• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Newbie Guide to Sweden

The Newbie Guide to Sweden

We explain Sweden

Work

10 Swedish words to know in the office

1 February 2023 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Why do you need to learn Swedish words for the office? Well, are you looking for a job in Sweden? Or, are you already working in a Swedish office? In that case, just knowing 10 simple words or phrases in Swedish might make all the difference for your experience in a Swedish workplace. Rebecca from SweTeach helps you navigate life as a Swedish office worker. Check out the word list below of Swedish words to know in the office.

This post is written by Rebecca Andersson, an experienced Swedish teacher and co founder of SweTeach, language coaching for newcomers.

En fika (noun) att fika, fikar (verb)

No Swedish word list can exist without including the word fika. In the office, fika can refer to several different things. If you grab a cup of coffee and take it back to your desk, it is not considered fika. A fika has to involve either a sweet treat or a social gathering, both in the best case. 

Fredagsfika might be the most popular type of fika. A Friday fika is a weekly gathering at the workplace, usually on Friday afternoons. Some companies have a fika list where someone has to bring in fika for the whole team each week. 

En matlåda (noun)

In Sweden, many people bring their own lunch box or matlåda to work. This plastic, glass, or metal container often includes popular everyday dishes (husmanskost) such as Spaghetti och köttfärssås, Korv stroganoff, or Köttbullar och potatismos. 

Whether to heat up the food in your lunch box or put it on a plate first is up to you. But, if you would like to be popular among your colleagues, I would advise you to avoid fish. It leaves an awful smell behind after re-heating!

En after-work/AW (noun)

Wait a minute, is this not English? You are right, but only partially. The words are English, but the expression is Swedish. An After Work or AW is a social gathering with friends or colleagues where you enjoy a drink and possibly some food together after a working day. An AW often starts around 4 or 5 pm and lasts a few hours. 

The concept is popular in Sweden and you will see plenty of offers on drinks and food similar to a Happy hour. Some bars also offer activities such as darts, boule, shuffleboard, or a pub quiz. 

En lönehelg (noun)

An AW often kicks off a lönehelg. The word translates to ‘pay weekend’ and is often used as an excuse to spend a little extra when you have just received your salary. Most Swedes get paid on the 25th of every month and the preceding Friday if that date occurs on the weekend. This makes Friday the most common payday, which is why lönefredag is also a thing. 

Since most people in Sweden get paid on the same day, a lönehelg often means a busy weekend for shops, restaurants, and bars. Do not forget to book a table if you plan to dine out on the 25th!

Ett möte (noun)

The Swedish meeting culture is famous, or infamous, even outside of Sweden. There are plenty of different meetings to choose from; breakfast meetings, briefings, lunch sessions, team meetings, evaluation meetings etc.

An essential part of the Swedish meeting culture is reaching konsensus. Everyone should contribute to the discussion and agree on a decision. This can take quite some time, and you often have to parkera or ‘park’ issues and schedule a new meeting to continue the discussion.

Ett friskvårdsbidrag (noun)

Fitness and well-being are hot topics in Sweden gyms are to be found everywhere. Many companies provide a friskvårdsbidrag, which is financial support that you can use to pay for a gym card, massage, or membership in a sports association. 

Some employers also allow you to exercise during work hours or organise weekly group exercises for you and your colleagues. In Sweden, the question is not if you work out or not, but what you do for exercise and how often.

Att vabba, vabbar (verb)

Even though many Swedes are interested in health, people get sick here just like everywhere else. When you stay home from work with sick children, you get reimbursed by Försäkringskassan for up to 80 percent of your salary for a maximum of 120 days per year. This system is called VAB, and the word is so frequently used that it was made into a verb. At a Swedish workplace, you can get a message from your colleague stating Jag vabbar idag, which means that the person will be off work due to taking care of sick children. 

In the winter, people tend to get sick more than during the rest of the year. This is why Swedes sometimes speak about the month of February as vabruari, the month of VAB. 

Att tidrapportera, tidrapporterar (verb) 

Many people in Sweden are working from home nowadays. This has made it more crucial than ever to report your work hours or tidrapportera, as you say in Swedish. 

In Swedish offices, it is common to have flexible hours or flextid. This means you do not have to start or finish your workday at any specific time as long as you do your hours. If you work more than you should, you can save hours that you can use for vacation later in the year. 

En semester

Speaking of holidays, every person working in Sweden has a lawful right to vacation or semester in Swedish, confusingly enough. A full-time worker has a minimum of 25 paid vacation days to spend during the year and has the right to schedule four cohesive weeks of vacation between June and August.  

Since people in Sweden tend to spend most of their vacation during the summer period, the word semester is closely linked to the summer holidays. If you take time off during other seasons, you can use the word ledighet, which translates to ‘leave’.

En röd dag

In addition to your vacation days, most office workers are also off work on public holidays. These days are referred to as röda dagar, ‘red days’ since they are marked with red in the calendar. In Sweden, there are about 15 such days per year. 

If you want to maximise your days off work, it is all about combining your vacation days with public holidays. Every year, many magazines and Unions publish guides on how to get the most out of the vacation year. 

We hope you learned a thing or two from this list. If you are looking to learn more Swedish, you can get started with the online course Swedish for Beginners. It is a self paced, self taught digital course that you can take from anywhere at anytime and at your own space. And it is very reasonably priced if we may say so ourselves 🙂 Good luck!

Further reading

  • Learning Swedish is fun
  • The do’s and don’ts of a Swedish workplace
  • How much Swedish is needed for working in the Swedish health care system?
  • Impress your Swedish friends with these similes

Filed Under: Blog, Work Tagged With: employment, find a job, jobs in sweden, jobsearch in Sweden, learn Swedish, Swedish, Swedish Culture, Swedish words, swedish workplace, work in sweden, working, working in Sweden

What is it really like to work in Sweden?

11 February 2022 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

A couple of weeks back we conducted a poll asking the Newbie community, ‘How different is the business behaviour or work culture in Sweden compared to that of your home country?’ And 90% of our readers voted: ‘Very different’. No wonder then, that for a newbie in Sweden, feeling at home at work doesn’t come so easy.

Written by our Content Manager and Writer, Nidhi Dhingra

We went on to ask, ‘What, for you, makes the work culture in Sweden so different?’, and heard back from both newbies and oldbies in Sweden, originally from or having worked in countries across Europe, Middle east, Asia and the Americas, in varying professions.

Putting together the many conversations and our own experience together, here’s the bitter-sweet (though, mostly sweet) of working in Sweden:


Clear employee rights and work structure

‘In Sweden, I would say, employees have clear rights; also working hours, responsibilities and suchlike are more structured. In Yemen, most people work overtime, and job descriptions are quite vague so one person can have several roles’, says Rasha, a Social Media Researcher and Analyst.

‘Another thing that I saw can be described as “I do only my job, nothing more nor less”. Compared to Syria, where I admit that roles are not so clear and expectations not as it is here, but you can still feel that the workflow is almost never disturbed by just saying “not my job” when I can really and clearly do the task in question’, adds Sami, an Office Administrator and Coordinator in Gothenburg.


Work life balance is sacred

It won’t be an exaggeration to say that most countries do not give even one-fifth of the mind space to the idea of work-life balance that Sweden does, where it’s woven into the very fabric of society.

Sweden’s celebrated parental leave policy of 480-paid-days, reduced working hours, and a five-week long vacation during summer (mandated by law, no less!) are only the tip of the iceberg. There’s an impressively long list of benefits that the government offers, particularly to make it easier for parents. For instance, offering out-of-school hours care at a low price; a parental benefit that allows one to stay at home with their young children instead of working, if they so choose; and VAB – paid leaves to stay home with a sick child.

Work life balance
Work life balance is woven into the very fabric of the Swedish society

‘There is an understanding with regard to personal or family issues, like your child’s health or need for family time. Also, you have the option to choose what kind of tasks you want to work on, and the flexibility to plan your work timings according to your convenience (obviously within limit)’, notes Manini, a Software Developer, originally from India.

Ask anyone what they would most miss about working in Sweden, and it’ll be the quality time it allows one with self and family.


No prizes for over-working

Overworking is not celebrated in a Swedish organisation – at all. Rest assured that there will be no calls or emails past working hours or during vacation time.

‘In Singapore, if you leave at 6 pm, it’s like a crime. There is an unsaid mandate of staying till 7.30 pm, whether you have work or not’, Suresh, a Senior Solutions Engineer tells us. ‘Dubai is kinda similar; you don’t leave for home before your boss does’, says Hysen, a Director-Sales & Marketing.

In Sweden, working extra very often to impress your boss will only tell him or her that you can’t manage your workload very well. It also increases the risk for the company that you could burn out, have more days of sick leave, and feel overall less satisfied with your current workplace. Most Swedish workplaces want you to feel good and not squeeze that last drop of working power out of you. ‘Holidays in Sweden are to be respected and enjoyed’, notes Shanalie, an Internal Audit Specialist, from France.

That said, ‘it is also important to remember that while the system allows for work-life balance, it’s left up to the individual to ensure that he or she does not overwork. Your manager may not be to help you with it on a regular basis’, clarifies Naresh, a Digital Data-Analytics Lead.


Fika (or coffee) break, twice a day

‘The 9:30-am and 2:30-pm fika break in offices is the holy grail in Sweden’, quips Sachin, a Senior Software Developer.

For Swedes, the fika or coffee break is a key part of the daily schedule at work. There is an unsaid expectation to take that 10 to 30-minute break from work, twice a day, and join your colleagues for conversations over some tea/coffee and occasional baked goodies. In fact, if you skip one too many fika breaks on account of deadlines or some such excuse, it is often viewed with suspicion.

fika break sweden office
For Swedes, the fika or coffee break is a key part of the daily schedule at work.


Great respect for time

Punctuality is the norm in Sweden, and it is very important to play by this rule if you’re to make a good impression on your teammates. A 2-pm meeting means that your colleagues will be ready for you five minutes prior. Hustling into the meeting room at 2:05 pm will only be seen as unprofessional.

This rule, in fact, extends to Swedish social circles as well. ‘When you set an informal appointment in Sweden, let’s say a 12.30-pm lunch, ten days from now, no one feels that it needs to be confirmed closer to the day. Whereas in Brazil, it is smart to check again if your lunch mate is still up for it’, shares Ivy, a Compliance Counsel.

It is not for nothing that Swedes are notorious for pulling out their calendars to schedule even informal engagements with family or friends.


Open and relaxed work environment

‘Openness and fairness is not just preached, it is part of the work culture’, observes Sachin, from India.

‘Workplace hierarchy is very palpable in our country [Yemen], while here you kinda forget who’s the boss and who’s the “subordinate”. It’s relaxed; you don’t need to be extra respectful or extra careful with what you say and how you behave,’ shares Shatha, currently an Administrative Assistant.
‘It took me a year to realise who my boss was in my previous company!’, quips Tatyana, a Freelance Video Editor from Bulgaria.

On the contrary, in Swedish organisations, subordinates often have more responsibility in conducting negotiations or closing a deal. ‘Top-down chain of command doesn’t work here. Best ideas mostly come bottom up’, says Atul, a Group Manager – Technology. ‘You can contradict the management with no hesitation, and the feedback is often received very well’, adds Koneru, a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer.

Even so, while a difference of opinion is easily expressed, it is most often shared as “maybe”, “perhaps”, “that’s interesting”, “let me get back to you”. So remember not to take these responses as an approval or agreement. Swedes don’t like direct confrontation and try to avoid it as much as possible.

Faith in the individual

When looking for a job in Sweden or working with a Swedish organisation, know that your word will be taken as your guarantee. ‘Here, you are accepted for the resume you share’, says Suresh, who’s worked in multiple countries in expat roles.

An adjustment for many is that supervision from the manager is a far cry; an individual is assumed to be responsible enough for his/her work and commitments. ‘Receiving feedback on your performance is rare. You don’t know if your work was appreciated or not unless you really ask for it’, Manini tells us.


Promises are honoured

There is trust and honesty both in the system and the individual. Even verbal promises are honoured in Sweden.

‘A big difference to Bulgaria is that Swedes don’t promise their clients things that are impossible to achieve, be it a deadline or completing a task. They are more realistic. In Bulgaria they would say “yes yes no problem, we fix it”, but most often they are unable to deliver’, remarks Tatyana.


Built on consensus

The other side of the coin to the egalitarian equation is that all decisions are made on a consensus. This turns decision-making into a long-drawn process, involving multiple meetings to get everyone on to the same plane.
‘It is not your boss you have to impress, but your colleagues’, notes Atul.


Process-driven

The work culture in Sweden is strictly process-driven, and sticking to the plan is most important. ‘Course corrections required during implementation are minimal. In India, many times, the decision making is top-down or taken on a majority consensus. Overall consensus-building would then happen in parallel to the implementation, resulting in quicker course corrections’, feels Murali, a Head of Finance.

‘There isn’t much out-of-the-box thinking in Sweden. Also, both organisations and individuals take forever to open up and hence collaborations can be challenging’, shares Vidhya, a Data and Information Architect.


Private and professional are separate

Swedes rarely build close friendships at work. They are very conscious of overstepping bounds by asking questions about their colleagues’ private lives. Even at fika breaks and after-works that are designed to encourage bonding with colleagues, personal queries are not common. So, it’s possible that you would’ve worked with the same set of people for years but don’t know them very well personally.

That said, there is also no superficiality in conversation with a Swede. There rarely is any small talk at the start of a meeting. Communication outside of work is brief but also real.


Lagom

The Swedish word lagom means “just the right amount”. It’s also widely translated as “in moderation”, “in balance” and “perfect-simple”, and applies to work just as much as life in Sweden.

Being an overachiever at work, celebrating one’s individual accomplishments, or harbouring a sense of competition are all looked down upon. Good performance, in this sense, is defined as anything that can benefit the entire team and is not a threat to others. It’s the quality of work that earns you respect from your co-workers or your boss, and not a spirit of competition or ambition.


Career growth

‘Salary growth within the company is nowhere near that of the Asian countries, where hikes could be as high as 15-20%. It is a pretty flat curve in Sweden; of course, as a socialistic approach’, shares Koneru. The only sure shot method for receiving a worthy pay raise is by changing jobs.

‘From a title point of view, to rise is hard unless you are in a non-Swedish management organisation or can speak and write fluent Swedish. You might be popular with your co-workers, but that does not imply a promotion’, thinks Naresh.


Gender equality is hyped

Despite Sweden being high up on gender equality, ‘it is doubly-hard for women to rise to leadership positions here’, feels Vidhya, from India.

Social security

Working in Sweden comes with an ample number of security benefits, such as the unemployment insurance (arbetslöshetsförsäkring) that gives a basic sum to almost anyone who is looking for work in Sweden.

‘Generally Swedes are very secure knowing that, no matter what, the state will take care of them if they get sick or lose their job’, observes Magnus, Director-Business Control on an expat role in the US. ‘Americans on the other hand are generally less risk-taking, for they don’t have the government supporting them. So they are very wary of challenging authority.’

———————————————————————————————————————————–

So that’s our two pence on the work culture in Sweden – with some great, and some not as easy aspects to get used to, for a newbie. Though rest assured that you’ll find your way around pretty soon. For coffee and cake twice a day, every day, can only make the day look up. No?

Many a times, even for one born in Sweden doesn’t necessarily mean that they know the ins-and-outs of business behaviour. Fret not though – if you’re working in Sweden, irrespective of where you are in your experience of the country, we have just the course for you: Business behaviour: Accepted and expected behaviour in the Swedish job market.

It is designed and taught by Annmarie Palm, an expert in the development of work relationships and communication, and author of the book, Business behavior: Uppför dig ­­– eller tappa affären, which translates to “Business behavior – behave or lose your business”.

‘This fast-paced course takes you through all the questions you might have about the work environment in Sweden. Simple tips that will take you far in your career.’ – Anna Hochdorfer

Go ahead, and sign up for the course here.

