Employment decisions shall be based on merit and skill: what does that mean?

When employing someone in a government agency, only objective grounds such as merit and skill may be considered. Skill refers to the applicant’s suitability for the position in question. Merit refers to the experience gained through previous state employment or other activities. Unless there are special grounds for doing otherwise, skill shall be the primary consideration when assessing qualifications. Only when the skill of candidates is deemed to be equal, or largely equal, may service merits decide the outcome. This principal applies irrespective of the level of the position. Learn more in the Swedish Agency for Government Employers’ handbook Anställning i staten (in Swedish) .