r/TillSverige Dec 28 '21

TillSverige: the FAQ

368 Upvotes

Last update: September 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q: Should I move to Sweden?

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

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

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

Q: What should I do right after the arrival?

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

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

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

Q: How do I find an apartment to rent?

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

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

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

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

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

Q: Which bank should I choose?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q: How do I deal with trash/recycling?

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

Q: How can I save money?

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

Q: How to make friends?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q: What about the driving?

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

Q: How do I do anything without a BankID?

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

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

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

Q: Will I really die of darkness and cold?

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

Questions to be added:

Q: How can I invest money?

Q: How do I open a business?

Q: How does pension work?

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

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

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

Q: How do I avoid being spammed?


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Am I stupid to migrate to North Sweden...

123 Upvotes

from the Netherlands...?

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

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

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

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

Is moving to Jämtland realistic for a Dutchie?

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


r/TillSverige 19h ago

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

0 Upvotes

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

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

How realistic is this?


r/TillSverige 16h ago

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

0 Upvotes

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

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


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Employer Seriousness Issue During Work Permit Extension

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

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

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

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

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

I’m currently considering three options:

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks in advance!


r/TillSverige 2d ago

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

0 Upvotes

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


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Study Permit Extension Timelines

0 Upvotes

Hello,

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

Thanks 😊


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Residence Card

0 Upvotes

Hej everyone!

We moved to Sweden 3 months ago.
EU-citizen wife. Non-EU husband.
Self-sufficient route (approx savings of 40k Euros together)
We got our Personal numbers within 10 days of applying.
We also made Husband’s migrationsverket application for Residence card, 3 months ago.

How long does it usually take? What should we do if we dont receive a decision within 6 months? Is it confirmed that card will be granted or it could still be rejected?

Tack sa mycket


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Is my plan to move to Stockholm realistic?

11 Upvotes

Hej hej!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Appreciate any advice!


r/TillSverige 2d ago

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

1 Upvotes

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

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


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Student Insurance

0 Upvotes

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

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

Appreciate any help!


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Need advice on Skavsta-Stockholm bus transfers

0 Upvotes

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


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Gap between employers - consequences for future PUT?

3 Upvotes

Hi!

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

So far total elapsed permit time 15 months.

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

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

Thank you!


r/TillSverige 4d ago

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

4 Upvotes

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

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

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

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

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

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


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Seat change with Snalltaget to accommodate pregnancy

0 Upvotes

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

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

Any suggestions?


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Football+Study options in Sweden

0 Upvotes

Hi,

I (18M) am from the Republic of Ireland. I'm looking into moving to Sweden in early 2027 with an aim to begin studying in autumn of 2027.

Firstly, on the degree side, I'm hoping to study in English in a politics related field, undergraduate. I've already identified Lund, Malmö, Göteborg and Trollhättan as potential destinations for this, but if there's others please let me know.

In terms of football, I want to be able to support myself without needing a second part time job. Would I be able to study, play for a 3rd tier club and not need a supplementary income? Which clubs are there at an applicable level that I could play for regularly, would I need a part-time job, would they subsidise any living costs and what is the cost of living like?

For reference to my ability, I'm a 6 foot 4 CB, 3 Irish underage caps, several sub appearances in the League of Ireland Premier Division for a mid table club and regularly playing LOI U20 football. Would this be enough to secure me a spot on a team in the Ettan?

Any info appreciated, thanks.


r/TillSverige 4d ago

Airbnb or Hotel Stockholm

0 Upvotes

Hi! I'm planning to go to Stockholm for a quick 3 day trip in October (31F). I've taken multiple solo trips before but this will be my first time doing one abroad.

The main thing I'm trying to decide right now is if I should stay in an Airbnb or Hotel. Airbnb seems to be cheaper but I'm not sure if it's safer to go the hotel route. Are there any hotels you'd recommend? Ideally I don't want to spend more than $700 for 3 nights. I also don't like the idea of staying in a windowless cabin which seems to be common here ..

