Norway, women and country superb:E:Edo like blonde:E
I think same for Netherlands, even their web site is in Dutch only if you want to send application,but I know for sure, heard myself,that even at Schiphol they speak dutch with KLM crew,not always but it happens time to time!:bored: