r/TillSverige Dec 28 '21

TillSverige: the FAQ

366 Upvotes

Last update: September 2025

Since this has come up a whole of two times, I decided to make a small FAQ post for this subreddit, r/TillSverige. I would like to thank all the knowledgeable and friendly people who have answered these questions again and again. You are awesome.

I intend to edit this post, adding more answers and improving the existing ones.

Q: How do I move to Sweden? (as in, legally)

A: https://migrationsverket.se is the one true authority on all the rules. Don't forget to check out their FAQ, some non-obvious things are covered only there. Your options depend on your citizenship. For EU citizens, it's possible to just move here and then figure out the rest (which might be rather painful and long if you don't have a job, but still). Migrationsverket is actually not that relevant for this case, but you should check out https://skatteverket.se (that's the tax agency which is also in charge of the population register) and search for “Moving to Sweden”. For non-EU citizens, there are basically three paths: university studies, relationship with a Swedish resident or citizen, and a job at a Swedish company. Technically there's also the self-employment path, but for that one you need to have quite some capital saved up, and most importantly be able to prove that you have Swedish clients lined up, and your business must be set up in Sweden. More details on https://migrationsverket.se, it is truly the source for this information. Update: new way as of June 2022, if you have a Master's degree and 13k SEK for each month you want to stay, you can come and look for work for 3–9 months. Sweden is expensive, finding accommodation is extremely tricky even if you have the money, living without a personnummer is about as comfortable as sitting on the ceiling (and before you find a job you won't get a personnummer), and Swedish job market is not known for its speed, but this is a way to get your foot in the door.

There are no other common paths, e.g. owning property in Sweden doesn't let you reside here and your grandpa having a Swedish cousin doesn't mean anything in Migrationsverket's eyes either. Non-common paths are asylum, being stateless or a literal child (younger than 18) of a Swedish citizen, but I assume most of the people reading this don't fall into those categories. If you do, all the information is (yep, again) on https://migrationsverket.se.

Q: How do I move to my Swedish partner? / How do I get my partner from outside of Sweden here?

A: By reading this and figuring out what applies to your case. There's also a dedicated community on Facebook. TL;DR: you don't have to be married but the partner in Sweden must have a certain level of income enough to support you. The exact number might change but is always up to date on that page linked in the first sentence of this answer. The processing of the application tends to take a long time (months, even years).

Q: Can I move to Sweden and work remotely for a company which is not in Sweden?

A: Sure, if you're an EU citizen and your employer is open to it, but it's not very easy, and you'd need to pay taxes in Sweden (assuming this is where you would be living for the most part of the year). Verksamt.se has this and this as starting points, and of course skatteverket.se has relevant stuff as well.

Q: Should I move to Sweden?

A: We don't know. It works for some, it doesn't for others. Immigration does not make everyone happy. Sometimes it does but not immediately. Sometimes it does but only in the beginning. Search this subreddit for stories similar to yours and if you don't find one, create a post telling us about what's important to you and what background/skills/liabilities/etc you have. One of the all-time top posts on this subreddit might come in handy: https://reddit.com/r/TillSverige/comments/ltm3ap/some_tips_on_integrating_and_thriving_in_sweden/. There's also a special edition for people from the US: https://www.reddit.com/r/IWantOut/comments/gqhlfw/guide_so_youre_an_american_who_wants_to_live_in/

Q: I am 16 and decided that Sweden is awesome, what should I know before I move there?

A: Tons of things, really. Immigration is not a walk in the park, you will have to constantly do quite some research, and at least some of it — in Swedish, a language you might not know yet. So look through this FAQ and use the search function of this subreddit until it's tired and begging you to stop, that'll give you a taste.

Q: What should I do right after the arrival?

A: Go to the closest Skatteverket (Tax Agency) office and apply for your personnummer, you can't really do anything easily without it in Sweden (e.g. renting an apartment, getting a mobile subscription...). When you get that, schedule an appointment (again at Skatteverket) to get an ID card. When you get that, go to a bank, open an account, and get a BankID. This will allow you to sign things online, log in to a billion places, and interact with tons of governmental and private services. Once more: personnummer → ID card → BankID. After you have that, register with Försäkringskassan, here's their guide for new arrivals. If you reside in, or think there's any chance you'd ever reside in, any of the ten largest Swedish cities, consider putting yourself in the renting queue for them. Search for “bostadskö + city name” and register as soon as you get your personnummer and BankID. The more days you stand in those queues, the more chances you get to ever rent an apartment without a huge headache and for an extended period of time. For Stockholm, for example, this costs a few hundred SEK per year, but queuing in the smaller cities is free.

Q: How can I apply for personnummer if I don't have a permanent address yet?

A: You don't need to have a permanent address to apply for personnummer. You just need an address where mail can reach you. The author of this post got a personnummer while staying at a hotel.

Q: How do I find an apartment to rent?

A: Apartments can be rented out i första hand (“first-hand contracts”, from the landlord company directly) or i andra hand (“second-hand”, sublet from a tenant or renting from a private person who owns an apartment). Andrahandskontrakt is usually more expensive and almost always limited in time (3 months, a year, two years if you're lucky). Förstahandskontrakt is unlimited in time and the prices are regulated. In the bigger cities there is usually one or a few big landlords owning most of the apartments and sharing a queue. When you have just arrived, this is not that relevant for you — other people might've been in a queue for several years and you can't beat that. So the alternatives are: (1) find smaller landlords — some people own just one or two buildings and don't really have a queue, (2) let the smaller landlords find you — post your ad on https://blocket.se, write how great you are as a tenant, attach a nice picture, (3) try specialized websites — there's https://www.willhem.se/ and https://www.homeq.se/ at least. When it comes to andrahandskontrakt, you can also try posting your ad on Blocket, and you can search Facebook for “town_name lägenhet uthyres”. Some more details and links here.

