The Newbie Guide to Sweden

We explain Sweden

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Student in Visby

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Written by Casey Hofland

First weeks in Visby

Visby is an easy place to thrive. It’s as chill as the sea it’s grounded in, and as calm as the sky above it. In fact, one of my stories reflects the Zen atmosphere of this island, a story that I like to call “sweaters fly and tears dry”. Then again, there’s some things that couldn’t hurt knowing about.

But first, another story, titled: “Adam who-is-wrong-about-pizza”. Enjoy.

Many people live on this planet. Between them the only thing they share is that they have many different opinions. Some are of the opinion that our Earth is flat and the moon landing faked. Others believe peanut butter pickle sandwich makes a delicacy, and strangest of all are individuals that feel packing your bags at 1:02 AM before your day of departure comes off as rather irresponsible. These people are friendly reminded that their opinions, although endearing, are wrong.

Departure time

It is 8:15 AM as we load my luggage from the car onto the airport trolley. My mother has already started the waterworks without me. Even my father, otherwise so restrained, couldn’t stop a coating of dew forming around his eyes when we said our goodbyes back home. There at the airport, I wanted nothing more than to burst out into tears and show my mother some affection and a little appreciation for all she did for me. But apart from being a 23-year-old who’s had enough, leaving behind the prehistoric dirt-heap that is my home town together with the accumulated stress of answering 200 emails on the subject of my studies, apartment and flight bookings, I wasn’t embarrassed about leaving with but a kiss and a wave.

Here’s some tips to get you through a boring flight:

  1. Learn the lyrics to your favorite song.
  2. If you’re waiting in the airport, sing along to your favorite song.
  3. Imagine what your life would have been like if you ran away with that girl to Germany and started a snail farm with your best friend Abby the octopus.
  4. Write comedy and fantasize about the fame and sex appeal you’ll be getting from your travel blog.
  5. Think about some of the horrible things that you’ve done.

You can’t pay for the bus with cash or card on Visby apparently. Luckily, we convinced the driver to take us on by looking very foreign and dumbfounded. Oh, btw, I was doing this trip with my buddy Julius, who also went to exchange to here. We were eager to get to our apartments so we could finally drop our baggage.

old city walls in Visby
The olden city walls, as seen from the bus.

After we’d done mine, we walked to Julius’ apartment as well and dropped off his gear there. It was really nice of him to not constantly mention over and over how annoying it was that his quarters were a 20-minute walk away from the city center as opposed to my 5-minute walk, which I want to clarify is something he definitely didn’t constantly mention.

Meanwhile it was 7:30 PM and we needed food. We aimed for a pizzeria in the city center because I had heard about Swedes constructing the boldest pies, and as we passed through the gates of yore, the word ‘pittoresque’ would forever find new meaning in our hearts.

It’s time for pizza

When we arrived at our pizzeria though, it looked very fancy and even we could see this was expensive by Swedish standards. If not for Julius’ Visby-an acquaintance we may just have given them our money, but luckily, he could get us an address for a normal pizzeria. When I mentioned the concept of “Swedish pizza”, he reckoned there was no such thing.

pizza
Dear Adam: this is a kebab pizza. It is an atrocity committed by the Swedish. Swedish pizza is SO a thing.

Either ho, these fresh friendos went for ANOTHER walk. On the way we rummaged through trash and ate a dead bird so we wouldn’t starve but after another 30-minutes we stumbled upon our pizzeria: an Italian one. I wish words could carry across the sensation of taste so I could describe how delicious this pizza was, which was no doubt partly due to us waiting for 9:20 PM to finally eat.

Person eating pizza

Plus… this was my first meat dish in a loooong time. I am a vegetarian, but all the vegetarian options on the menu seemed bland. Not bad, just not something I would pay 12 euros for. The easiest way to spot if a restaurant doesn’t know how to make good vegetarian dishes is if they have one item with the word “vegetarian” in its name, and the pizza is just a cacophony of vegetables. I don’t know where we went wrong, but being vegetarian doesn’t mean I like bad food.

Also, they had a pizza with chicken, banana and curry. I want you to think about that Adam.

You know how to best end such an adventure?

By sleeping in a bed without a pillow or blanket. We thought we would have these things, but we were lied to. Though had we needed to sleep on the hardest part of the wall, I could have probably done it.

Conclusion is A: find out where you’re going to eat plenty of time in advance and B: get a bus pass before you arrive in Sweden. We were lucky but if that bus driver hadn’t taken us on, we were screwed! We’d be like dumbo and dumber dragging our 20 pounds of luggage 5-kilometers looking like fools!

Anyway, the continuation:

I have lost my favorite sweater. Not only does it look cool and artsy, it has also grown really important to me. This was the sweater I bought with Nathalie, a dear friend of mine, when I saw it hanging in a “left-over” pile that they were gonna throw out. It was the sweater I was wearing on my first JNM camp, when I kissed a guy at 4 AM completely drunk. Sleeves of utter comfortness and a hoody of warmth that helped me through some of the colder nights on my second and third camps.