About the Author

 

Hej hej! I’m a writer and illustrator originally from India; and now call both India and Sweden home. I have had a 2-year stint in Gothenburg — easily the best two years of my adult life. An explorer at heart, I travel often; armed with a curious mind, a sketchpad, notebook to scribble in and my taste buds – exploring by-lanes, discovering treasures, gaining new friends and experiences.

Filed Under: About, Blog, Culture, Sweden, Work Tagged With: business behavior, life in sweden, Newbie, Newbie in Sweden, Sweden, Swedish Culture, work culture, work in sweden, working in Sweden, worklife

Travelling Sweden as a volunteer

12 August 2021 By The Newbie Team 2 Comments

Written by Malena Rasetto

I lived in Sweden for 5 months, and the unique thing is that I didn’t live in one place but around. 

I decided to travel to Sweden as a volunteer, which means to work in exchange for food and accommodation. In some places, I stayed 1 week, in others two months… 

Travelling Sweden as a volunteer

Skåne, Sweden
Skåne, Sweden. Photo by Malena

The question is how I found volunteer jobs. There are many platforms you can use, in my case I used Workaway. Workaway is an online website that you use to travel the world in exchange for accommodation and food. 

I was staying in my first workaway in Denmark when I found a volunteer job in Sweden. It was mid-December when I moved to Lönsboda to help to rebuild a house and do some gardening. Lönsboda is a small town in the south of Sweden, there’s literally nothing to see or do, but it’s amazing to explore the culture. After my stay in Lönsboda, I went to Stockholm to spend few days before travelling to the arctic circle to spend a month catching Auroras Borealis. 

Once I arrived in Kiruna, I stayed in a hostel, spent Christmas and never seen the Northern Lights. However, I never gave up, and after 4 wonderful days in Kiruna, I went to my second workaway in Sweden, in Jokkmokk, still in the arctic circle. It was there where I caught two northern lights. 

It was time to leave the north and keep travelling Sweden as a volunteer, so in mid-January, I moved to Östersund, a city near Åre. I had the time of my life learning how to ski and going back to ice skating. 

After those two wonderful months in the middle of Sweden, I went to Gothenburg for few days and finally to Klagstorp to my last workaway in a yoga retreat. 

Why do I recommend travelling Sweden as a volunteer?

Jokkmokk, Sweden. Photo by Malena

It’s an experience you will never forget! It gave me a glance at the culture and Swedish people. Here’s my article about Swedish people through an Argentinian´s eyes.

In my experience, Sweden is beautiful from north to south, from west to east. I had the opportunity to spent winter and the beginning of spring in such a country. It was wonderful to see the snow melting and the green trees appearing.

Sweden in winter is a white country. Snow and darkness are the protagonists from December to February. The sunrise is at 11 am and the sunset is at 14 pm. During the night, however, given it’s completely white it looks like it’s daylight. You’ll feel you are in a movie. 

My personal experience

Skåne, Sweden. Photo by Malena

I have never imagined living up north and in the southest point of the same country. Sweden is a huge country to travel to and enjoy. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do in every season. So, if you are thinking about moving or travelling to Sweden, stop asking yourself when and just go! And remember you can enjoy Sweden travelling as a volunteer 🙂 

About the Author

Hej! I’m Malena. I’m an Argentinian travelling Sweden. After living in Ireland for 2 years and a half I decided to start backpacking Europe. I’ve been living with different families since then. I love to be around different cultures, I love outdoor activities like hiking and swimming. I love blogging, reading and writing. You can find me on Instagram as @malenarasetto. I really hope you enjoy my articles! Vi ses!

 

Filed Under: Blog, Culture, Sweden, Work Tagged With: Sweden, Swedish autumn, travel, travel in sweden, volunteer

Why e-learning can help you take control of the chaos that is re-starting your career in Sweden

9 April 2021 By Sofi Tegsveden Deveaux Leave a Comment

How do you restart your career in Sweden? Swedes like to describe their country as modern, equal, neutral, and ready for the next cup of coffee. Likewise, international professionals who move here have expectations on a progressive society, shared parental leave, a healthy work-life balance, and some hardcore weather. This is all, arguably, true, but anyone who has been here for a while has probably discovered that the Swedish reality is more complex than that.

This may be particularly apparent as you enter a Swedish workplace, where theory is put into practice: For instance:

  • Did you ever reflect about flat organisations requiring excellent lateral communication skills?
  • Have you considered the consequences of working in such an individualistic culture, where employees are expected to be autonomous and take initiative instead of being supervised by their superiors?
  • Have you realised that a healthy work-life balance requires advanced time management skills from all co-workers, and that gender equality means that your team members are unable to work overtime?
  • Has it occurred to you that the cold Nordic winters mean your Swedish colleagues will not commit professionally during summer?
  • Are you aware of what small-talk topics are considered taboo, when trying to connect to your Swedish colleagues?

It can take a long time to figure all of this out. It may also take a lot of frustration, and you may experience that you are misunderstood or underestimated, despite your high qualifications and your work experience.

 

You may put all your effort into something that your employer doesn’t acknowledge or value at all. You may discover that you are not paid as much as you ought too, and that it’s too late to negotiate.

Swedish work culture courses in e-learning format

Since 2008, I have helped international professionals into the Swedish job market, and these are only a few of the questions that come up when they consult me. What I love the most about coaching is how much I learn myself. I have discovered things about my own culture that I previously took for granted, and how many things we do without reflecting on them.

Most importantly, I have learnt that the best thing you can do when confronted with a new society and culture is to talk openly about it, to put words on phenomena and draw out patterns. This is maybe not as confusing as it seems to be! There are answers to your questions! There are shortcuts! You are not alone in your confusion! 

This is why I have created my work culture courses, to help you navigate this new cultural landscape. Up until now, these courses have only been available in the form of one-to-one coaching at my office based in Stockholm. This is something that has always bothered me. I love helping people, but given the format, my courses have only been available to a few.

 

Now, thanks to Newbie Learn, I will be able to help many more people to get a good start to their career in Sweden. It means a lot to me, I know there are so many skilled and talented people out there, and there is no reason why they should struggle. 

One last important thing. My courses are not designed to transform you, or to make you become Swedish. It is up to you to decide how much you take on, what you see as inspiration, what you consider a bad habit. You have a lot to bring to your Swedish workplace, new perspectives, a different background, alternative ways of doing things, which is something really positive.

However, I believe that you will feel more in control of your life and how to restart your career if you understand the cultural context you are now a part of. Through understanding the unwritten rules your Swedish colleagues are already playing by, you will be able to take more informed decisions, allocate your time and energy strategically, and do what you do the best, your work, without having to worry about everything that comes with it.

Work culture courses at Newbie Learn

Visit Newbie Learn and check in detail what you can learn in my courses:

  • Get the salary you deserve
  • Make a good impression at your new job

Filed Under: Sweden, Work Tagged With: e-learning, newbie learn, work, work culture

Permits for non-EU/EEA Citizens

29 January 2021 By The Newbie Team 1 Comment

Written by Joseph Mukama

As an immigrant coming from a country outside the European Union or the European Economic Area (EU/EEA), you need a valid Schengen visa (less than 90 days) or Swedish residence permit (more than 90 days) to be allowed in Sweden. There are a series of various checkpoints from the time one enters Sweden as a student until one stops to wait on that slow-coming decision from the Migrations office every year or every other year.

A visa issued by an embassy representative grants visits to Sweden and/or the Schengen region for a period of less than three months. On the other hand, a residence permit card issued by the Migrations office (Migrationsverket) in Sweden grants stays longer than three months. A residence permit card shows the reason for the stay i.e. study, work or permanent. Temporary residence permits are the student permits and work permits.

E-learning course: Preparing your move to Sweden

Are you already feeling a bit overwhelmed about all the stuff you need to figure out how to move to Sweden? We’ve got you covered. Over the years we’ve been repeatedly told just stressful this process can be so we created a digital course with all the information you need to move. Here you will learn about:

 

  • Short (and long facts) about Sweden.
  • The history and background of Sweden in regards to democracy, religious freedom, gender equality, social security, child welfare and LGBTQIA+.
  • The types of visas and residence permits that are available plus the requirements.
  • Important Swedish agencies, and trust us, you DO need to know about these ones.
  • How to find a place to stay and how to avoid rental fraud.
  • How to pack for your move depending on the season.
  • And there will be some quizzes to make sure you are paying attention and not falling asleep at your screen. 

