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Book Chapter

The Language of Care: a Labour Law Review of Language Requirements for Care Workers in Sweden

  • Andrea Iossa
  • Jenny Julén Votinius

This chapter analyses the development of legal requirements for Swedish language proficiency among care workers in Sweden; focusing on elder care and the implications for labour law and the work environment. It examines recent legislative reforms and policy debates in light of migration trends; the growing linguistic diversity of the workforce; and the need to ensure quality and safety in care services. The chapter discusses the role of language in care work; the involvement of social partners; and the interaction between language requirements; EU law; non-discrimination principles; and occupational health and safety regulation.

  • Keywords:
  • Care work,
  • Language requirements,
  • Labour law,
  • Sweden,
+ Show More

Andrea Iossa

Lund University, Sweden

Jenny Julén Votinius

Lund University, Sweden - ORCID: 0000-0002-3630-4300

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  • Publication Year: 2026
  • Pages: 337-357
  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
  • © 2026 Author(s)

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  • Publication Year: 2026
  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
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Chapter Information

Chapter Title

The Language of Care: a Labour Law Review of Language Requirements for Care Workers in Sweden

Authors

Andrea Iossa, Jenny Julén Votinius

Language

English

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-1029-4.16

Peer Reviewed

Publication Year

2026

Copyright Information

© 2026 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Bibliographic Information

Book Title

CARE4CARE - We Care for Those Who Care - Vol. III

Book Subtitle

Building Dignified Care Work in Europe: Critical Reflections, Policy Proposals and Practical Tools

Editors

Maria Luisa Vallauri, William Chiaromonte

Peer Reviewed

Number of Pages

408

Publication Year

2026

Copyright Information

© 2026 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Publisher Name

Firenze University Press

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-1029-4

ISBN Print

979-12-215-1028-7

eISBN (pdf)

979-12-215-1029-4

eISBN (epub)

979-12-215-1030-0

Series Title

Studi sul lavoro di cura - Studies on Care Work

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