Doubling as a pillow in times of relaxation and as a stuffed animal when I needed an embrace. The one night where I loaned it to Polina because she was cold and it was way too big for her. We shared a lot of memories in a short amount of time; memories of friendship, of joy, of sadness and sorrow… when I put it on, I would feel more confident and loving because of them.

happy person with face mask

Luckily I found it the next day.

Julius and I met up at my apartment so we could buy, well… everything. We needed pots, pans, cleaning products, cables, but most of all: food. We had empty fridges and if we didn’t solve it, soon we would have empty stomachs. 5 minutes away from my house was a supermarket though… in which we spent 1 and a half hours.

Let’s go over what’s ‘different’ from Dutch supermarkets.

In Holland it is very normal to eat bread for breakfast and lunch, every single day. And we do have the best supermarket bread. It has more slices, tastes better, and it sells for 10 crowns! I swear if we start pricing our bread like the Swedes do we’d enter a second golden age by the end of the week. Coming from such a bread-laden culture, Juul and I had trouble thinking on our feet and bought a giant what can only be described as a “cracker wheel”. Seriously: it is a wheel of a cracker… look!

swedish crackers

To my reassurance they do have a nice assortment of meat substitutions. It’s hard to beat Holland here as well, but it’s no competition: I’m just happy the have veggie bacon I can take with my eggs.

Guess what?

With all that shopping behind us… we went to shop some more.

Full disclosure, just expect your first day to be a whole lot of shopping if you want to live like a normal person on day 2. We got our shower curtains, our gel douches, pots and pans, and even our useless decoration!

jellyfish in a glass
Jellyfish in a jar since it’s my friend Vanessa’s spirit animal and looking at it reminds me of her.

When we were done shopping it was past 5. Now since it was a Saturday, the shops close at 5. And the one thing we forgot to buy… were bedsheets. Again. So that was another day sleeping in the cold.

It was at this point I noticed I was missing my sweater. All I wanted to do then was cry. I had to make peace with weeping though. The day had been a tangle of stores, visits, walks and rides; I was too tired for crying. The most frustrating thing was not knowing what had happened to it.

But, lo and behold, the next day I traced my steps and after some fruitless store visits, I found it on a park bench not 1 minute away from my house! God bless the good Samaritan that placed it there.

First days are tough

Your first days in a new environment are gonna be tough; you’re gonna have to do massive amounts of shopping and be confident. Don’t give a damn when you’re taking 4 hours in the same store looking through labels for the cheapest grub. If anyone gives you any funny looks ignore them, if they give you lip tell them you’re new, they’ll be appreciative of that. And don’t lose your favorite sweater, ever, but if you do then pray you’re in a place where people are nice enough to leave it on park benches for you to find.

I can really recommend getting yourself enough food for the rest of the week though. You’ll be stressed enough from learning to work your new kitchen; hell it will literally take you 2 hours to cook spaghetti the first time ’round. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a few instant meals so you can chill a bit, but if this is your first time from home, preparing food is gonna take way much out of you and your schedule. The last thing you’ll want is to not have anything in your fridge and worry about freestyling it. Aight, peace!

 

About the Author

I have been compared to Steve Jobs in the past. Regrettably, only during a student bash by a girl who was absolutely hammered. My origins lie in Utrecht, Netherlands, where I am studying game programming, and I’m carrying the tradition forth on my exchange in Visby. Should I have some alone time, you’ll find me playing chess or video games, though more often I’ll either be hanging out with friends, studying or cooking.

A complete guide to buying an apartment in Stockholm (Part 1)

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Written by Teenie Fung

Looking to buying an apartment in Stockholm? Are you browsing on Blocket for rental apartments in Stockholm? Then I highly recommend you to read this article.

In less than 10 months from arriving in Sweden I bought my first apartment in Stockholm at a great bargain. Here are some tips and secrets on how you can also get out of the frantic rental market.

How competitive is the rental market in Stockholm?

  • You are competing with an additional 10,000+ migrants who relocate to Stockholm each year (SCB gov stats, 2017).
  • On 1 single Blocket rental ad, 100+ people are messaging about renting the same flat within a few days of an ad being published.
  • It can take at least 2 months to find a rental apartment in Stockholm. Dealing with scams while using Blocket ads is highly likely.
  • One can easily spend close to/over 40% of your income on rent. It is not uncommon to have to move every 3-6 months to avoid being homeless. It is almost impossible to find a long-term rental contract for more than a year as a foreigner.

Sounds familiar to your current situation? 60-80% of your time is probably spent on merely looking for a place to sleep. The rest of your time and money goes on adapting to the local culture, new work challenges and social life.

However, instead of facing high-costs & a pressure-cooking life-style, it is in fact financially POSSIBLE to buy an apartment in Stockholm. This guide will be split into four parts, providing some insights into how you can settle in like a pro.

Is renting more expensive than buying an apartment?

A 23sqm apartment I rented in Gärdet (Stockholm) for 12,000 SEK/ month in 2017.

The ugly truth is that you, as a foreigner, probably have no idea how much you are currently being overcharged by your landlord.

As an example, let’s say that you are looking for a studio/ 1 bedroom (‘1-2 rum’ in Swedish terms) apartment in Stockholm. Let’s do the math on how much you could have saved each month by buying an apartment:

In reality, it only costs your landlord (the person who lends you the flat) a total of 3,000 kr/ month, including all utility bills and ‘avgift’ (a fee paid to the housing association in English), for a 23sqm apartment. According to the market value on Blocket, you will likely have to pay a monthly rent of around 12,000 kr given the high market demand.

This essentially means that you are paying 4x ( 9000 kr/ month) of what you would have saved if you own the apartment.

Calculation explaining below:

12,000 (Your monthly rent)
-3000 (Your landlord’s total cost)
=9000 kr/month (Amount of money you could have saved by owning the property)

Each year, you are looking at an annual expense of 108,000 kr (=9000*12), extra just in rent alone.

In 3 years, you would lose about 324,000 kr (=9000*12*3) in rent.

In 5 years, your piggy bank would already have half a million extra if you had chosen to buy an apartment instead…and 1 million in 10 years!

Imagine you could have used the 100,000 kr saved each year for travelling, buying another apartment or doing anything else.

You can still be a first-home owner like a Swede.

Who can buy an apartment in Sweden?

Anyone!

  • The rules are the same for Swedish, EU and non-EU. The only difference is that you will, as a foreigner (esp. non-EU), have a 1-2 week longer processing time for your mortgage application and a slightly smaller mortgage if you have been under 3 years in Sweden.

 

  • The buying process is very straight forward. You don’t need to know the Swedish language to buy a house. Google translate is quite useful!

Remember:

  • You must have a full-time job in Sweden and passed your probation for the bank to approve your mortgage

When should I buy an apartment?

Ignore what the media says about a property bubble. All you need is a good location for the apartment and you will be least affected by/shielded from any economic downturn.

You are buying because you need a stable life. That said, research if it’s the right time to buy such as a seasonal offer. Always do your own research before jumping into the market. First, check if the market is likely to bring you a profit or a good bargain if you are to sell in 5 years. Some important indications of a good time to buy now is as shown below.

  • It’s a buyer market:  Property price in Stockholm area fell by 5-10% y-y in Aug 2018, this is a good moment to hunt for bargains. Remember that you are not looking for the deepest plunge, but entering at a good low-mid point from the last price peak is generally good enough. Property prices are most likely to rise in long-term and has been for more than 20 years now (+60%).
Bostadsrätter Prisutveckling in Stockholm
Average Property price per sqm in Stockholm (Svensk maklarstatistik, Oct 2018)
  • Financially viable: Downpayment in Sweden is still historically low at 15%. (e.g. downpayment of a 2.5m flat is 375k). This proportion has increased from 10% to 15% recently, consider that the downpayment is likely to increase followed by a stricter gov policy. Grab a cheaper deal before the next one comes!
  • Easy credit: Sweden has one of the world’s lowest interest rate (1.5%), and longest mortgage repayment period (no rush to pay back) compared to many other modern places such as London and Hong Kong. You can still borrow close to 5x your annual income (reduced to 4.5x from 5x since Jan 2018).
  • Unprecedentedly high demand for a small apartment (<2 rooms) due to migration and immigration: coupled with low construction rate leading to a tight supply. The demand-supply gap is huge (+10,000 migrants vs 3000 newly constructed 1-2 rooms). Prices for small-sized apartments are likely to continue to rise in long-term.
Färdigställda lägenheter i nybyggda hus efter region, hustyp, lägenhetstyp och år
Newly constructed apartments in Stockholm by number of rooms (SCB, Oct 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

Now that you are curious about buying an apartment instead of renting, let’s get down to a step-by-step guide of how you can achieve this in action. Read ‘A complete guide to buying an apartment in Stockholm (Part 2)’ to be published in a couple of weeks. 

 

Disclaimer:

The information presented on this Blog series is shared for entertainment purposes ONLY.  Forecasts, estimates and certain information contained here should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation to invest. Past performance is not indicative of future results.  The Author in no way guarantees any specific outcome or profit.  Investments can lose money over short or even long periods of time.  You should consult your financial advisor before making an investment decision.

About the author

Teenie is a Stockholm-based investment advisor and tech enthusiast. Inspired by the gigantic potential of Stockholm aka ‘Unicorn Factory’, Teenie left her job from a top-tier bank in Hong Kong and moved to Sweden in 2017. She’s also the creator of an online activewear brand (yogafriday.com) and the founder of a fashion community that is still active today in England. At present, Teenie continues to seek for emerging technologies in pursuit of improving everyday living and a better future.

10 Non-conventional ways to learn Swedish!

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Written by Karishma Desai

So you have decided to learn the language! Bravo! It’s not easy to take that first step and it takes an additional effort to make the journey more interesting.

In my earlier post, I started  a list of basic words to start with Swedish. Now, I am trying to pen down some unusual ways which will help to make this process more fun. After all SFI won’t be enough to teach you everything you need in order to survive!