After finishing this course, you will have a greater understanding of what has made Sweden what it is today, how you best prepare for a move here and to get your stay here started in the best manner. 

 

Sign up to your course here

 

Student permits

This is a type of permit that allows you to stay in Sweden for the main purpose of the study. It is valid for up to one year and it needs to be extended every year until the studies end. The type of permit, as written on the front side of the card, is UPPEHÅLLSTILLSTÅND (residence permit). The permit may have the text “Får arbeta” to imply that you are permitted to work.

Permit extension after studies

When the studies are complete (all studies credits registered), you can request a residence permit for looking for work after studies. Nowadays, the requested duration is up to a maximum validity of one year, provided that you can financially sustain yourself (and the dependants, if applicable) for the entire length of the requested period. This is a minimum of SEK 8,568 per month as of this writing.

For studies less than one year, usually you are not registered in the Swedish Civil register (no personal number) and therefore you are not covered by a comprehensive health care insurance. In this case, you must also show proof of comprehensive healthcare insurance for the entire extension period you applied for.

Work permits and permits for PhD research

The permit relating to PhD research studies follow the same conditions as a work permit.

When you get a job, the employer offering the job initiates the process of applying for a work permit. The Migrations office reviews your application and it issues a work permit card if all the paper. The type of permit, as written on the front side of the card, is UPPEHÅLLS- OCH ARBETSTILLSTÅND (residence and work permit). The permit may also have some remarks.

Some general rules apply such as a minimum pay of SEK 13,000 per month (as of now) and insurance cover comparable to the applicable collective agreement. Special terms and conditions apply depending on how long you have held the work permit in Sweden.

The first two years

Normally, Migrationsverket issues work permits for two year validity periods (it can be less depending on the type of employment). Within the first two years (exactly 24 months) of work in Sweden on a work permit (not student permit), the work applies to;

  • A given occupation.
  • A given employer.

The work permit card will have these remarks i.e. the occupation and the employer.

In summary, if your occupation changes even with the same employer, you need to apply for a new work permit. If you change the employer, you need to apply for a new work permit.

Photo Joseph Mukama (edited): Work Permit obtained the first two years.

Between two and four years

When you have held a work permit for at least two years, the caveat on the employer is lifted and the permit is then only bounded to the occupation for which the permit is given.

Therefore you can change the employer without applying for a new work permit as long as the occupation remains unchanged. You must apply to extend the work permit when the previous one is about to expire.

Loss of a work permit

When you lose your job/work permit, you are upto 3 months to get another job.

As an example, if someone finished their university studies and obtained a 1-year permit to look for work. If in the first month of this, the person gets a job, they would apply for a work permit. If the person got laid off in say two months time and they did not get a new job within the permitted 3 months, they would be expelled from Sweden.

Permanent residence permits

Usually, the Migrationsverket grants a work permit for a maximum period of 4 years (Alien’s Act (Utlänningslag) Chapter 2 Section 2a). The permit extension after you have held a work permit for 4 years leads to what is called Permanent Residence (permanent uppehållstillstånd) provided you fulfil the same conditions;

  • Work permit(s) amounting to 4 years within the past 7 years (Alien’s Act, Chapter 5).
  • Having worked in Sweden for a minimum of 44 months within the work permit periods.
  • Fulfilled the permit requirements for all the previous work permits.

The type of permit, as written on the front side of the card, is PERMANENT UPPEHÅLLSTILLSTÅND (permanent residence permit).

According to the Alien’s Act, Chapter 7 Section 7e, if you did not move to Sweden and start work within the first four months of your first work permit, your request for extension of a work permit is denied. The Migrationsverket revokes the work permit and orders you out of the country.

More than 5 years of habitual residence

The Migrationsverket defines habitual residence as a long-term resident (the continuous period of five years) with the intension of remaining in Sweden. For non-EU/EEA citizens, this implies that time during studies does not apply.

Refer to Tatiana Sokolova’s articles on Becoming a Swedish citizen.

Selected corner cases: What to keep in mind

If your permit periods do not fit the discussed timelines, then it is time to practice some algebra.

  • Work permit: If you need to make an application for a work permit after you have worked say 1year and 10 months (this is still less than 2 years), you get a 2-year extension with the conditions as discussed in the section “The first two years”.
  • Work permit: If your employer changes the company organisation number, this by definition is a different employer. Therefore terms and conditions apply depending on how long you have held the work permit. See section under work permits.
  • Permanent residence: You do not fulfil the 44 months of work within 4 years but you have worked for more than 3 years during the work permit period. Migrations office may grant you a discretionary extension to the work permit so that you can be eligible for a permanent residence permit. See related article on changes to the requirements for permanent residence (skattenatet.ey.se, 2020-07-07) by José Vaz and Elsa Tirén.
  • Permanent residence scenario: You fulfil the 44 months of work but have a held a work permit for less than 4 years (e.g. 3 years, 10 months). Migrations office grants you a permit long enough for you to reach the 4 years (slightly over 2 months in the example). Then you can reapply for a new permit. The law is the law.

Useful Direct Links

  • Information on a Residence Permit Card.
  • Process of How to apply for a work permit.
  • Process of Extending a work permit.
  • Work permits frequenty asked questions.
  • The Alien’s Act of Sweden (in Swedish) for rules on residence permits, deportations and citizenship.

** The law is a complex framework. Please drop a comment if you feel something is missing or missinterpreted by me. Thanks!!!

About the Author

Kodheyo banna! Joseph here. I moved some years back to Gothenburg for studies from Uganda, the ‘Pearl of Africa’ located in East Africa. I later moved to Lund/Malmö for work. I am married, and I love meeting people, nature, and physical activities. I like to read books and try out new things. My favourite Swedish word is beroendeframkallande. Hoping to share interesting moments with you all.

Filed Under: Blog, Info, Work Tagged With: living in sweden, Permanent residence, residence permit, Staying in Sweden, student permit, work permit, working in Sweden

How to land your next job during the pandemic

18 December 2020 By The Newbie Team 2 Comments

Written by Asrini Subrata

During a hard time, I came across the word: resilience. What is it actually? It means the skillset that we develop throughout time to overcome difficulties.

It was at the beginning of this year that I started hearing about Coronavirus emergency. It started in Asia and was moving towards Europe and other continents quite fast. People started to take extra precautions and I saw people wearing masks everywhere because I was in Asia at that time. By the time I travelled back to Sweden I heard more and more about the devastating effects on society. Many lost their loved ones, stock prices plummeted, many lost their jobs and the world economy was struggling. It affected our ways of living.

It’s a worrisome situation for people who lost their job and it is even harder for those who are still struggling to get a job. However, I believe there are always possibilities in every situation. During a hard time, I came across the word: resilience. What is it actually? It means the skillset that we develop throughout time to overcome difficulties. And how is it relevant to people who struggle to find a job? I would say very relevant. Because there are many positive ways that we can do to overcome difficulties in this hard time.

E-learning courses for your best job experience

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed about finding work in Sweden? Or do you have a job and feel your salary doesn’t match your skills. Or, do you not quite get the unwritten rules at your new job? We’ve got you covered. We know how hard it can be to find a job, get the right pay and feel comfortable in your new Swedish job so we’ve created digital courses with all the information you need:  
  • Get the salary you deserve
  • Make a good impression at your new job
After finishing these courses, you will be able to navigate your Swedish work situation with skill and comfort.

Develop your skills

So maybe you’re thinking of developing your current skill or you may want to change your career in another branch. You can equip yourself with these skills so that they can give you more advantages the next time you apply for your dream job. There are many platforms that offer e-learning where you can build your skills. Some of them are free and provided by experts in their fields. I can name a few for you.