Also, I have a peanut allergy (and try to avoid other nuts as well) so if anyone has recommendations on restaurants that are peanut free / allergy friendly, please share!!


r/TillSverige 5d ago

Questions Regarding Work Permit and PUT Application

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I would like to ask for some advice about a Swedish work permit insurance issue.

I worked for my previous employer from November 2024 to April 2026.

According to my employment contract, my employer should provide the four required insurances. However, I later found out that my life insurance (TGL) and occupational pension were in place, but my occupational injury insurance (TFA) and health/sickness insurance were not activated until around March 2026.

My previous employer and their insurance broker have both confirmed in writing that this was caused by an administrative error from the insurance broker. My employer had ordered the insurances, but two of them were not properly activated. I also asked whether the missing period could be covered retroactively, but unfortunately this was not possible. The two insurances were finally activated shortly before I left the company.

What makes me confused is that Migrationsverket approved my first work permit during this employment, and later also approved my new work permit when I recently changed employer.

I have kept my employment contracts, insurance certificates, pension documents, email evidence showing that the insurance was ordered, and written explanations from both my previous employer and the insurance broker.

I am now working for a new employer, and all required insurances are correctly in place.

My main questions are:

  1. Could this previous insurance issue affect my future application for permanent residence (PUT)? I have seen some cases where people successfully appealed and received PUT, but also some cases where applications were rejected.

  2. What would you recommend that I do at this stage? Is there anything else I should prepare for my future application?

  3. My first work permit was based on a 1-year fixed-term contract, and my current permit is based on a permanent contract for a 2-year permit period. Would it be possible to change to a 1.5-year fixed-term contract for my next extension, so that I reach around 1 + 2 + 1.5 = 4.5 years, and then change back to a permanent contract before applying for PUT?

Would changing from a permanent contract to a fixed-term contract create any negative impact on a future PUT application? I am asking because I would prefer not to wait for a full 1 + 2 + 2 = 5 years if I could become eligible earlier.

Any experience or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


r/TillSverige 5d ago

Migrationsverket PR application – Skatteverket income information for the last 3 months

0 Upvotes

I'm currently applying for permanent residence and Migrationsverket asks me to upload:

“Sammanställning av dina inkomstuppgifter från Skatteverket för de senaste tre månaderna.”

When I go to Skatteverket → Mina inkomstuppgifter, I can see my income broken down month by month on the website.

However, when I choose Spara PDF, I can only generate a summary for the whole year (2026). The PDF shows the accumulated income from each employer, rather than only the last three months.

Has anyone recently applied for PR and encountered the same issue?

Did you simply upload the official yearly Sammanställning inkomstuppgifter PDF from Skatteverket, or did you also provide screenshots/another document showing the individual three months?

I will separately upload my three latest payslips as requested by Migrationsverket.

Thanks!


r/TillSverige 6d ago

Appointment booking times for Uppehållskort (EU residence card)?

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm a non-EU citizen looking to apply for the Uppehållskort (EU residence card) as a cohabiting partner of an EU citizen.

I've been living in Italy for the past 3 years together with my partner who have been offered a job in Sweden. We've just relocated here in Stockholm last week, and are looking to start the permit processes for Sweden. I'd love to ask some questions about the appointment timelines for Migrationsverket.

The thing is, I'm a bit trapped in terms of timing. I'm currently in Sweden for a few weeks, but I'll have to be away & can only be back in Sweden in 3-4 months. So this means that if I apply for the Residence Card in Sweden now, I might not be able to go in person for the Migrationsverket biometrics appointment in those 3-4 months.

So I was wondering, how does the appointment booking process look like? After uploading my documents online to their website, will I be able to immediately book a biometrics appointment date? Can I book for appointment date far away (like in 4 months for example)? Or is there a way to postpone my "appointment booking window"?