10 fun ways towards learning Swedish

  1. Start by listening to advertisements on radio and TV. It will give you a bunch of words for daily use like handla (to buy), rabatt (discount), hälsa (health), mat (food), kläder (clothes) etc. You also get acquainted with supermarkets and online shopping sites in Sweden. The second obvious step will be to visit these sites and start reading words for different household, grocery, fashion or hobby products.
  2. Avoid watching TV shows from your country when you are learning. Make an effort to follow SVT programs based on your interest. I started with ‘Melodifestivalen‘ in 2016 and followed many there after.
  3. Listen to Swedish songs on karaoke video. It is a fun way to improve pronunciations as well as learn about the music industry inf Sweden. Don’t be shy to sing out loud with it if you want the best results.
  4. Read your rental documents, tickets, insurance documents in Swedish first before using Google translate. Check if you understand the context. That’s a great way to learn formal way of writing.
  5. Join a förening (activity Club) or studiecirkel and talk in Swedish with participants. Here, one learns everyday words and sometimes slang words.
  6. Take the opportunity to talk to teenagers and retired people. You may take topics like technology and gaming to teens and perhaps travel and hobbies to elders. These two set of people have a kind of different way of talking and using words. To give an example, the ‘ba’- language of young adults where ‘ba’ means ‘bara vill säga’ is not usually written anywhere or used in office or formal events. Some old people use words like ‘hustru’ -an another word for ‘fru’ or ‘maka’ (wife) which I do not hear so often.
  7. Keep reading job descriptions on LinkedIn or Arbetsförmedlingen website, even if you are not looking for jobs actively. It is always good to learn and practice words related to your profession.
  8. Feel free to use English words if needed while speaking Swedish. It actually seems like a style here nowadays! I’m sure nobody minds it. Lucky to be in Sweden 🙂 But do check the word and learn from it.
  9. Go to social media groups, blogs or forums and read opinions from different kinds of people living in Sweden. In addition to language, it gives a good insight about the society around us.
  10. Lastly, I would recommend this nice android  app I am using for two years. It is offline Swedish-English dictionary and the best of all I have tried. Works without internet and gives short example of how to use words in different context. Many times it has helped on-the-go while shopping, travelling and even eating at restaurants.

Sounds convincing? Then start using them TODAY! And share if you have more !

About the author

Hej! I am Karishma, an Indian who started the Newbie journey 2 years ago with my husband. Västerås is our new home now. It has been a tremendous learning experience to start a new life from scratch. I want to share my experience and interact with fellow Newbies on this website and also on my blog Swed Lifestyle. I’m lucky to born as creative soul and you will find me doing painting or trying some DIY projects in my spare time.

Can you Survive in Sweden Without a Personal Number?

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If you’ve arrived in Sweden on a visa that doesn’t allow for you to obtain a personal number, all is not lost. It can be a challenge to access certain services, such as banking, the library, and signing up for a gym. With a little effort and the right provider, you can not only survive but thrive in Sweden without a personal number.

What is a Personal Number?

A personal number (personnummer in Swedish) is the Swedish national identification number. It is a 10 or 12 digit number used throughout the country to identify individuals. It is obtained when a person is entered in the Swedish population register by the Swedish Tax Agency.

Similar to the American Social Security number or the Canadian Social Insurance Number, Swedish personal numbers are used by government and educations institutions, as well as healthcare organizations.

But that’s not all. Personal numbers are also used by banks, insurance companies, utility providers, gyms, and even grocery stores to record membership. In many cases, you will be asked to provide your personal number instead of giving an address, phone number or even membership number.

Basically, a personal number is your golden ticket to life in Sweden.

But what happens if arrive in Sweden on a short-term visa that won’t allow you to obtain a personal number? When you first arrive, it will seem as though you can’t do or sign up for anything.

When I first arrived in Sweden without a personal number, I tried to access many services only to be denied. I was frustrated as my Swedish dream was quickly turning into a nightmare. But I persevered. Over the past five months, with a little research and a lot of trial and error, I’ve learned you can not only survive but thrive in Sweden without a personal number.

How to Survive in Sweden Without A Personal Number

Banking

Opening a bank account without a personal number is a challenge. Many banks will flat out deny your application if you arrive without all the necessary pieces of information.

SEB is a great option for foreigners. Instead of signing up with a personal number, many branches will allow you to open an account using your passport.

To sign up for an account, pop into your local branch with your passport and the necessary documents ready, explain your situation and they should be able to get you up and running.

The Gym

Signing up for any gym membership or fitness program is fraught with hurdles when you’re without a personal number. For starter, you most certainly won’t be able to sign-up for classes online. Instead of giving up and counting yourself out, pop down to your local SATs (or any other gym of your choice) and speak with a manager. Explain your situation and they may be able to offer you a temporary membership. In these cases, you will most likely have to pay for your 6- or twelve-month membership upfront, but that beats not having access to the facilities at all.

If you’re looking for a more specialized form of fitness, such as yoga, barre or pilates, contact the studio to see if you need a personal number to sign-up for classes. Many of these private organizations don’t require you to have a personal number to purchase a membership.