There is Google Digital Garage where you can learn skills relating to coding, marketing and many others in your own pace. Linkedin learning provides you with massive learning courses with a subscription. IBM skills where you can learn about AI (artificial intelligence) or IOT (Internet of Things) and many others. Some courses provided by these platforms issue certificates upon completion of the courses.

Volunteering

Perhaps you’re also thinking about giving or sharing with others in this difficult time. Then volunteering jobs are maybe what you’re looking for. Voluntärbyrån, Göteborgs Stad and Svenska Röda Korset are a few among many organizations who offer volunteering opportunities. You can be a leader in a club, you can help to take care of the elderly, or contributing your skills to train others. There are so many things to do!

Networking

And perhaps you heard this often and I will say it again. Network network and network! Networking plays a crucial part to get a job. Honestly, when I came here the first time, I found it really challenging to find a network. But let’s face it, you just have to dare yourself. Start engaging and talking with others. Through engagement, I got enormous tips on how to build my network.

We don’t know whether it’s going to lead us to somewhere but we may get in touch with people who know people. Some of the initiatives that give you this amazing opportunity are Mitt Livs Chans, Jobbsprånget, Yrkesdörren and many others. You can find network if you’re going to university as well. Linkedin is also a great place to find a professional network. Start making posts or videos to attract comments and engaging with other professionals.

The last but not least is perseverance. Always keep trying and never give up.

About the Author

Hi! I’m Asrini. I came from Indonesia and moved to Sweden in 2017 to be with my husband. In Indonesia, I was working in sustainability management and I enjoy reading about innovations that can help to create a sustainable future. In my spare time, I like to read books, watch movies and cook. I love travelling and while doing so I can enjoy local food and visit famous landmarks. I have a passion for architectural designs and I love to read about beautifully designed houses and buildings. Can’t wait to share some of my ideas and experiences and I hope that you enjoy reading my posts!

Filed Under: Blog, Work Tagged With: COVID-19, find a job, finding a job, job hunt, jobsearch in Sweden

How to adapt your CV to the Swedish job market

19 November 2020 By The Newbie Team 1 Comment

Welcome to Sweden! If you have applied for international roles before, you will probably find that the recruitment process is very similar in this country. As for your CV, the structure and the content are common to many other nations, but there are a few local subtleties. In this article, I cover the main points to ensure your CV is best adapted to the Swedish job market.

Is your CV clear, easy to read and uncluttered?

In the country of minimalist design, ensure that your CV is pleasing to the eye. Avoid multiple colours and fonts, clearly mark the sections and make good use of the space. Swedes value simplicity and directness. Only keep experiences that provide relevant information for the position. Use bullet points instead of writing whole sentences. Make each word count.

How long should it be? If you have 10 or plus years of work experience, you can stretch it to 2 pages. Otherwise, try to keep it to one.

 

Are your contact details kept to the minimum?

At the top of the page, you need to state:

  • First name, surname (in that order)
  • Phone number (preferably a Swedish phone number to prove that you already live here)
  • Email address
  • Link to your LinkedIn profile
  • Website address, if you have one

Recruiters don’t need to know your nationality, if you are married and have children, your date of birth or age. You can add your residential address if you want to show that you reside in Sweden.

Photo or no photo? There is no rule. I recommend not adding a photo as your look shouldn’t be a criteria for recruitment. If the recruiter really wants to see your face, he/she can check your LinkedIn profile (or invite you for a video interview.)

 

Is your work experience relevant and to-the-point?

Photo credit@Unsplash

Swedes value practical experiences over education. So this section comes before your education (unless you have recently graduated or have little work experience). List your jobs starting with your most recent position. As for any CV, add dates, place and describe your tasks or accomplishments.

Keep it simple and easy to understand. Don’t use jargons or technical terms. Add details on the positions that are relevant for the role you are applying, and keep the others short, or remove them.

Many Swedish employers are looking for competences, but also for human skills. Personal projects and life experiences are valued in Sweden, a country that views work-life balance as a priority. Feel free to mention if you stayed home to raise your children if you took a break to travel the world if you volunteer or have taken outside work responsibilities.

 

What else?

Should your CV be translated in Swedish?
You should reply to a job ad in the language it’s written in. And you should only apply for roles in Swedish if you can speak it. So, don’t bother with a Swedish-translation if you don’t master the language yourself.

Should you add references?
No, only if it is specifically asked in the job ads. But usually, it is needed later on in the recruitment process.

Other sources of information

  • CV template with explanations from Unionen.
  • Free CV template in Swedish. 
  • Tips from the Swedish unemployment agency (in Swedish).

Written by Christelle Pottinger
A career coach, always happy to help French and English-speaking Newbies fulfill their professional dreams.

Filed Under: Blog, Work Tagged With: employment, job, job hunt, job seeking tools, life in sweden, Newbie Guide, Sweden

The dos and don’ts of a Swedish workplace

1 November 2020 By Sofi Tegsveden Deveaux Leave a Comment

A dear friend of mine has landed a good job here in Stockholm. She is not Swedish, but from a southern European country, she speaks excellent English, good Swedish and she is nice and smart and fairly well integrated into Swedish society.

It’s been a long way to get here, but she is there now, where she aimed. It’s more than a year now since she landed a manager’s position, in an all-Swedish company. The right challenges, good money, pure gold for her CV. 

Not the expected feedback

Still, life hurts. She tells me about the late evenings and early mornings spent on completing presentations that need to be submitted, and how they are received with an ‘ok’ or ‘thanks’ or nothing at all. She tells me about the improvements she wants to make in the company, and the silent reluctance these are met with.

She tells me of a recruitment process she is in charge of and that never seems to lead to a signature. About mediocre interns advancing within the organisation, Friday fika rotas (now gone virtual), meetings, meetings, meetings.

She is not alone, of course. You are not alone. Navigating a new workplace is a daunting experience, not made easier with added layers of confusion in the form of a new language and culture. After many years abroad, I moved back to Sweden in 2008, and although I’m a fully-fledged Swede now, taking long fika and summer breaks, it took me several years to adapt back to everything I had unlearnt.

I truly emphasise, and added, my friend is not alone; every week I hear stories similar to hers. At the same time, I’ve been here long enough to understand the system and human as I am, I can’t give the occasional piece of advice. 

E-learning courses for your best job experience

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed about finding work in Sweden? Or do you have a job and feel your salary doesn’t match your skills. Or, do you not quite get the unwritten rules at your new job? We’ve got you covered. We know how hard it can be to find a job, get the right pay and feel comfortable in your new Swedish job so we’ve created digital courses with all the information you need:  
  • Get the salary you deserve
  • Make a good impression at your new job
After finishing this course, you will be able to navigate your Swedish work situation with skill and comfort.

Is this really what you wanted?

As you may have guessed, my advice is usually met with scepticism. They are not compliant with the identity of the recipient. “That’s not me! I want to be true to myself! I know these things work, I’ve always done it this way!” Did I say I emphasise? I truly do.

But then once, I thought of something, and now I ask: “But is this really you, you, getting up at 5.30 to work three hours before officially showing up? Is that really what you wanted when you moved here?” Some charlatan psychology, perhaps, yes, but the answers are always the same: “No, of course not, it’s not me, I do it for others.”

“Pudelns kärna”

And voilà! Here it is, the core of the poodle, in Swedish translation. We have all learnt these tricks, from the pre-school years, to act in ways that please others, in order to achieve our own goals and success. Our expressions of politeness, manners of speech, prioritisations, ways of interaction; we have all developed these to suit our social and professional context.

But what if that context changes? What if something of the greatest importance in one context has little significance in another?

That’s exactly what happened to my friend. She has always been a studious, conscientious, professional, strategic person. She has learnt what actions and decisions have proven successful. She has implemented these and seen how they paid off. And now they don’t.

Because she is in a new country with different values. She is banging her head against the wall, when, in fact, she would have more success in her Swedish career if she walked the other way, where there is no wall at all. She is spending energy on time on actions that are not worth the effort, and by that, there is less time and energy to spend on what would really pay off.