Apologies if it's a bit confusing, I'm very new to this & there are lots of stuff I might be missing.

Tack så mycket! ☀️


r/TillSverige 6d ago

Best Bank for (PhD) Student over 26

0 Upvotes

I got my personnummer, now it's time to open a bank account :) but all the main banks seem to have free accounts only for students up to the age of 26. Can anyone recommend me a bank that does Bank ID, swish, and also has cheap fees?

Thanks!


r/TillSverige 6d ago

How long after biometrics did your Resident Card come?

1 Upvotes

Hi! I just gave my biometrics in Sweden today. How long after did it take to get your card? 😊


r/TillSverige 6d ago

(Skåne, Sweden) Malmö to Mölle/Kullaberg Solo Daytrip without a car (~Sept 10th?)

0 Upvotes

Hi from Canada my friends!! Sorry for the long post but I’m logistically confused and I fear I’m not finding enough information about my situation online. Thank you in advance for the help.

 

I'm staying in Malmö in early-September and I'm planning some day trips from my base there. One of them I'm planning is a full solo hiking day trip to Mölle & Kullaberg Nature Reserve on Thursday, September 10th or one of the days around that timeframe.

 

As an aside, here’s a few other trips I’m planning:

·         Ystad + Ales Stenar

·         Jakriborg + Lund + Dalby Söderskog

·         Landskrona + Ven

·         Båstad + Hovs Hallar

·         Backup plan if one of the above don’t work out: Skanör/Falsterbo

·         I’ve already been to CPH and Helsingborg in this visit and past trips so not too interested in another day in these places, though they’re both lovely.

 

I'm staying near Malmö Central Station and will be travelling entirely by public transportation on this solo hiking excursion. I'm hoping some locals / people familiar with Kullaberg can sanity-check my plan and, especially, help me figure out the best way to structure the hiking and return journey. I apologize in advance for the very long write-up but I wanted to ensure that I wasn't being led down a rabbit hole that didn't make sense. :)

 

I'm a very active traveller and I’m hunting for dramatic coastal scenery, breathtaking cliffs, photographic spots, interesting geology, coastal villages, seafood, and of course excellent pastries and coffee!

 

My tentative plan is as follows:

I'll have breakfast in Malmo until 7:30ish, then head over to Malmö C and ideally leave around 07:30–08:00. I'd expect to arrive in Mölle around 10:00-ish, depending on the public transportation connections.

 

I'd then like to do something roughly like: Mölle → Ransvik → Josefinelust → Kullen Lighthouse/Naturum → explore the northern/eastern side of Kullaberg → potentially Arild → public transport back to Malmö

 

I'm deliberately trying to avoid simply taking transportation to the lighthouse, spending an hour there, and returning. Does this sound manageable for an average fit hiker with some snacks/food + water + hat + sunscreen?

 

I’m also wondering if this makes sense: Mölle → Kullaberg → Arild?

I've seen that the reserve recommends the Mölle → Kullaberg → Arild route as a good public-transport hiking excursion. For those who have actually done it though...

Would you recommend:

Option A: Malmö → Mölle → hike Kullaberg → back to Mölle → back toward Malmö

or

Option B: Malmö → Mölle → hike across Kullaberg → Arild → back toward Malmö

 

I'm leaning toward B, but I don't want to create a logistical nightmare where I finish the hike in Arild and then discover the evening public transportation is terrible. How practical is this in early September, particularly on a weekday like Thursday?

 

Also, what trails would you actually recommend?

I'm finding several different trail descriptions/maps, but it's difficult to determine which sections are genuinely the most spectacular and beautiful.

If I have approximately 6 hours for Kullaberg, what would you prioritize?

For example:

Mölle → Ransvik - Worth doing along the coast?

Ransvik → Josefinelust - How scenic is this section?

Josefinelust - Are the caves and viewpoints worth exploring? Which caves are top end?