Swedish Lessons

Even without a personal number, European Citizens can still access Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) classes. SFI classes are an awesome option as they are free and intense, so you’ll learn the language quickly.

For those of us not from the continent, SFI classes are not an option until you have a personal number. Thankfully there are other options. Schools like Folkuniversitet and Grow Internationals offer Swedish language classes to those of us without a personal number. Unfortunately, they aren’t free, but they are a great way to immerse yourself in the language and meet new people.

Life in Sweden without a personal number can be a challenge. From opening a bank account to obtaining a gym membership, you may feel like you’re facing hurdles around every turn. But with a little bit of effort and by contacting the right people, you can not only survive but thrive in Sweden without a personal number.

Written by: Kate Slean

Kate Slean is a Canadian freelance writer and graphic designer who has spent the last three years living throughout Europe. She moved to Stockholm in 2017 and has since been indulging her inner Scandophile and immersing herself in Swedish culture.

What to Expect the First Year (in Sweden)

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Written by Hayu Hamemayu

People say the first year of everything is actually the hardest. What about the first year living in Sweden? Well, it’s not easy, I must say. But, if you know what to expect, you will know how to deal with that.

1. Bureaucracy

Welcome to Sweden!
First thing first: get your personnumer and your Swedish ID as soon as possible. These two things are essential for your new life in Sweden. Brace yourself during these times, as Skatteverket will be your number one office to visit. Expect a long queue so come to the office early. Make sure you provide every document they need and double check no document is missed.

Then, whenever you are in doubt, ask!

I know that coming to Skatteverket office over and over can be really exhausting (and boring!), but it is unquestionably important to keep your eyes on the whole process. I personally had quite an experience with Skatteverket when my personnumer application was rejected but I didn’t know it sooner because for some reasons I didn’t receive the rejection letter. Later I knew it was because my residence permit was almost expired at that time so I needed to renew it first to be able to apply for personnumer. Thus, if you found something suspicious with your application, like the duration of the process or no reply after two weeks, do not hesitate to check it in nearby Skatteverket office.

2. Language

Feeling confused with Swedish? Relax. You’re not the only one. Luckily, Swedish has some quite similar words to English and they both are Subject-Verb-Object language, so you can guess the meaning based on familiar words as a starter (be aware of “slut” and “bra” though as they have totally different meanings 😀 ).

My newbie advice is to understand the pattern, especially for simple daily conversation.

When you shop in supermarket, for instance, most of the times the shopkeeper will only ask you two questions. First, “Do you have a member card (medlem)?”. Second, “Do you want/need the receipt (kvitto)” These are both the yes and no questions; so, you can simply answer them with “Ja” or “Nej.” Then, when you shop in any stores other than supermarket, there will be another frequently asked question which is: “Do you need a bag?”. Again, it’s a polar question and you can reply it with “yes” or “no”. Once you’ve understood the pattern, you will reach that level of Swedish I call: “Enough to survive” 😀

3. Food

For you who come from other parts of the world where foods are cooked with various herbs and layer of spices, like me, you may find getting spicy foods in Sweden is bit hard. But again, there’s something to anticipate. Most herbs and spices can be found in the “Livsmedelbutik” or “Livs” which simply means grocery. Search on Google for Livs in your area by using these keywords: “Kina” (Chinese), “Thai”, “Asiatisk” (Asian) or “Arabiska” (Arabic). Or, you can simply go to chain supermarkets and find the Asian section. Their collection is limited but it’s still better than nothing.

4. Weather

The template weather in Sweden isn’t just cold, but also windy. And it’s changing pretty quickly so we need to be always well prepared. Install at least two weather apps in your phone for comparison, then prepare the following weather essentials: wind and rain and snow proof jacket/coat, strong umbrella (the one that doesn’t easily blown away), waterproof shoes/boots, skincare products, vitamins and if you have young kid, that overall dress is definitely a must.

5. Housing

There’s nothing unusual with moving around in Sweden. I’ve been living in Sweden for a year now and I’m going to move to my 3rd place by the end of this month. Finding house or apartment is indeed really challenging, especially during the first year. Thus, soon after your arrival, sign your email address up and queue in as many housing providers as possible, both public or private ones. Then, join Facebook groups, Blocket, BoPoolen or any other housing related services in your area. Beware of the scams though.

No matter how desperate you are, never send any money before you see, in person, the place you’re going to rent.

6. Social Life

Moving to a new place can create lonesomeness sometimes. Before the homesick hits you, check the international hubs in your area regularly. They often create event, gathering, tour, seminar, workshop, or other activities. Use Facebook to discover events near you, or visit interesting places like museums or the state library to spend the day. The libraries in Sweden always have different language sections so you do not need to worry about language. Another option is to do voluntary works. You can find these kind of works in the international hubs’ websites, in your kommun’s website or even your kid’s school websites (this particular one applied to me). By doing this, you will meet new people, experience new things, and create new circles.

Now that you’ve known what to expect during the first year in Sweden, I think you are ready for the second one. And counting! ☺

Hayu Hamemayu is a Lund-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, Kompas, Majalah Kartini, and Indonesia Travel Magazine among others. A traveller mommy by nature and random thinker by inclination, she keeps memories in her Instagram @hayuhamemayu and writes her everyday stories in her blog.

Moving To Sweden – Tips For Your Arrival

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We were very lucky, in that Dadda had been in the country for 8 weeks before I and the three children arrived in Sweden.  This was due to the time it took us to find, purchase, and move into a house.  However, if he hadn’t been our “advanced party” a few things may have tripped us up moving to Sweden.  With no children or family logistics to distract him, Dadda was able to get himself sorted out, before the rest of us landed and we needed help.  He sussed out what was needed to be done ready for us.

Photograph: Sonia Cave

Personal Number

You need to make this your top priority when moving to Sweden.  Without it you can’t get a bank account, library card, supermarket membership (even for self scanning), the list goes on….it really is a magic number that is the key to unlocking your life in Sweden.

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

Sit Back and Wait

Be prepared for things to take time, from paperwork to home wifi being installed.  Nothing is done in a rush here, and as frustrating as that can seem when you are still waiting for Försäkringskassan to sort out your child benefit payments a year after your move (they prefer to write a letter to you and send it via Swedish snail mail when they hit a snag), you need to accept this pace of life with good grace, and plan for it 🙂

Photograph: Sonia Cave

Don’t Plan To Get Things Done In The Summer

Sweden is on holiday in the summer.  One reason for moving here was the Swedish work/life balance, but when the full force of this hits you during an international move/immigration process, it can be a little frustrating.  Dadda arrived in Sweden in the middle of August.  He needed to make his arrival in Sweden official, settle into a new job, look for a house, and buy one, sort out purchasing a family car…..and everything else that goes along with all that.

However, during the summer months it is very hard to pin anyone down due to the fact that they are a far too busy enjoying the Swedish summer months….fair enough, the summer life is fabulous here, but just don’t try and do your moving to Sweden then 🙂

Be Punctual

We are English, we need to arrive 5 minutes before an appointment time or if we are meeting someone, it is polite.  Or if like me you have three small children to drag out the house, you are always running, stressed, and late!  Either way, that is not Swedish.  There is a time for something and you arrive bang on that time.  We once were viewing a house and had arrived 5 minutes early.

We looked around the property a little confused as to why no one was here from the estate agents.  The, bang on the allotted time, a deluge of cars arrived, both other prospective buyers and the agent arrived on the dot!

Photograph: Sonia Cave

Sign Up For Supermarket Membership

Obviously this is only after you have your personal number!!  See the first point made.  In the UK, you load your shopping onto a lovely long conveyor belt, wait your turn, then pack it up as it is gently passed down the other end, and then you pay.  Moving to Sweden, I suddenly found the whole “packing a weekly food shop up for a family of 5” very stressful.  You can only load a small amount of shopping as the conveyor belt is very short.  Meaning you have to keep loading it on, while it is being whizzed through by the cashier.  You don’t get a chance to pack anything before you must pay.

A barrier goes down so the next persons food goes off to the other side of the packing area.  However, in the blink of an eye, their transaction is done, while your food is still needing to be packed and getting so squished as the conveyor belt is still moving everything to the other end in 1 big pile (handy tip….never put eggs, biscuits, cereal, or milk through first!!).

You now get all hot, sweaty, and stressed as the barrier lifts and the next persons shopping hurtles towards yours……the solution, get a membership. Only by being a member can you self-scan as you go along. Then when you’re done, you just go and pay….no conveyor belts, no grid sprints, no squashed food. It really makes the food shop a lot easier to deal with 🙂

Embrace The Sauna

These delights are everywhere, and you need to leave time to use them.  After going swimming you will head into your changing room (male or female), to be faced with everyone casually sitting in the sauna, drying after their shower…..mind boggling for a reserved Brit!  You will discover them floating in the fjord, so you can leap right into the fresh water afterwards.  You will wander round your little Swedish island discovering them in all shapes and sizes in gardens.

I hope if you’re thinking of moving to Sweden you will find these tips helpful (if you have already moved you may well agree with them).  There is a lot more information over on my website Mamma’s School about our move, and how we find it living here.

Moving to Sweden, living in Sweden, Moving abroad, living abroad, Sweden, www.mammasschool.co.uk
Photograph: Sonia Cave

Written by Sonia Cave

I’m Sonia, Mamma to three (our little lady, 9, and our twin mini men, 5). With Dadda, we’re on our dream adventure having moved from the UK to Sweden in October 2016. We’re happiest in the outdoors. We like playing in nature, climbing trees, and cooking in the great outdoors. We moved to Sweden to bring our children up the Scandinavian way, and to enjoy all things Swedish, especially their ethos of living. You can follow our adventures over on the the blog Mammas School

5 Things I wish I knew about Sweden!

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Written by Karishma Desai

Sweden-a country somewhere in the far north, often and easily confused with Switzerland, is not a place people know much about. My knowledge about Sweden improved before coming here as my husband was here a couple of times before we moved. And of-course, I browsed through the internet a lot. However, there are always things one discovers only once you are actually living in the country. An amazing roller-coaster of two years has helped me discover things that I wish I’d known earlier. And I can’t wait to share it with other Newbies!