Work strategically

If you are an international professional in Sweden, take a moment to reflect on your work efforts, and how much they reflect the values and preferences of your context. And if you really want to impress your Swedish colleagues, this is your cheat sheet:

DO

Show how well you manage your time by sticking to your plan and timetable, and by postponing meetings. Say no if your boss asks you to do something you don’t have the time for. You will appear responsible and good at time management.

DON’T

Try to impress your colleagues by working more than your assigned hours. You will appear unstructured and with poor time management skills. Added, your Swedish colleagues may feel the pressure to work as much as you, something they may not be very keen on. 

DO

Set realistic goals and follow existing guidelines and routines. If you have ideas for change, plant them early and make sure everyone agrees on them before you bring them up in a formal setting.

DON’T

Try to improve the organisation and the work processes, however bad they are. Although Swedes may not be reluctant to change, they are reluctant to what they see as dictatorial leadership and will implement only those changes they believe they have taken part in deciding upon.

DO

Tell your colleagues that what they say is spännande, roligt and intressant although this may not be genuinely meant.

DON’T

Bring up topics that you find personally interesting, as they may be considered too personal for the public setting of a Swedish workplace. Taboo topics include anything political or something that could make someone display their emotions.

Be yourself

With that, I certainly believe you, just like my friend, have plenty to bring to your organisation. Do be yourself, but don’t try to make a good impression playing a role that is not adapted for the Swedish context.


If you are keen to learn more about the context of your Swedish workplace, and if you allow for some self-promotion, I’m the co-author of Working in Sweden: The A–Z Guide, that we have recently revised to include more than 300 entries on everything related to Swedish work culture: Swedish work law, concepts, important dates, salary, etiquette, etc.

Filed Under: Blog, Work Tagged With: expats in sweden, swedish workplace, work in sweden

What should you expect at a job interview in Sweden?

28 September 2020 By The Newbie Team 1 Comment

Written by Christelle Pottinger

Well done! You made it through the first step of the recruitment process and have secured an interview. How do you prepare? What can you expect? Based on discussions with recruiters and HR managers, and my own experience, here are a few pointers to help you get ready. Disclaimer: these are general tendencies, I can’t guarantee that your experience will be similar.

A friendly welcoming

Swedes tend to be less formal professionally than many other nationalities. Upon arrival, offer a warm smile and/or a firm handshake (outside of COVID pandemic times). You will most likely be offered a coffee or a glass of water. Accept it, as it is perceived as being courteous. You can address the interviewer(s) by their first name, and follow their lead to an informal chit chat about the weather, your weekend or the journey to their office.

How to dress?

It will depend on your industry and role, but generally, men should avoid wearing a tie (unless you are a banker or a lawyer). Dress professionally – smart casual, business casual is ideal – which could mean smart trousers/skirt & jacket or even jeans & jacket. If you are in the creative industry, you might get away with trainers. Ultimately, dress like yourself, one level above your everyday casual attire.

Photo credit@Unsplash

A conversation, not an interrogation

Recruiters see interviews as an opportunity for both parties to get to know each other. They want to know if you are a good fit for them. They also expect you to be inquisitive and evaluate if the role and the company are a match for you.

Prepare your mindset: confident, positive and curious. Leave aside superiority/inferiority feelings. Enter the room ready for an engaging conversation about you, the role, the company, and what each of you needs and expects. The interviewer will want you to feel at ease and on an equal footing.

Prepare and ask questions. It will demonstrate that you are genuinely interested in the position and that you are making a conscious choice about your future employer.

Focus on your motivations and personality

Contrary to more suspicious nationalities, Swedes trust that your CV is accurate. Recruiters will rarely question your competences and diplomas. But they might ask for additional details. Your profile was selected because they believe you have the right skillset. During the interview, they will want to find out if you are suitable for the company culture and for the team.

Are you someone they would want to spend 40 hours per week with? Will you thrive in their culture? They will ask about your personality, behaviours and motivations. Why are you interested in the position? What makes you happy at work? What drives you? Which type of environment or manager do you need to be successful? Have your answers ready.

Photo credit@Unsplash

It’s “we” not ‘I’

One of the strongest Swedish values is collaboration. When sharing your previous experiences and successes, be sure to be inclusive. Use ‘we’, instead of ‘I’ as it is generally accepted that no one achieves anything alone. Bring a handful of examples showing how you contributed to your team and its success.

Don’t brag. Recruiters won’t be impressed if you oversell yourself. It can even be perceived as a sign of weakness. Be confident, but humble.

Honesty is another Swedish value. The recruiter’s goal is to get to know you. They don’t expect you to be perfect. Be yourself and do your best. As one recruiter told me ‘you can’t force a marriage’. Good luck!

Hi! I am French and I have moved to Sweden in 2012 with my family. I enjoy writing and sharing my experience of living and working in Sweden. I am a career coach, always happy to help French and English-speaking Newbies fulfill their professional dreams.

Filed Under: Blog, Work Tagged With: get a job, job hunt, jobs, jobsearch, lifeinsweden, Sweden, tips, work in sweden

What are the Consequences of the COVID-19 Crisis on Your Job Search in Sweden?

23 June 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Written by Christelle Pottinger

In April 2020, the world went into ‘pause’ mode while COVID-19 spread. Most of us have put projects, travel plans or even expatriation on hold. Job search and career change were halted. But what can we expect from the Swedish job market in the near future? As one of the only European countries to not confine its citizens, can we hope for a faster economic recovery? Should you pursue your dream of expatriation, of finding a fulfilling job in Sweden? Or should you review your plans?

The Swedish economy will suffer as much as its European neighbours

Sweden didn’t impose a full lock-down on its citizens and businesses, but it will be as badly hit as its neighbours. The Swedish central bank (Riksbank) released two possible scenarios* for 2020. Both are bleak. Which one will become reality will depend on the length of the pandemic and on the continuous restrictions.
Sources: *CNBC

In the best scenario, Sweden’s GDP will shrink by 6,9%; 9,7% in the worse case. By comparison, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) predicts, for 2020, a contraction of the French economy by 7,2%, 6,5% in Germany and 8% in Spain.

Unemployment rate expected to rise

By March 1st, 60 000** people were warned of potential layoffs in Sweden. These won’t automatically follow with actual redundancies. But it is the first step in the dismissal process.

Since this date, an additional 95 455 individuals registered with Arbetförmedlingen, the Swedish unemployment agency. In April, the unemployment rate reached 8%. In January 2020 the figure was 7.4%. It could reach 8.8% in scenario A or 10.1% in scenario B* by the end of the year.
Sources: *CNBC, **The Local

Larger cities are mostly affected by job losses. Industries such as tourism, communications, media, entertainment, and transport, have suffered most from the restrictions and social distancing recommendations. The world economy has been more affected than expected leaving Swedish exports in dire straits.

The government introduced support packages and measures to help businesses and start-ups, as well as job seekers, but the economic impact of COVID-19 will still be enormous.

#jobbjustnu, positions available now

Facing an increased number of registered unemployed, Arbetförmedlingen, took a series of measures to ease the strain on their system and facilitate a speedy return to work for citizens.

The hashtag #jobbjustnu (a job right now) was added to the job placement platform Platsbanken. Its aim is to fill available positions as fast as possible and make job searching more efficient.

The categories recruiting the most right now are nursing and teaching.

Be prepared and be patient

Let’s stay optimistic. The economy will eventually return to growth, even if no one knows when and how. There are still open positions, but fewer of them and the competition is fierce. So, to find your dream job, be patient, and use this free time wisely to improve your chances.

  • Sharpen your tools: update your CV and LinkedIn profile – ensuring your career choice is clear and aligned with the needs of the market. Show your strengths and relevant competencies.
  • If you are looking to make a career change, find ways to gain some experience without relying on employment (think internship, volunteering, personal projects).
  • Learn Swedish. It’s a time-consuming activity, so now is the right time! You will greatly increase your job opportunities.
  • Build your network. If there are few job ads, you can still connect with companies through direct communication. Wherever you are, you can start casting your net.
  • Of course, you need to continue to apply to relevant positions. Spend time crafting a personal and interesting cover letter. Adapt your CV. Quality and quantity matter.