Q: How to get an electricity contract / Why do I get two bills for electricity / Can I get an electricity contract without a personnummer?

A: There are two kinds of electricity providers: one kind owns the infrastructure/grid, the other kind sells you the electricity itself (only produced from renewable sources, for example). You need both. You can't choose the infrastructure provider, because a given apartment/house is only part of one infrastructure, but you sometimes can choose a plan you have with them. Your landlord, the previous tenant/owner of the apartment/house, or websites like https://elomraden.se/ will tell you which company is the grid owner in your area. It can either be one of the big three (E.ON, Vattenfall, Ellevio) or a small actor (e.g. Göteborgs Energi). There's a lot more choice when it comes to the companies selling you electricity. Compare them on a website like https://elskling.se, and don't be shy to negotiate when the “new customer” discount expires: people drag these out for years. If you don't make an active choice, your infrastructure company will sign you up to a default (usually expensive) plan. If you don't have a personnummer yet, it will probably be necessary to call the customer service to figure out how to sign up.

Q: How do I open a bank account without a personnummer?

A: You can either wait, negotiate, or try your luck at many places. Wait: when you get the personnummer and the ID card, it should be a smooth process, so if you can, just wait. Negotiate: if you're an EU citizen, you're actually entitled to a bank account, but don't expect the people at the bank to be super happy when you explain it to them. Quite often the clerk at the bank doesn't want to bother or is not really sure about the procedure, so they tell you that it's impossible or that it requires an appointment (which is somehow only available two months from now) or something else to get rid of you. You can ask for a written refusal to open an account for you, this might encourage them. Try your luck at many places: If you really need an account, keep trying different banks, different offices of the same banks, and different clerks of the same offices. Try going to the area of your town where there are a lot of foreign people, e.g. around a university, maybe the banks there are more used to this request. While waiting, you can make an account with something like Revolut or Wise, it might help bridge the time until your Swedish bank account.

Q: Which bank should I choose?

A: The big ones (SEB, Swedbank, Handelsbanken, Nordea are all pretty much the same. Switching is not complicated, they're bound by law to do most of it for you. Search for “jämföra banker” (“compare banks”) if you have special requests. You might want to choose something else for mortgage or long-term investments but that's too deep for this FAQ.

Q: Is a salary of X enough for a family of Y to survive in the city Z?

A: If the city in question is Stockholm and you're used to things like driving your car everywhere, someone cleaning your house, eating out with the whole family of five in fancy restaurants every day, etc — no single salary will comfortably cover that. If you're a single IT guy without expensive hobbies moving to Malmö, a salary of 30k SEK/month might be quite alright. The spectrum is broad and deep, and the biggest factors are: (1) your lifestyle, (2) the accommodation you manage to get — rent market is bonkers, and (3) the number of people you intend to support on a single income (Sweden is easier for couples with two salaries). Time for a shameless plug! Here's a post about it with some numbers, updated in 2025. There's a slightly old thread about the monthly expenses, I'd say increasing everything by ~20% should give you an idea (although some things have pretty much doubled in price): https://reddit.com/r/TillSverige/comments/rcy5fr/real_world_monthly_expenses_for_a_family_of_4_in/

Q: WTF is 'pga', 'mm', 'tom', 'bla', 'osv', 'dvs', 'iaf'..?

A: Abbreviations. See this post to decipher. Pro level on wikipedia (you'll need to translate yourself).

Q: Should I join a trade union / Which trade union should I join / What is A-kassa / Which A-kassa should I join?

A-kassa is basically an unemployment insurance. You pay 100–200 SEK per month, and if you get fired, you can get money for several months while you're looking for a new job. This website explains the whole thing in English, and they have a list of the a-kassas too. There is no a-kassa which can be recommended to absolutely everyone, since different a-kassas only accept members working in particular professions, working in particular branches, or having a particular level of education — check the list to see which ones you're eligible for. Apart from providing you with money in case of unemployment, a-kassa might also give you some discounts (e.g. they can have a deal with an insurance company which will get you 20% off your car insurance or 8% off in a book store chain). There is a qualifying period with a-kassa, you can't become a member today and start receiving the unemployment benefits tomorrow. If you're still on your work permit and not sure whether you would stay in Sweden if you lost your job, or if you have a very comfortable financial buffer, it might not be very beneficial to join an a-kassa.

Trade union is an organization to which you can turn if you're in a dispute with your employer (i.e. they will advise you, negotiate for you, etc). It also costs a few hundred SEK per month, and also often has deals with insurance companies, banks, online stores, etc. Here is a broad overview of various European trade union setups in English. And here you can choose your branch and then profession to see which of the trade unions you would be eligible for (and see the prices for the membership). The more people are in the trade unions overall in the country, the more bargaining power they have. Given that legal consultations are in the ballpark of 1000 SEK/hour, it might be good for an immigrant who's not very good at knowing their rights and Swedish laws to have an option to get consultations and representation from a union. But it's somewhat of a political question, so don't @ me.

There are also a-kassas and trade unions open to self-employed people.

Q: Are Swedes xenophobic / racist / transphobic / etc?

