New report highlights fast track for pharmacists with foreign education into the Swedish job market

A new report from the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) shows that a majority of all who supplement their foreign degree with higher education studies in Sweden quickly establish themselves in the job market. This applies to pharmacists in particular, where participants who complete Uppsala University’s Complementary Programme for Pharmacists with a Foreign Degree become much-needed additions to a profession in great need of licensed professionals.

“We see that 78 percent of our alumni have established themselves in the job market three years after graduation. Of these, 92 percent work in a profession directly related to their expertise. These solid numbers speak for themselves and confirm that our programme is an important component of Swedish skills supply,” says Parvaneh Aghazari, National programme coordinator and teacher at the Faculty of Pharmacy.

UKÄ's report further shows that in 2020–2022, no less than 270 people supplemented their foreign pharmacy education in Sweden. Together, they make up 18 percent of all newly licensed pharmacists as they take the step into a very strong labor market. According to the Swedish Public Employment Service, pharmacists and prescriptionists rank among the 15 future professions most worth investing in when choosing education.

“Our forecasts show that the opportunities for work are indeed very good for both pharmacists and prescriptionists, a trend that we believe will last for many years. So if you are considering your professional future, you should really take the opportunity to start studying,” says Kerstin Eriksson, labour market analyst at the Public Employment Service.

A look at the Faculty of Pharmacy statistics shows that basically all students have job offers before graduation. Sweden's major pharmacy chains agree that the Complementary Programme – with a focus on language skills for academic studies, Swedish regulations and well-organised internships – is an effective path to both certification and profession. But a degree opens up many options.

“I participated in the very first year of the Complementary Programme and it met all my expectations. Our teachers were experts, former students helped us and my internship provided invaluable knowledge. I will never regret my choice to start the training,” says Omar Hmeadi, currently an Associate Professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt