New tax rule can affects Thai berry pickers’ income in Sweden

Sweden has introduced a special income tax for short-term foreign workers in the country and this can affect Thai workers who usually work as berry pickers in Sweden, Bangkok Post reports. Thais usually travel to Sweden and Finland to work as berry pickers on Nordic berry farms between July and September every year.

The new tax regime was approved in Sweden in November last year and means that foreign workers who are employed under 183 days per year will have to pay 25 percent of their income in tax.

According to Suchart Pornchaiwisetkul, director-general of the Department of Employment (DoE) in Thailand, DoE is working on a campaign to inform Thai’s who are seeking jobs in Sweden and Thai job placing agents about Sweden’s new tax rules

According to labor officials’ estimated calculations, Thai workers can usually expect to earn between THB 13,327 to 31,156 baht for three months of work at a berry farm, after taxes and living expenses are deducted but Thai workers will likely earn less after the new tax rules.

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