A: Not more than any other country. Depends on where you are, what you do, who you are. By and large, racism and stuff are frowned upon, but Sweden is not a mythical paradise — there are idiots everywhere.

Q: Why is my full name, age, exact address, phone number, and other information suddenly public on the internet?

A: Because it's Sweden, transparency has been important, and then the internet happened. If it bothers you, you can do two things. (1) contact your mobile operator’s support and ask them to stop giving out your number (some operators do this by default but most don't). (2) go through all the websites that publish your information one by one and ask them nicely to remove or hide your information. Some websites have a page where you can do this yourself (BankID required), some websites make you fill out a paper form and send to them. Websites examples: https://hitta.se, https://merinfo.se, https://ratsit.se, https://eniro.se. A guide from the Swedish police on how to decrease your visibility on the web. Update: there might be new legislation on the way to improve this.

Q: Which health insurance for an EU citizen moving to Sweden via the self-sufficient route will satisfy Skatteverket?

A: Search this subreddit by “insurance + your_country”. A lot of comments mentioned Silver or Gold package from Cigna Global Health. This comment mentions OOM insurance for Dutch citizens.

Q: How do I deal with trash/recycling?

A: Find your municipality's website and search by avfall, återvinningscentral or sopor. There will be links explaining how it works where you live. Generally speaking, if you live in an apartment, chances are there's a small building nearby (or a room) with containers for packaging (plastic, paper, metal, glass), food rests, newspapers, and 'general trash' (aka all the other household trash). You will probably also be able to find special biodegradable bags for the food rests there. If you live in a house, you will probably have a couple of big containers on wheels where you can put the 'general trash' or the food rests, and for packaging you need to go to a recycling station. For bigger or hazardous things like fridges and paint you have to go the bigger recycling station (återvinningscentral) and follow the signs there. Batteries and smaller electronics are often accepted at bigger supermarkets, next to the machines that take your empty plastic bottles and give you a receipt (1 bottle = 1 or 2 SEK). Multi-material packaging is sorted by the material that weighs the most. Common mistakes include putting envelopes into container for paper packaging (they belong in 'general trash' because of the glue; although some municipalities now can handle them together with newspapers), not flattening cartons/boxes/etc (Swedish sin!!!), and not removing the steel wick holders from the aluminum cups of the tea lights (those are not metal packaging by the way but are supposed to go to the same place as frying pans). When in doubt, go to https://www.sopor.nu/. Oh, and you are not supposed to take anything out of the recycling room/building, that's against the law.

Q: How can I save money?

A: While this heavily depends on your lifestyle and priorities, the generic tips include: (1) using matpriskollen website/app to compare prices and current discounts in the selected supermarkets, (2) checking out recipes on https://undertian.com/, (3) looking over your insurances/subscriptions using comparison websites (search for subject+jämföra, e.g. 'el jämföra', 'bilförsäkring jämföra'), (4) signing up for memberships and checking out which partnerships they have (e.g. if you have a Coop card, you get a discount with SJ; also check your trade union's discounts), (5) using the library for books, audiobooks, newspapers, games, music, and movies (there are even streaming services, although they usually have a limit of like 2 movies per month), (6) shopping second-hand in the local stores, on blocket.se, tradera.se, and facebook marketplace.

Q: How to make friends?

A: The shortest answer is this: learn the language, get a hobby. There are courses, clubs, organizations, meetups, and all sorts of other things where adults come together, and based on this shared interest/activity can develop a friendship. But pretty much all of them are inaccessible or even invisible to you if you don't speak Swedish. It is of course possible to stay within the English-speaking bubble, or to find a couple of Swedes who are comfortable speaking English for long periods of time and stick with them, but if you want anything else, the only path is through language. Whatever you're into (board games, photography, silversmith stuff, trucks, permaculture, birdwatching, any kind of sport, any kind of DIY, philosophy...), chances are, there's at least one förening about that. I mean, even having kids counts, here's a community of new parents looking for new friends: https://rullavagn.nu/grupper/ and there's such a thing as öppna förskola. If you currently don't have any interests and don't know where to start, well, we're in Sweden, so there's always hiking: just get a pair of comfortable shoes and some rain-proof clothes, you'll be able to walk around a forest or whatever with some Swedish people.

Q: How to buy an apartment and why do people say I wouldn't own it?

A: In short, you're not buying an apartment, you're buying a share in a home owners association, because that's how things are set up. This is also why you can't just buy an apartment and rent it out for years — the association is for those who actually own the share and actually live in the place, not for someone who's just renting and doesn't have that much of a stake. There's a small percentage of properties which you could actually own, but it's so small, it is irrelevant for the high-level overview. What you do is you find an apartment (most probably on https://hemnet.se or https://booli.se), then go to a showing (visning), then participate in a bidding process, sign the contract and pay 10% of the price as deposit; then pay the rest on the day you sign more documents and get the keys. There's also a step of being accepted into the tenants association, but that's a formality. You can find links and excruciating details about all these steps as well as about getting a mortgage in this post. Note that right now (autumn 2024) the rates on the mortgages are higher than they've been in ages.

Q: What should I know if I'm going to have a child?

A: Checkups during the pregnancy are free and voluntary. If everything is going fine, there won't be many checks, especially in the first two trimesters. All the medical care, including dental care, is free for children in Sweden. If your kid gets prescribed a medicine, you just go to the pharmacy to pick it up, you don't have to pay anything. Kids can start at preschool (förskola) at the age of 1. The cost per month is calculated based on your income but is capped somewhere around 1800 SEK. School is free (and they get textbooks and food there). Parental leave is 480 days for both parents in total (+10 days just for the father around the day of birth), and for 60 days both parents can take it out simultaneously. All the nitty-gritty about the parental leave is up on https://forsakringskassan.se. There's also a bunch of posts about everything from your employee rights while on parental leave to what to pack for the hospital when it's go time.

Q: How much does it cost to own a car?

A: This is easier to answer for a specific car. If you have a license plate for the specific car, enter it on https://www.car.info and you'll see (1) calculated tax, which can be ~900 SEK/year for a four year old VW Golf or it can be ~11000 SEK/year for a two year old Volvo XC90, (2) fuel consumption. Fuel prices have jumped quite high this year (2022), you can check the current ones out at https://bensinpriser.nu. If you're looking at electric vehicles, the electricity price comes into question — they have also jumped high, especially in the south of Sweden. You must have an insurance to be able to drive on public roads, the price will depend on your personnummer, where you live, and the car, but count on at least a few thousand SEK per year. There's a mandatory inspection once a year (except for very new cars), it's called besiktning and costs 400–600 SEK. You'll probably want to switch tires for summer/winter — you can do this yourself for free or have someone do it for you (300–400 SEK, twice per year). Speaking of tires, every few years you'll need new ones, that'll be ~4000–7000 SEK. Then there's parking. If you live in a city, you might need to stand in a queue before you get a parking spot from your landlord or home owners association (those could be super cheap like 100 SEK/month; or not). Service and any kind of repairs are pricey, try to compare the offers before committing and ask around for advice, but in any case you can count on seeing thousands on the bill. For places with real winter (i.e. Norrland) you'll also want some equipment to have in the trunk, but that's mostly a one-time small investment.

Q: Where to buy things / What is Sweden's amazon?

A: Technically, Sweden also has Amazon now, but it might be considered not cool to shop there. We've got price aggregators here though: https://www.pricerunner.se/, https://www.prisjakt.nu/. You go there, search for the product you want to buy, and see which online stores have it, what are the current prices, and what's the price history. Also:

  • Blocket, Tradera, and facebook marketplace for second-hand stuff (or new stuff but mostly from private individuals)
  • Clas Ohlson, Bauhaus, Jula, Byggmax, Bolist for home improvement (when you need tools or materials)
  • Ikea, Jysk, Mio for furniture (as well as pillows and stuff)
  • https://bookify.se/ for comparing book prices
  • Dustin, ComputerSalg for computer stuff
  • Symaskinsboden for sewing machines and supplies (also some knitting)
  • Jollyroom, Babymarkt, Bonti for kids stuff

(this is not an endorsement of these stores in particular, just some options to get you started)

Q: How do I move to Sweden? (as in, practically: with cats, all my things, ...)

A: For dogs, cats, and ferrets, there are rules depending on the country you're bringing them from: Jordbruksverket has kindly translated them to English. As for bringing all your belongings, the most common advice is “don't” :D Sell and give away as much as you can, then buy (new or used) after your arrival to Sweden. The cost of transporting heavy bulky items across the border, and especially across an ocean, is pretty crazy. The power outlets might not be compatible with whatever you have. The clothes might not match the climate. And so on.

Q: What about the driving?

A: If you have a driving license from an EEA country, UK, Japan, Switzerland or Faroe Islands, you can exchange it for the Swedish one. For everyone else (that includes the US) you need to get a Swedish driving license from scratch, and you have a year to do it. Unless you're a Ukrainian under the Temporary Protection Directive, then your license is valid as long as the protection is valid. Getting a driving license from scratch will set you back at least 5.5k SEK if you already know how to drive, and how to drive on snow, and how to drive in a Swedish way. If you need to learn from scratch, and don't have a friend who can teach you, that's more like 25–30k. Exact steps, prices breakdown, exam statistics, and more links here.

Q: How do I do anything without a BankID?

A: Usually by calling the customer service, using the paper form instead of a digital one, going somewhere in person instead of spending two seconds on your phone, or sometimes — rarely — using FrejaID or a digital signature service from another EU country. It ain't easy, but don't despair just because you see the BankID button somewhere, there are workarounds in a lot of these situations, though not all of them.

Q: How do I find a job / Why does nobody reply to my hundreds of applications / How long did it take you to find a job / Are there any jobs to find outside of IT?

A: Unemployment is like 10% in Sweden (2025) and even natives with higher education struggle for months to find a job. So yeah, don't be surprised if you don't get many calls after sending out some applications. Even if you're already here and have a valid work permit, some companies will shy away from hiring you just to avoid the hassle with Migrationsverket (source: I was a hiring manager at one of them and had to get an approval from HR if the candidate was on work permit). Knowing Swedish helps. Having someone recommend you helps immensely to get the foot in the door. Having a bombastic, "I AM THE AWESOMEST" tone in the CV decreases your chances. A lot of jobs are not advertised widely. Jobs that don't require education are few and far between, the competition for them is quite immense unless you go to less populated areas. Elderly care (äldreomsorg) always needs personnel. PhD positions come with a salary in Sweden. Some bars in Stockholm hire English speakers. A bit of opinionated advice on finding a job in Sweden can be found in this post.

Q: Will I really die of darkness and cold?