Unfortunately, it seems that Sweden’s strategy to handle COVID-19 won’t lead to a faster return to economic growth. Patience, energy and a good plan are what you need to succeed. It is possible, but be prepared for a marathon rather than a sprint!

Christelle Pottinger is a professional career coach based in Stockholm. She helps French and English-speaking professionals build a career they love in Sweden.

Christelle about herself: Hi! I am French and I have moved to Sweden in 2012 with my family. I enjoy writing and sharing my experience of living and working in Sweden. I am a career coach, always happy to help French and English-speaking Newbies fulfill their professional dreams.

Filed Under: Blog, Work Tagged With: arbetsförmedlingen, career, coronavirus, CV, employment, job market, job search, jobsearch, networking, Sweden and Coronavirus, swedish job market, unemployment

Networking when you don’t know anyone

20 May 2020 By The Newbie Team 1 Comment

Are you looking for a job in Sweden? Then, it’s worth knowing that most openings are filled through relationships, and not formal applications. Trust and credibility are two essential components in the Swedish recruitment process. Your work experiences are proofs of your competences. Your contacts and references create trust. Having connections in your industry is crucial to facilitate your job search (and your career growth). So how do you build a network when you just arrived and don’t know anyone? Here is my advice.

Advertised by Panda International

A two-way relationship

Networking isn’t begging someone to give you a job. It means creating a meaningful relationship with people who have a common professional interest. It is an exchange of information, competencies, opinions or contacts. Be open, honest and curious. You need to be ready to give as much as receive. What do you have to offer? Primarily your competencies (take the opportunity to identify which ones) but also your opinion, your experience and your external viewpoint.

Beyond job search

Your ultimate goal for networking is perhaps to be first in line when a job opening comes. However, there are other benefits to building a network:

  • Improve your understanding of your industry in Sweden. Especially at the beginning, it’s crucial to learn how your industry is organised: Who are the main players? Who is recruiting or not? What are their needs? Which competences are they looking for? What challenges are they facing?
    Having a deeper understanding will enable you to adjust your profile and highlight the right competences. It may seem tedious, but you’ll gain time and credibility in the long run.
  • Get feedback on your CV. Unfortunately, it’s extremely difficult to get information from recruiters on why they didn’t proceed with your application. Meeting other professionals is an opportunity to test your introduction speech, ask for informal feedback and get some answers.
  • Share your knowledge and contacts. You might think that you have little to offer. However, pay attention to the needs or challenges of your contacts. Be generous: your opinion or reflections from your previous experiences might interest them. Swedes are often curious about what’s going on outside their country.

To be efficient, make a plan

How do you get started?

Define your goals. Before making contact, clarify what you are looking for and what you can offer. What are your competences and strengths? What type of roles, industries, organisations interest you? Make sure your CV and LinkedIn profile are updated and in adequation with your goals.

Identify and classify your needs. Are you looking for:

  • Information about a role, a company, an industry
  • Intermediaries to meet recruiters, to share your CV, to connect you with someone in the industry/company you are interested in, to be a reference, to write a recommendation on LinkedIn
  • Support: to get advice, moral support, help with LinkedIn for example

List, by category, all the people you know: family members, friends, colleagues, ex-colleagues, neighbours, people you met in your leisure activities, LinkedIn connections, friends of friends, parents of your children’s friends, old clients. Don’t hesitate to search broadly. Then, think about what you could ask each of them. Prioritise and make contact.

Prepare your meetings (virtual or in-person). How will you introduce yourself? What questions will you ask? What do you want to get out of the conversation? How will you capture your contact’s attention? What impressions do you want to leave?

LinkedIn is one of your best allies in Sweden

Swedes are protective of their personal space, even at work. They rarely respond well to spontaneity. Don’t show up at their desk or call them without booking a meeting in advance. You risk getting the opposite reaction you’re aiming for. For a first approach, use written communication.

LinkedIn is a useful and appreciated tool in Sweden. First, identify people you’re interested in meeting. Then, find out if you can be introduced via a common connection. Send a short message to express your needs and interests. From here, your interlocutor can, safely behind his computer, check your profile and get an idea of who you are, and decide to ignore your request or reply. Use LinkedIn to arrange a short call or a fika.

©unsplash.com

Meet new people

You can start casting your net from the cosiness of your home, but soon you’ll need to go outside and meet Swedes in real life. Swedes aren’t the best at making polite conversation and their natural restraint won’t make it easier for you. You’ll have to take the first step. In order to facilitate it, find a common interest (personal or professional).

Here are some ideas:

In cities, topical conferences and professional groups are flourishing and are often free (and some are in English). Sign up to those that’ll enable you to reach your goals and remember to plan before attending the events.

  • Eventbrite
  • Meetup groups
  • Commercial chambers
  • Work fairs
  • Yrkesdörren (the organisation that connects foreign job seekers with Swedes, in English or Swedish)
  • And of course, remember to sign up to recruiting agencies such as Panda International.

Volunteering

  • Volontärbyrån.org : connects organizations and volunteers (English and Swedish)
  • Workaway

Take classes (language, music, art…)

  • Folkuniversitetet
  • Medborgarskolan
  • ABF

Take a hobby or join a sports club

Pick what suits you best. And, if you are an introvert, start connecting with one person at a time or a small group instead of attending large conferences. Set yourself small challenges (I talk to 2 people) and prepare in advance to gain confidence.

Building a network takes time. So, be patient and persistent, you never know when your investment will pay off. Good luck!

Find out more about the Swedish Job Market. If you need help, please get in touch!

Written by Christelle Pottinger
Hi! I am French and I have moved to Sweden in 2012 with my family. I enjoy writing and sharing my experience of living and working in Sweden. I am a career coach, always happy to help French and English-speaking Newbies fulfill their professional dreams.

Filed Under: Blog, Work Tagged With: career, contact, job hunt, jobsearch, network, networking

Becoming a Swedish citizen: A milestone on the path of integration

7 May 2020 By The Newbie Team Leave a Comment

Written by Tatiana Sokolova

Some of us are lucky enough to be born with one (or two…) of those ‘strong’ passports which allow us to explore the world without visas, study and work in many places of our choice without obtaining residence permits. And some of us aren’t. I definitely wasn’t – until now that I got my Swedish citizenship. A significant milestone on the way to the ‘integration’ into the Swedish society – but only one milestone among many.

Many years ago I zeroed in on my favourite Swedish word. Music to my heart: ‘bevilja’. Doesn’t it just sound lovely? And it has a wonderful meaning too, although it doesn’t quite translate to English with the same ‘willing’ ring to it: ‘to grant’.

Perhaps its beauty lies for me in its connection to a Russian root ‘-vel’, found in words like ‘велеть’ (to command), ‘повелевать’ (to domineer), ‘величие’ (grandeur), descending from the Proto-Indo-European root ‘-welh-’ meaning of ‘choose’ or ‘want’ (language geeks, check this wiki).

Etymology aside, I fell in love with this word when I got my first residence permit from Migrationsverket, to study in Sweden. Since then, I extended my study permit twice, received multiple visas to Sweden, applied for work permits and extensions of work permits in Sweden, and each time, receiving an inconspicuous thin envelope from Migrationsverket, I used to tear it up with trembling hands, my eyes searching the shaking page feverously for that cherished word, the only one that matters: bevilja. Bevilja. Bevilja!

It happened

This long journey culminated the other day, in the midst of the corona chaos. I didn’t expect it. I hoped for it, looked forward to it – but I didn’t expect it to actually happen, so quickly and smoothly.

I came home late, when my family were in bed, to find two inconspicuous papers lying on our kitchen table.

Actually, they were a little more conspicuous than usual, because they were printed in colour (a paper from Migrationsverket, in colour?!), and featured the Sweden’s coat of arms. And when I saw that coat of arms on my kitchen table, I knew – we had become Swedish citizens.

It was so mundane. No trumpets and angel choruses. No fighting our case and trying to prove something. No interviews, requests for additional documents, aptitude tests. One day it was just there. And it said: Migrationsverket beviljar. Case closed.

Nobody even asked me if I had read Strindberg, watched Bergman, liked surströmming or been to a crayfish party. Or even spoke Swedish, for that matter.