Knowing English is NOT enough

Swedes are known for their good English skills. Most people understand and speak English, especially young people. It sometimes gets a bit difficult for older people to answer in English but mostly they understand the context. I expected a similar environment at the workplace and was happy to find many international companies here with English as the official language.

This was enough to fuel my motivation to come here without feeling the pressure to learn the local language. I thought of learning at my own pace. However, the bubble burst within the first 3-4 months, as I found out from a recruiter that all companies operating in the local markets demand you know Swedish.

My internship experiences in a multinational company was a testimony of just how important it is to know Swedish.

Most of the meetings were held in Swedish, with occasional clarifications in English for urgent matters related to me.

There are people who can manage without Swedish and get support to work only in English. However, it is highly appreciated if you try to integrate as much as possible.

All your important documents from rental contracts, electricity bill to your pension plans come in Swedish. One can always go to internet sites and use the translator but that is not always a reliable option. Grocery shopping was tough as I could not risk buying something new with ingredients I do not understand.

So, I concluded that completing my Swedish course (Svenska För Invandrare) would be a priority.  Not only getting a certificate, but so that I can use the language in daily life. Knowing English is a big plus, but not enough!

Individualistic approach to finance

My first encounter with a bank was a mix of weirdness and shock.  They wanted a proof of income from the employer, the Employment office – Arbetsförmedlingen or Försäkringskassan – the Social Insurance Agency – in order to open an account. My argument that my husband would support me in this initial phase of our relocation was not enough. They even asked me for a signed contract in that case. For me, this was an example of an extreme individualism practiced in Sweden.

Later, I discovered  how individualistic they are while dealing with their economy. I understood and respect their way of thinking but I surely wish I had known that before.

Using comma as decimal point

It took me a while to understand  that comma (,) and (.) used in decimal number is different than how we do in India. I am not sure how many people have had this issue, but somehow I missed this before coming here.

Comma is used as decimal indicator. It means 100,000 is ‘one hundred’ and 100.000 is ‘one hundred thousand’.

Knowing this in advance would have helped avoiding initial mistakes in my work.

For detailed information of countries using either comma or point as decimal indicator check out this link.

Re-learning names for countries and electronic gadgets

It is one thing to learn the names of animals and vegetables, but re-learning the country names in Swedish was demanding. To be honest, I still do not know all of them. That is true for all European languages.

My surprise reached the new heights when I found that even electronic gadgets are renamed!

Dator (Desktop), Surfplatta (Tablet), bärbar dator (Laptop), Dammsugare (Vacuum cleaner) sounded funny and hard to digest. But I think there will be a time when I will forget the universal names soon; as it is already happening with ‘dammsugare‘.

Monotonous clothing colors

Swedes are known as a reserved people and do not particularly want to be noticed in a crowd. Which is quite opposite to cultures in warm and populated countries. But in Sweden, a usual “uniform” is black pants, black top/t-shirt and black leather jacket.

Black, white and pastel clothing is practiced everywhere and all clothing shops are full with these limited variations. The most different variant will be a brown, wine or bottle green color.

It is a general feeling for many newbies in Sweden that it is hard to find something that suits our style. It is specific for people like me who comes from a vibrant culture. I would have brought more clothes from my country before arriving here if I had known this.

I think this list will get longer as the time passes. If this happens,  I will write another part of this post soon.

 

About the author

Hej! I am Karishma, an Indian who started the Newbie journey 2 years ago with my husband. Västerås is our new home now. It has been a tremendous learning experience to start a new life from scratch. I want to share my experience and interact with fellow Newbies on this website and also on my blog Swed Lifestyle. I’m lucky to born as creative soul and you will find me doing painting or trying some DIY projects in my spare time.

Temporary residence

A temporary residence permit – a so called tidsbegränsat uppehållstillstånd, allows you to live and work in Sweden for a limited period of time (mostly two years).

You will probably start your time in Sweden by getting a temporary residence permit the first time you apply – if you meet all the requirements of course.

This means that you will have to make a second application before your current permit expires, if you want to stay in Sweden for a longer period of time.

On July 20, 2021, the Swedish migration legislation will be changed. Many who have applied for a residence permit and not received a decision before July 20 will be affected by the new rules.

You can read about the major general changes in the law on Sveriges Riksdag website or Migrationsverket website. For more detailed information on how a certain type of permit or application is affected by the changes in the law, you can visit the pages about each permit on The Swedish Migrations Board – Migrationsverket.

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

About the Swedish Tax Agency

Paying taxes – most of us need to do it. The Swedish Tax Agency – Skatteverket) is responsible for national tax collection and administering the population registration.

If you plan to live in Sweden one year of more you should register with the Swedish Tax Agency – Skatteverket. Doing so will add you to the Swedish Tax System and assigns you with a unique identification number, a so called personnummer.

Why is paying taxes important?