A: Not necessarily. We've had Californians in this sub who hated it, we had those who loved it. A lot of people advise to come and try it out for a while before you go all-in, because it's kinda individual. For the cold (which in Stockholm and south from there is not really that cold), layers are your best friend: don't buy the thickest coat you can find, buy a thin woolen base layer, add a sweater, then a jacket for the wind/rain/snow (whatever's in season), a scarf or neck warmer, a hat, good socks, good gloves, and you're good. For the dark: see all the cute little lights the Swedes put everywhere? Do the same. One in the window, one by the desk, one above the table, one on the floor; whip out the christmas lights ahead of time, light up candles — it all adds to the coziness! Note: the coziness is greatly enhanced if you go North where there's actual snow; it also reflects the sun during the day, unlike grey asphalt covered in slush. A lot of people swear by vitamin D3 supplements.

Questions to be added:

Q: How can I invest money?

Q: How do I open a business?

Q: How does pension work?

Q: What is SFI and how do I sign up? / Are there free Swedish courses?

Q: How does the medical system work? / How do I schedule a doctor appointment?

Q: Can I freelance on the side while on a work permit?

Q: How do I avoid being spammed?


r/TillSverige 3h ago

3 months and still no Samordningsnummer - is this normal?

3 Upvotes

I applied for a samordningsnummer online on June 10 and did the identity check in Lund the same day. At the time, Skatteverket's estimated processing time was around 4 weeks.

Just before those 4 weeks were up, the estimated waiting time increased to 7 weeks at the beginning of July. Then, in late July, it went up again to 11 weeks. The current estimated waiting time is now 13 weeks.

As of today, I've been waiting exactly 12 weeks.

Is it possible that something somehow went wrong with my application after I did the identity check? I'm starting to get a little worried because I've now been waiting for 12 weeks, even though the estimated processing time was only 4 weeks when I applied in June. It still seems strange that my application apparently hasn't been processed at all. The status has been stuck on "Ansökan mottagen av Skatteverket" the entire time.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is 12+ weeks actually normal at the moment, or should I be concerned that something might have gone wrong with my application?

Whenever I call them, I just get the same generic response that the waiting time is normal. However, I'm starting to get the feeling that they aren't actually checking my specific application to make sure everything is in order.


r/TillSverige 11h ago

Moving to Norrbotten for six months - need some advice

10 Upvotes

Hey there. My boyfriend and I (both 38) have an opportunity to live in Northern Sweden for at least six months. Starting in November and till at least June of next year. Somewhere north of Lulea, near the border with Finland. We are both excited and scared at the same time.
We live in a big city in France right now. Winters are more humid than cold, summers are hot.

Both of us want to experience the real kind of winter and the long nights and since this experience will probably be temporary, there is no pressure of "making it". We can always come back.

But the thing is - can someone tell us what to expect? The good and the bad stuff. Like driving during the winter, or surviving in the cold and without sunlight - how hard is it? Also, we have a cat and we really want to bring him with us. What do you think about that? Will the move be too complicated for him? He is an indoor cat who goes out sometimes since we have a garden, but never really in the winter.

Honestly, I am not sure what kind of advice I am looking for, so anything you share about the experience, would be great.

Thank you!


r/TillSverige 11h ago

Confused about MV Work Permit Decision

4 Upvotes

I got a new role (because of promotion) and submitted a new work permit application. My current work permit is valid until 2027. Today I got the decision - first it said the application was granted and then I logged in and it said that it was rejected. The "granted" decision with today's date is registered with my previous extention date that was a year ago an the "rejected" one also with today's date is registered under the new application I submitted. What could be the case? Has anyone experience the same?


r/TillSverige 6h ago

Timeline After Submitting Revisions (Residency Permit)

1 Upvotes

My partner and I were accepted into an SVA course at a folkhögskola and applied for an Other Studies Residence Permit.

On August 12th, Migrationsverket sent us a request for complementary information/revisions. We submitted all requested documents on August 16th. As of today (September 1st), it has been 12 business days since we submitted the additions. Has anyone gone through the complementary document/revision process for study permits recently, and if so, how long did it take for Migrationsverket to issue a decision after you uploaded your files?

Our school has been very accommodating even though the course start date was the 17th of August. They are holding our spots, but we're trying to gauge when people typically hear back in this stage of the process. Thanks in advance!


r/TillSverige 8h ago

Can you work full-time on the “look for work after studies” residence permit?

1 Upvotes

Hi! I'm trying to understand the Swedish residence permit to look for work after completing higher education in Sweden.

The Migrationsverket website explains that the permit allows you to stay in Sweden to look for work or explore starting a business, but I can't find a clear statement on whether you are actually allowed to work while holding this permit.

For example, if I have this permit and receive an offer for a normal full-time job, can I start working immediately under the job-seeking permit and then transition to a work permit later?

Or does the employer need to initiate/get a work permit for me before I can actually start the job?

I'm also confused because Jobbsprånget lists this post-study permit as one of the permits eligible for its internship programme. If anyone has participated in Jobbsprånget while holding this permit, how did the work/internship authorization work in practice?

Also, would welcome if anyone has worked through Academic Work while holding the looking for job authorization.

Thanks!


r/TillSverige 16h ago

Rental Insurance

3 Upvotes

Hi Sweden,

I'll be staying in Sweden for a month in a shared appartement in Umea. Apparently, it is a thing to get an insurance for such shory stay.

