The 2027 language test: what B1 reading and listening really means
Concrete everyday examples, how to self-assess, how SFI levels map to B1 and a twelve-month plan.
The law requires reading and listening at a functional level, roughly B1 on the European framework, plus speaking and writing at a basic level, roughly A2. The reading and listening test must be available by 1 October 2027 and is being developed by UHR. The exact format and the pass mark have not been published – but what B1 means in practice can already be described.
B1 reading means you understand the main content of ordinary letters and texts on familiar topics. Example: a letter from Försäkringskassan saying your parental benefit application needs additional documents – you should understand what is missing, when it is due and what happens otherwise. You do not need to understand every word, but you should be able to act correctly after reading.
B1 listening means you catch the main points of clear speech on everyday topics. Example: an announcement on the SL metro that the train will not stop at the next station and that passengers are referred to a replacement bus. You should understand what has happened and what to do, even with background noise.
A third example: a rental contract. At B1 you can find and understand the key terms – rent, notice period, what is included – and notice when something is unusual. That is exactly the kind of text Swedish authorities and companies assume an adult can read.
Self-assess: take a real letter from an authority and, after one reading, retell in Swedish what it is about and what you must do. Listen to a short news item in easy Swedish and write down three main points. If you can do that without a dictionary you are close to B1. If you have to translate sentence by sentence you are at A2 and need more time.
How does SFI relate to the levels? Roughly: SFI C sits around A2 and SFI D around B1, particularly in reading. Approved grades in certain courses can replace the test under the regulation – which courses is set by the regulation, and Migrationsverket assesses each case. Even without grades, the SFI D level is a good yardstick for what the test requires.
Twelve-month plan: months 1–3, read one short official text every day and listen ten minutes to radio or podcasts in easy Swedish. Months 4–6, move to ordinary news and longer texts such as your landlord’s information and the school’s weekly letter. Months 7–9, practise with a timer: read a text, answer questions on the content, check. Months 10–12, repeat with unfamiliar texts and also practise speaking and writing at A2, since that part comes later.
The most important advice: practise in Swedish, with texts from Swedish society. The test is digital, taken at test centres, and measures precisely the ability to function in Swedish in everyday life.