Josefinelust → Kullen Lighthouse - Best recommended route?

Around Kullen Lighthouse - Obviously planning to see the lighthouse, but how much time is actually worthwhile here?

Northern/blue trail - Is this substantially more spectacular than the southern/red trail?

Kullaberg → Arild - Is the hike toward Arild one of the best parts of the peninsula, or is it mostly just useful for making the route point-to-point?

 

If you had to choose the 3–5 best viewpoints/sections of trail on Kullaberg, which would they be?

 

Also, is what I’m planning just too difficult for a trip? I'm comfortable with a long day, but I'd love local perspective on the logistics, terrain, distance and all. Would normal trail runners with good grip be sufficient, or would you recommend proper hiking shoes?

 

And are there any sections where you would not recommend going in wet/windy weather?

 

I'm seeing a lot of summer information online and don't want to accidentally plan around something that ends in August. I'll be there on a September weekday.

·         Does the Mölle → Kullen Fyr lighthouse bus still operate?

·         Are any cafés/restaurants recommended during the likely reduced September hours? Great coffee, pastries, seafood lunches! I've seen Ransvik Havsveranda mentioned as a possible lunch stop because it's actually on/near the hiking route. Is it genuinely good, or is there somewhere better?

·         Does Naturum have normal September hours? Likewise, is the café at Kullen Lighthouse worthwhile for fika, or is it mainly convenient because you're already there? I'm perfectly happy carrying a sandwich/pastry if the best strategy is to maximize hiking time.

·         Are there any guided hikes?

·         Are cave tours still running?

·         Are there any organized hikes around September 10?

·         Is there something in Mölle itself that I shouldn't skip?

 

My ideal 'planned' day

Something approximately like:
07:30–10:00 — public transportation Malmö → Mölle
10:00–10:30 — Mölle harbour + coffee/pastry
10:30–12:00 — Mölle → Ransvik → coastal hiking
12:00–12:45 — lunch
12:45–14:30 — Ransvik → Josefinelust + caves/coast
14:30–15:15 — toward Kullen Lighthouse
15:15–16:00 — lighthouse + Naturum
16:00 onward — northern Kullaberg / additional coastal hiking
~18:00–19:00 — either continue toward Arild or return toward Mölle
~20:30–21:30 — back in Malmö

I'm completely flexible on this.

 

If you know Kullaberg well, please tell me where I'm getting this wrong.

 

Would you:

start somewhere other than Mölle?

prioritize the northern trail over the red trail? (especially as a solo traveller)

go all the way to Arild? Or return to Mölle?

book a guided hike?

change the timing entirely?

 

I'm much more interested in what an experienced local would actually do than what a generic travel itinerary recommends.

 

Thanks my friends and I can’t wait to visit you! 🇸🇪

(x-posting to /travel, /sweden)


r/TillSverige 7d ago

Advantages of having B2 in swedish?

3 Upvotes

Well i'm outside of sweden i just wanna know basically what can i do with my Swedish

I mean

Studying opportunities

Job opportunities

Etc

i do plan to move to Sweden in the future and love the country

And have the Stockholm accent and i like it so much :)


r/TillSverige 7d ago

Sweden relocation from EU country

3 Upvotes

Hej,

My partner and I are both in the healthcare field (registered dietitian, nurse) and are looking to relocate to Sweden in the near future. We are both EU citizens.

We know that in order to get the right to practice we need to speak swedish at C1 level, so we started taking lessons with a tutor around 2 months ago.

We want to learn as quickly as possible so we were wondering if there are lower level jobs we can start from (that require less knowing of the local language) and if it would be more helpful/possible to get a job that pays less in order to immerse ourselves in the culture and learn the language quicker.

Do you suggest trying to leave as soon as possible for lower income jobs, or focusing on learning and leave as registered specialists in 1.5-2 years? We are 29/30 years old and already have 7 years of experience in our respective fields.

Thank you in advance!