Which insurance compagny do you recommend? What is a usual good price for being insured? Is the process fairly easy?


r/TillSverige 14h ago

Internet and electricity providers

1 Upvotes

Hello party people,

I will be moving to Uppsala soon and I am finalizing all necessary contracts. Do you have any recommendations regarding the various internet and electricity providers? Which are considered "cheap but shitty", which are more midrange, which are more expensive but worth it for better service? Anything you wish you had known as a newcomer. Thanks <3


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Orimlig regel: Tid med arbetssökande uppehållstillstånd räknas inte mot EU-långtidsboende trots laglig vistelse

0 Upvotes

Jag vill lyfta en mycket motsägelsefull och juridiskt ologisk regel hos Migrationsverket som berör alla internationella masterstudenter som stannar i Sverige för att söka jobb efter examen.

Jag har ett godkänt svenskt arbetssökande uppehållstillstånd efter min masterexamen. Tillståndet är lagligt, utfärdat av svensk myndighet, och jag vistas lagligt i Sverige under perioden.

Migrationsverket meddelar dock att hela denna lagliga vistelsetid INTE räknas in i de fem år som krävs för EU-långtidsboende (LTR).

Jag har konsulterat flera migrationsadvokater och samtliga bedömer att regeln är:

- Logiskt motsägelsefull

- Rättsligt otydlig

- Saknar rimlig förklaring

Problemet i kärnan:

Sverige beviljar ett giltigt uppehållstillstånd som tillåter oss att bo och vistas lagligt i landet i syfte att etablera sig på arbetsmarknaden – men vägrar att godkänna just denna lagliga vistelse som en del av den femåriga kontinuerliga vistelsetiden enligt EU-direktiv 2003/109/EG.

EU:s grundregel för långtidsboende är tydlig:

Fem års laglig och kontinuerlig vistelse i ett medlemsland ger rätt till långtidsboendestatus.

Migrationsverkets tolkning skapar en paradox:

1. Vi får stanna lagligt i Sverige

2. Vi följer alla lagar och krav

3. Men tiden vi lever lagligt här “räknas inte”

Ingen advokat jag pratat med kan förklara logiken i att en myndighetsgodkänd laglig vistelsetid exkluderas från den EU-definierade bosättningstiden.

Många internationella studenter hamnar i en fälla:

De investerar år av studier i Sverige, stannar för att söka arbete – men deras etableringstid nollställs systematiskt.

Jag ska överklaga beslutet till migrationsdomstolen.

Därför jag ställer frågan till forumet:

Är denna tolkning rimlig?

Är det korrekt att Sverige fritt kan exkludera laglig vistelsetid trots tydliga EU-regler?

Finns det domar eller prejudikat som klargör detta?

Tack för alla perspektiv och diskussioner.


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Pension in Sweden?

5 Upvotes

EDIT: Found the answer with help from you guys. According to Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament & Council, as well as information on "borger.dk", continued work in Denmark as a frontier worker accumulates as "residency" and also counts towards other gatekeepers. State pension will thus come from Denmark (tbc with authorities).

Hey! I am a dane who moved to Sweden in 1999, when I was 24 years old. I've continued working in Denmark ever since. I've begun looking into a "target retirement age" as I don't plan to keep working to the very ripe age of 71, which is my official retirement age in Denmark. In Denmark the "Allmän pension" (Folkepension) is calculated as a fraction based on how long you lived there between 15th birthday and retirement. In Sweden, it appears(?) to be based on your taxed income in Sweden, which in my case would be pretty much 0 SEK (Öresundsavtalet dictates that I pay income tax in Denmark).

Anyone who worked abroad all their life and retired who can shed some light on how to navigate this?

I obviously have a pension saving fund, but it is a very different calculation if there is no state pension to include. :-)


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Advices for sudden job changes in Stockholm/working culture. Newby in Sweden ,just 2 months ago

4 Upvotes

I moved to Sweden with my family two months ago. I hold a valid Swedish Veterinary License (Legitimation) and have 7+ years of clinical experience (routine soft tissue surgery , advanced surgery and emergency care).

My initial employment transition didn't go as expected, and as someone very new to the Swedish system, I’m trying to figure out the fastest way to navigate the local job market.

I would really appreciate advice from locals or expat healthcare professionals on a few specific points:

Locum / Bemanningsföretag: How do short-term contracts (vikariat) usually work for specialized healthcare roles here? Are there specific platforms or agencies beyond Platsbanken that process credentials quickly? And if this works, can the contract be converted to a permanent one after?

Direct Outreach: In Sweden, is it culturally acceptable to contact clinic managers directly by phone or email for emergency/surgical coverage, or is everything strictly handled through formal HR processes?

Networking: Are there regional professional groups or forums where Swedish vets/clinics post short-notice needs?

I'm working on my Swedish daily, but I'm looking to understand the mechanics of the market here as fast as possible. Any insights on how to handle this transition would be greatly appreciated!

Tack så mycket!


r/TillSverige 1d ago

How can I easily fulfil the language requirement for Swedish citizenship?

0 Upvotes

Hej allihopa!

I am an EU citizen living in Sweden for the last 8 years, and I consider that maybe it is time to apply for Swedish citizenship. I can speak Swedish quite well, and I read in Swedish, but in terms of formal education, I had only completed a B1 course given by my university.

The requirements are comvux or SFI completion... But as a PhD student and a parent, I don't have the time for doing these.

Any advice on what else I can do?


r/TillSverige 3d ago

How difficult is it to get sponsored for a work visa?

3 Upvotes

I made a big mistake in my life a while back. I lived in Sweden as a Brit who moved before Brexit. I loved it there, learned Swedish, and really want to go back.