Paying taxes (sometimes quite a lot) is one of the many things Swedes do. Trying to find a way around it – is not a good idea. Life in Sweden comes with many social benefits and these benefits need to be paid for, somehow. When you pay your taxes, you contribute to these benefits. And by doing so, you’re added to the system, making you a benefiter of it. It’s actually quite nice – you give and you take.

Once you register with the Swedish Tax Agency all your personal data (current address, marital status, income etc.) is automatically spread to the other authorities. This may sound a bit scary but it is rather practical. If you e.g. move or get married, you only need to inform the Swedish Tax Agency about it and they will forward the information to other relevant authorities.

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

Missing something? Or does something feel unclear? Contact us and help us improve.

About residence permits

You should apply for a residence permit if you want to work, study or stay in Sweden for more than three months. There are different types of residence permits (temporary as well as permanent) and they are granted on various grounds – such as work, family or studies in Sweden.

How to get a residence permit

Residence permits are granted on various grounds – such as work, studies or protection (asylum). However, the most common reason for obtaining a residence permit in Sweden is family ties. Over 40 000 residence permits were granted in 2013 due to family ties.

Who can apply for a residence permit?

You should apply for a residence permit if you want to live, work or study in Sweden for more than three months. However, not everyone needs a residence permit. EU citizens, for instance, have the right of free movement within the EU.

Other countries have agreements with Sweden that facilitates for their citizens to come to Sweden. Check with your local Swedish Embassy or Consulate if your country of origin has any agreements with Sweden that could facilitate for you when moving here.

How do I apply for a residence permit?

You apply for a residence permit by submitting an application to your local Embassy or Consulate or in some cases directly to the Swedish Migration Board – Migrationsverket.

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

You must submit your application from your country of origin or the country where you legally reside. If there is no Embassy or Consulate in your country you may have to travel to the nearest country (who has a Swedish Embassy or Consulate) in order to submit your application.

It is sometimes possible to submit an application at an Embassy or Consulate of another Schengen country. It is important, that you get your residence permit before you travel to Sweden.

In some exceptional cases, you might receive a residence permit while staying in Sweden. This exception applies if you already have a residence permit, or if you have or are expecting children.

On July 20, 2021, the Swedish migration legislation will be changed. Many who have applied for a residence permit and not received a decision before July 20 will be affected by the new rules.

You can read about the major general changes in the law on Sveriges Riksdag website or Migrationsverket website. For more detailed information on how a certain type of permit or application is affected by the changes in the law, you can visit the pages about each permit on The Swedish Migrations Board – Migrationsverket.

 

How long does it take to get a decision from Migrationsverket?

You will have to be patient, because processing times are quite long, especially for first time applicants. The current waiting time for first time applicants are between 14 – 18 months! However, it does get better with time. Processing times for second time applicants are generally shorter – around a workweek. Yet, this highly depends on the complexity of your application.

Tip: make your application online. This usually helps to speed up the processes. Another tip is to check out the current waiting times on Migrationsverkets website or to call them directly and ask how the application is going.

has information in English about visas and residence permits

Register for an identity number

Registering at the Swedish Tax Agency – Skatteverket, needs to be done in person and can be a bit time consuming. 

But once you are done you will have your personal identification number – called personnummer, which works as a magic code for more or less everything in Sweden.

This is how you get a Swedish personnumer

  • Locate your nearest Tax Office. There is one in nearly any Swedish city. Find your closest Tax Office here. (Information in Swedish)
  • Go to the Tax Office in person and register. You usually don’t need an appointment, you just drop by during the opening hours.
  • What you need to bring for registering depends on your citizenship and partly on your family status (if you are moving here alone or with/to your family). Yet, you generally need to bring a valid passport and your residence permit (or equivalent).

You will be asked about your current residence address and family relations (spouse, children and grandparents etc.). This serves the purpose of adding you to the civil registration – folkbokföring. So, don’t get stressed by all these questions, they are part of the usual procedure.

This is what you need to bring for registering if you are:

Who shall register with the Swedish Tax Agency?

It partly depends on your citizenship, yet the general rule is that anyone who plans to live one year or more in Sweden should register with Skatteverket. 

Seeking asylum in Sweden?

To be registered in the Swedish Population Register you must have a residence permit (uppehållstillstånd). You can apply for a residence permit at the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket).

 

Missing something? Or does something feel unclear? Contact us and help us improve.

 

Why you need an identity number

When you registering with the Swedish Tax Agency - Skatteverket - you get a unique identity number -  called personnummer. Your whole legal existence in Sweden is based on this personal number.

And you will generally need it for more or less everything, like:

It is in some exceptional cases possible to do these things without being registered with the Swedish Tax Agency, yet having a personal identity number makes it all much easier so it is highly recomended go get one.

The set up of your identity number - personnummer

Your personnummer consists of ten numbers, starting by your birth date (year, month day) plus four unique numbers. The number is not secret, it is however good to be careful as a lot of information is linked to this number and identity theft is a growing crime.

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

Missing something? Or does something feel unclear? Contact us and help us improve.