Anna Galchenko insta web Editor-in-chief of tripmydream
Advantages of living in Sweden
- Developed infrastructure, even in the suburbs.
- Nature is within walking distance: islands, the sea with incredible views.
- Respect for the rights and freedoms of every person, social and state support. High quality of life and good salaries, even in unskilled positions.
- Medicine is at the highest level.
- Low crime rate.
- Free school and higher education for citizens of the country and foreigners with a residence permit or permanent residence.
- There is a cult of children in Sweden: medical care, including dentistry for children under 18, is free, good tablets and laptops are provided in schools, and sports clubs and clubs are available to everyone.
- There are free Swedish and English language courses for foreigners.
Disadvantages of living in Sweden
- One of the highest tax rates in the EU.
- It is cold in winter, the days are getting shorter, early sunset and late dawn.
- High prices for housing, food and other services.
- The language is considered difficult, similar to German.
- High prices for medical services, especially dental ones. Long queues to narrow specialists, up to six months.
- It may be difficult to find a job, as most employers prefer candidates who speak Swedish.
- The demand for housing exceeds the supply. Accordingly, this affects prices and the difficulty of finding suitable housing.
The creator of the tripmydream travel service, Andrey Burenok, who visited 62 countries where he shot a video about emigration to these countries, shared a rating of the best countries to move to in 2024 on his YouTube channel. Sweden is also on this list.
What are the types of visas to Sweden
- A short-term type C visa is a Schengen (tourist) visa, it is allowed to stay up to 90 days for one half—year.
- National category D — it is possible to stay for more than 90 days during one half-year, suitable for training or employment.
- A guest visa is opened at the invitation of relatives or friends from Sweden.
List of documents for obtaining a visa to Sweden:
- valid passport and copies of all pages;
- national passport and copies of all pages;
- photo 3×4 cm 2 pcs.;
- receipt about the payment of the visa fee;
- return ticket;
- visa application form filled out in English or Swedish;
- availability of financial resources or a bank certificate of sufficient funds to stay in Sweden;
- certificate from the place of study or work;
- documents for private entrepreneurs, a copy of the registration certificate, tax return;
- medical insurance;
- a copy of the rental agreement or a document confirming ownership;
- for a child under 18 years of age – a passport, an original and a copy of the birth certificate.
You should submit your documents to the Swedish Consulate or the visa application center of your country of residence.
Rules of entry to Sweden for Ukrainians
Entry to Sweden for temporarily displaced persons from Ukraine is allowed with a foreign passport, an internal passport of a citizen of Ukraine or other identity document. Crossing the Swedish border is possible without a biometric passport, including children, and is allowed by car, bus and ferry. How to get temporary protection in Sweden in 2024, we wrote in more detail in the article.
How to get a residence permit and permanent residence in Sweden
You can get a residence permit in Sweden through family reunification, work, starting a business, studying, and also through refugee status. More details can be found on the website of the Swedish Migration Service. After 4 years of residence in the country, you can apply for permanent residence, and after 5 years for citizenship. You can apply for a residence permit on the website or directly at the place.
When immigrating through getting a job in Sweden, the procedure for obtaining a residence permit for a future employee is taken over by the employer. A residence permit is issued for a period of 1 year, with the possibility to extend it for 5 years.
Required documents for a residence permit:
- application form in English or Swedish;
- passport, visa;
- criminal record certificate;
- medical insurance;
- confirmation of financial security;
- proof of foundation (employment contract, proof of kinship with a resident of the country, documents on education or business opening);
- data on family members (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, if you immigrate with family members);
- receipt of payment of the fee.
© depositphotos Author of the photo – tupungato
How to get Swedish citizenship
A Swedish citizen has the advantages of living and working in the state, voting in elections, and holding positions in law enforcement agencies. Swedish passport holders are free to live in any EU country. They can also receive free education in European universities, high-quality medical care, social protection and many subsidies from the Swedish government.
The registration process can take up to 10 years to obtain a Swedish passport. It is issued in the presence of permanent residence, which is issued after a residence permit.
Collection and preparation of documents:
- application;
- internal and international passport;
- confirmation of the source of income;
- certificates from the tax office on the absence of debts;
- certificates of non-conviction from the native country;
- children’s birth certificates (if any);
- receipt for payment of the fee.
The documents must first be translated into Swedish, copied and notarized.
Subscribe to our telegram channel @tripmydream so that you don’t miss the news about helping Ukrainians abroad!
Life in Sweden
Work
It is not customary to work a lot here, 5 coffee breaks during the working day is sacred. In Sweden, it doesn’t really matter who you are by profession, what your age or gender is — just do your job well and you can earn decent money.
You can find a job in Sweden at the State Employment Service. Full information is available in Swedish and English, but there are also pages in Russian and Ukrainian.
Job Search Resources:
- Jobinstockholm
- Thelocal.se
- Ofentligajobb
- Europa.eu
Sweden also has international job search portals such as Glassdoor, Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn.
Taxes
The tax system in Sweden is progressive, that is, the more earnings, the more taxes. The rate depends on the size of the salary, for example, the average salary of 3314 euros is 30%.
Salaries
The average salary in Sweden is 3314 euros, the hourly rate starts from 18 euros per hour. Highly paid professions: IT specialists, managers, doctors — from 6800 euros per month.