However, I got a funded PhD opportunity in the UK and returned. Now have lost my permanent residency but want to move back to Sweden. I've been trying to figure out a way I can get back to the country, perhaps first by doing a master's program and then trying to get a job.

How realistic is this?


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Am I stupid to migrate to North Sweden...

165 Upvotes

from the Netherlands...?

As Dutchies, we often feel like honorary Scandinavians, but every time I visit Sweden, it truly feels like coming home... a place where I can finally breathe.

I love the varied weather, the vast nature, the oceans, the endless forests, and the prospect of a real winter again. It hardly freezes back home anymore, whereas I grew up ice skating until my eyelashes froze over. And I love the people, too. While Stockholm is great, my heart is really in the North.

My background is quite diverse, with experience across arts and culture, hospitality, humanitarian work, extensive volunteering, nursing, vet nursing, and finance.

When I visited Östersund last spring, I connected easily with locals of all ages, from elderly couples to youngsters. I'm curious, open-minded, and respectful and love to be in nature. But sometimes worry about being the odd one out.

Is moving to Jämtland realistic for a Dutchie?

(Oh, and I practice Swedish every day, alongside a bit of Jämtska and Sámi!)


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Employer Seriousness Issue During Work Permit Extension

5 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m currently waiting for a decision on my Swedish work permit extension and would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

I applied for the extension before my previous permit expired in March 2026, and the case has now been pending for more than five months. Migrationsverket on April and May requested additional documents, including bank statements and information about my previous assignment clients.

My Swedish employer is an EOR/consulting company, while I primarily work for a foreign client. Migrationsverket has raised questions about my employer’s “seriousness” (arbetsgivarens seriositet), including whether the company is acting as and taking full responsibility as the actual employer. As far as I know, the company has also had at least two previous first time work permit applications rejected due to this, and some colleagues have got investigation for revoking their work permit.

Migrationsverket has told me that I can change employers while my extension application is still pending and update the existing application accordingly.

I’m currently considering three options:

  1. Stay with my current EOR.
  2. Switch to another EOR while continuing to work with the same foreign client.
  3. Find a complete new job with a direct Swedish employer.

I’d be especially interested to hear from anyone who has:

  • submitted a Request to Conclude while Migrationsverket was still possibly investigating; or
  • changed employers during a pending work permit extension, particularly from EOR → EOR or EOR → direct Swedish employer.

One of my main concerns is whether switching to a different Employer of Record (EOR), while continuing to work for the same foreign client, could lead Migrationsverket to view the arrangement as primarily a payroll intermediary setup rather than a genuine employer–employee relationship. But my current EOR functions as my formal employer: it pays my salary, makes the required employer contributions, administers vacation and other employment related obligations, and employs me under a permanent employment contract.

I’m mainly looking for real-world experiences and examples of how Migrationsverket has handled similar cases.

Thanks in advance!


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Are young children without (yet) residence permit an issue when coming back to Sweden?

0 Upvotes

I've been living with my family in Sweden for almost two years with a work based permit. We had a baby born here, and have been waiting for a while to get his residence permit. We have a planned visit to our home country in a few weeks. I've mostly planned on canceling it if we won't get the baby's permit in time, but I've been hearing some contrary voices from friends here. So, does anyone know if it's actually likely that we have a serious issue if we go for the visit (out of schengen) and come back? Will border control just block us if we all have permit except for the baby (technically he can visit as a tourist without visa, but obviously that's not the real intention)?

If it is an issue, is there any way to ask MV to hurry up, or get some kind of temporary permission to go and come back? Otherwise we're stuck here for months until they decide to free us. It's really kind of silly given that he was born here and we have valid permits, so I can't imagine what reason there could be not to give the permit automatically.


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Visiting my wife in Sweden while waiting for a residence permit decision

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I have applied for my first residence permit to live with my wife in Sweden. She is a Swedish citizen, and we are currently waiting for the case to be processed. I have not yet received an invitation for an interview.
I am planning to visit my wife in Sweden for one week in September (1–8 September) as a regular short visit, and I will return to my home country afterwards.
Has anyone been in a similar situation — having a pending first-time residence permit application based on marriage to a Swedish citizen, but visiting Sweden temporarily before receiving an interview invitation?
Did you have any problems at the border, or did the visit have any effect on your residence permit application?
I would especially appreciate experiences from people who travelled to Sweden while their application was still pending.
Thanks!


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Study Permit Extension Timelines

0 Upvotes

Hello,

Can anyone share their timelines for study permit extension? I have applied on June 9th this year to extend until October 31st to finish my master degree and I have not received any invitation for the fingerprint / photo appointment. I am also worried they might not issue any extension and let me wait to apply for the job seeking one. If you have applied for one this summer and were granted, could you please share your timeline?

Thanks 😊


r/TillSverige 5d ago

Is my plan to move to Stockholm realistic?

14 Upvotes

Hej hej!

I've been a bit hesitant to ask here because I've already spent months reading lots of posts in this sub, but I can't help making a post of my own to ask for some advice.

I'm 25 years old and from Lithuania (EU), and I've been thinking about moving to Stockholm for a long time.

I currently have 20 000 Euro savings in my account but I would also be able to export my unemployment benefits up to 6 months while looking for work in Sweden. For the first 3 months I would receive 80% of my previous salary, then another 3 months 60% which would cover a large part of my rent during that period.

I've found a potential long-term place to live in the Stockholm area, outside the city centre, for 11,000 SEK per month with all utilities included. The contract would have a three-month notice period. (The landlord knows my situation and he's fine with it). I also have few local friends in Stockholm for emotional support while settling

I'm also currently learning Swedish at A1 level through an online language school and taking regular classes.