Looks like it’s way more difficult to get a Swedish driving license. Citizenship is not a big thing.

What did I learn? (Tips for successful integration – if you want to live in Sweden long-term)

I am writing this with a somewhat heavy heart. I know people who came to Sweden as asylum seekers, and some of them received asylum, while others didn’t. Some are still waiting. Others’ applications have been rejected multiple times. Some of them have now moved out of Sweden, to start again, from scratch, in other countries, after having spent years here, learning the language, working different jobs. After they had WALKED to Sweden from unimaginably far away places.

One person received the verdict of deportation DESPITE acknowledging by Migrationsverket that such deportation may be life-threatening, and is now trying to execute plan B (go to a third country temporarily and start everything from scratch, so that they can later go to a fourth country and start everything from scratch).

My heart goes out to all these friends and many others like them: kind, intelligent, diligent, hard-working, creative, an asset to any country. Everyone has their own path, and I wish them to find theirs, and that all their challenges will pay off, and all their efforts will be generously rewarded.

And a disclaimer: in spite of the heading above, I do not consider myself successfully integrated. And you’ll know why in a minute.

So, to the tips.

You need a plan…

And this really is a number one.

Most people I know who came to Sweden and lived happily ever after are those who came here with a job invitation which gave them at least a two-year contract. And the company didn’t go bust after they arrived (seen that happen too).

Just trying your luck works sometimes. And sometimes it doesn’t. The same is true for asylum seekers, unfortunately. It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to be granted (att beviljas) one.

For those from outside the EU

If you have a work contract, the path is relatively straightforward:

  • You get your first work permit, which took us ten months. Long time, I know, but so it is. You can take your family with you on your work permit, and they get the right to work, too. This work permit only allows you to work for that particular company who hired you (it’s written on the work permit).
  • After two years, if you still have the contract, you get an extension. This new work permit allows you to work with any employer.
  • After four years, you get a permanent residence. It means you can stay in Sweden as long as you want, provided that you continue living in Sweden and do not leave the country for more than one year at a time.
  • After five years, you can apply for citizenship. If you travelled abroad for more than six weeks at a time during these five years, you have to add all the time you spent abroad for more than six weeks at a time, to the five years, and apply at the end of this time.

… and it better be a good one.

My husband had a work contract, I didn’t. I had contacts from my studies. I had a plan to apply for PhD position. But it didn’t work – not for the first six years. And, the newly granted (beviljat) citizenship or not, I was then as jobless and feeling as far from ‘integrating’ into anything as… well… as one can be, perhaps.

Migrationsverket is unpredictable…

The first time I applied for the extension of my study visa, it took ten months. The next time, it took… one day. I got the reply (the inconspicuous envelope with the cherished word) so quickly that when I saw it I thought something went wrong and they were deporting me.

When we applied for citizenship, they said they don’t need us to send in our passports. A week later they wrote and said they do and if we don’t send them within three weeks, we’ll have a problem. When we wrote and said we can’t send them now, they said ok, send them later. When we sent them and requested them back because we needed to travel, they sent us back the passports… and citizenship itself! In less than a month after we sent the passports.

Why am I so incredulous? Because on the website it says that the decision about granting Swedish citizenship currently may take up to TWENTY FOUR MONTHS. Go figure.

… and therefore sometimes you need to follow-up on your case

If you have one, that is, with Migrationsverket. There is a balance between being annoying and only delaying the process by unnecessary inquiries – and actually speeding it up by asking the right question at the right time.

Again, here a lot depends on what you apply for and how difficult it is to get your kind of permit. But a good rule of thumb is to wait till you get a case officer appointed to your case. Then you can contact them directly.

Here, you need to be careful. On the one hand, they sometimes frown upon it. But sometimes it does magic – just inquiring about a specific issue concerning your case seems to lift it up from the bottom of the pile. I have no idea how it works. It’s a black box.

Take stock of what you need to have in place

…and the Newbie Guide to Sweden is a good place to start.

Learn the language

Yes, all Swedes speak excellent English. No, it’s impossible to get far in the long term without speaking Swedish, unless you are a true professional gem (I know such people… but not many, and a 100% of them do IT or some technical/scientific stuff I can’t pronounce or something truly niche).

Take advantage of the help you can get

Anyone who has worked one hour in Sweden knows how much tax was deducted before the payment for that hour reached them. I definitely have – and I am happy that this money is used well. I sometimes feel that in other countries we pay no fewer taxes, and the whole brouhaha about high Nordic taxes is a little overhyped – but we do get back the taxes’ worth. I’m now talking about one specific thing: job coaching and support to startups.

If you need some coaching, you can get it for free, either through Arbetsförmedlingen or through your municipality (kommun), in which case you don’t need to be registered at Arbetsförmedlingen. I went for coaching through Sollentuna municipality. Did it help me to get a job? Not then. At least not the kind I wanted. But it helped me to understand what I was doing wrong (I had to restructure my cover letter in a Swedish manner – now I can apply for any job in fifteen minutes by tweaking the master cover letter I created as a result. Cue: don’t write sentences. Write bullet points). It also helped me identify strategies of how to find a job – it’s just that I was notoriously bad at actually following them.

If nothing else, going to a coach will lift your spirits and give you a designated space and time to think about your skills, interests, and options. And sometimes this is what we need most: some focused attention to what matters most. And a way to lift us from the couch/pull us out of a depressive mode (tick the appropriate box).

There is also a wonderful initiative: ÖppnaDörren. It has a service called Yrkesdörren, which led me to two amazing meetings with well-established professionals in my field. If anything, they greatly inspired me, because they are exceptional people. I warmly recommend everyone looking for a job (or friends, or new opportunities) to give it a try!

What does it mean for me?

Well. I guess it means I have to have another go at Bergman and Strindberg (especially since my dance teacher shamed us for not having read Fröken Julie).

On a more serious note, I will have to answer this question in a different post, as it is another topic. And it has to do with feeling welcome – and being welcomed home.

What has been your experience of navigating Sweden so far, in terms of permits, work, and other issues you found important?

About the Author

Tatiana Sokolova is an investigator, collector and classifier of cultures, places, and ways of expression – the very things which often defy classification. She lives in Stockholm with her intercultural family. She is a researcher, a freelancer of various trades, and a little bit a photographer. Also a little bit a writer of short stories, and an aficionada – a lover of flamenco song, guitar, clapping and dance.

Filed Under: Blog, Social, Work Tagged With: swedish citizenship

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Search

Search

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages
Filter by Categories
About
Blog
Culture
Education
Health
Housing
Info
Just Arrived
Parenting
Social
Sweden
Swedish
Work

Don’t miss …

Follow, tag, comment and share

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Tune in to our podcast!

Latest from the Newbie Blog

  • Scandinavian Furniture and Design Aesthetic – Mysteries Unraveled
  • Aurora Borealis in Sweden and other winter activities
  • All You Need to Know About Halloween and All Saints’ Day in Sweden
  • Swedish red houses, the Dala horse and other goodies from Dalarna in Sweden
  • Why do Swedes take off their shoes at the front door and other Swedish oddities

Sign up to our newsletter

Privacy policy & Terms of use

Privacy policy
Terms of use
Terms of purchase
Cookies
Contact us
Missing something?

Footer

The Newbie Blog

  • Scandinavian Furniture and Design Aesthetic – Mysteries Unraveled
  • Aurora Borealis in Sweden and other winter activities
  • All You Need to Know About Halloween and All Saints’ Day in Sweden

Useful links

Privacy policy
Terms of use
Terms of purchase
Cookies
Contact us
Missing something?

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the lastest with our newsletter

© 2023 The Newbie Guide to Sweden · Xponent Standard On Genesis Framework & WordPress · Log in

  • Just arrived
  • Swedish
  • Work
  • Housing
  • Health
  • Driving
  • Start a business in Sweden
  • Get connected
  • The Refugee Guide to Sweden
  • Blog
  • العربية
  • Newbie Stories
  • About
  • Sign up for our newsletter
  • Follow us
  • Advertise with us