My idea would be to move and give myself around six months to seriously look for work. If I still couldn't find anything by then, I would return to Lithuania. Still, my actual intention is to stay in Sweden long-term if I manage to find work.

I have several years of experience working in international logistics / freight forwarding. I used to work with a Swedish company and even tried to transfer internally through work, but unfortunately it didn’t work out. This would be my main field to look for work in, but I’m also willing to take a simpler job at first while continuing to look for something within my field.

Does my plan sound realistic, or would you advise against moving without already having a job lined up?

I've been told that it's much more difficult to find a job while applying from abroad than when you're already in Sweden, since you don't have a Swedish address or phone number and can't easily attend interviews in person. I'm also well aware that the Swedish job market is difficult at the moment, especially without fluent Swedish.

Appreciate any advice!


r/TillSverige 4d ago

3 days in Stockholm after hip surgery -- itinerary ideas that keep walking light?

1 Upvotes

I (30F) will be in Stockholm for work mid-September and will have three days upon arrival free to explore before needing to spend the following four days working. Typically, walking is one of my favorite ways to explore, but I am recovering from hip surgery and need to avoid walking long distances. Standing and sitting are generally not a problem, and I am cleared to ride a bike. Besides the hip, I am fit and healthy.

I won't be missing the Vasa museum even though I think that may be a challenge for me physically, but apart from that I am looking for itinerary recommendations. When I travel, I tend to prioritize the food, architecture, and art/music scene, and have a soft spot for ferry rides. Any ideas?

EDIT: Thank you all for the excellent suggestions! This has brought me some great ideas and peace of mind that I will be able to enjoy myself without causing a major flare-up!


r/TillSverige 5d ago

Student Insurance

0 Upvotes

Hi, I'm an EU exchange student who will be in Uppsala until June. What is the best health insurance for students?

My uni provides the kammarkollegiet stuff, but I would like a decent health care policy for non emergency check-ups etc, unless it is cheaper to pay for those out of pocket?

Appreciate any help!


r/TillSverige 5d ago

Need advice on Skavsta-Stockholm bus transfers

0 Upvotes

I'm flying to Skavsta airport on the 10th of September, and arriving there at 8:20 in the morning if there are no delays. I saw that there are a couple of bus options to get to Stockholm but online the schedule only lists one ride a day (around 9 or 10 am i think).
I need advice on how reliable these transfers are because i don't want to be stranded at the airport for the whole day.


r/TillSverige 6d ago

Gap between employers - consequences for future PUT?

2 Upvotes

Hi!

I'm currently with company A, which I've started with a 6 months probation since May 2025 and a permanent contract since November 2025 (= I'm currently on a 2 years work permit since nov2025)

So far total elapsed permit time 15 months.

I'm quitting company A in favor of B for better salary and benefits. B is willing to apply for a new permit so I can work while waiting for a decision as I'm still below 24 months.

I'm fairly burnt out and am considering taking a 15 day gap between the end of my employment at A and the beginning of B's employment, along with using up my vacation days. How will these 15 "unemployed" days affect my future applications for PUT, for example?

Thank you!


r/TillSverige 6d ago

As at August 2026, Nordea needs an overseas foreigner (EU citizen in my case) to at least have their coordination number before progressing an account.

6 Upvotes

An update for anyone that’s considered or is in
the process of either trying to be set up to buy property in Sweden and has not obtained their coordination number yet.

I reached out to Nordea via their prescribed contact form for non Swedes about seven business days ago. The form advertises contact within 10 business days so they were well and truly in time in contacting me today.

I am bringing a not insignificant amount of money with me to both buy a house and funds for savings and investment, because basically every tax efficient wrapper that I might have enjoyed as a tax resident elsewhere does me no good in terms of Swedish tax liability as a Swedish tax resident.

I don’t expect special treatment because of bringing the funds, I’m simply contextualising that I’m not a student and am working towards an ongoing, full spectrum banking relationship with money to invest now.

We had a brief conversation on the phone this morning which amounted to “Do you have a coordination number yet?” No, I don’t, I have applied and had my appointment at an office in Gothenburg last week, and the gentleman who took a copy of my passport and took my photo (props to the Swedish tax office on having electric standings desks!) perhaps rather optimistically told me it’s going to take “two to three weeks” to get my coordination number in the post.

The conversation ended there. Absent at least a coordination number, Nordea can’t do anything to open anything, so it’s basically a case of “contact us again by filling out the form again once you have your coordination number and we should aim to contact you within 10 business days after that again”.


r/TillSverige 6d ago

Seat change with Snalltaget to accommodate pregnancy

0 Upvotes

Hi - I booked a trip from Stockholm to Malmo for Friday night. Online they said they place people next to each other, but it seems our seats are totally separate (52, 56). Normally that’s OK, but my wife is in her second trimester of pregnancy and is having energy dips and nervousness when alone. She will sleep and lean on someone due to the energy dips. She also has pelvic floor issues since pregnancy that causes her to rush to the bathroom. For a 5 hour train ride, it’ll be a lot for her to be separate from me. Besides - it’s our baby moon so it’s our last trip for awhile together.

I tried emailing them asking for an accommodation to be seated together, but no response after days. I am calling and have been calling for 3 hours now. It keeps disconnecting. I want to either get a refund and book SJ where I can pick seats or have them change it. Their own website says they do accommodate for various issues and disabilities.

Any suggestions?