Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Hi all,

I am moving to Sweden, from the UK, with my Swedish partner early next year, however can anyone who has done this move tell me of any pains or troubles they faced, be it through registering etc?

I am aware of the Identity Card set up but just wondering if there were any issues you were faced with that you didn't expect when there or getting ready to go there? EDIT: Infact how did you prove where you live for the Tax office when applying for the ID card, bearing in mind there will be no physical bills or anything available???

I will be applying for the SFI courses as soon as I get there and will be looking for work.

ALSO I am a Type 1 Diabetic and currently (in the UK) receive my medication free on the NHS, is there a similar set up there? I have been told you pay a yearly fee for prescriptions? Anyone have any experience with dealing with this?

So yes what if any problems may I find on route and how did you get through them? Is there any good websites or tips that will help?!

Thanks in advance!
Lee

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

1. You will need to have private medical insurance until you get a residency permit.
This is one of the requirements needed prior to applying for residency.

An EU Health card won't cover medical help, unless it is an emergency.
But pre existing conditions like diabetes need insurance.

2. Health care is not free.
It is supplemented through taxes, and each visit to a doctors or hospital is usually 200 - 400. Once you have residency and you have spent something like 1600:- within 365 days, and registered each payment (your responsibility) then the remaining days left are free.

3. Medication is not free.
Again it is supplemented, but you have to have spent roughly 2000:- in less than 365 days before you are entitled to free medication left in the 365 day time period.

4. SFI is often a waste of time.
If you can afford to go private, then do.
Many SFI courses can take 3 years to complete due to varying standards of education quality.

5. Employment.
Due to excessive unemployment and a barrage of non skilled english speaking immigrants from all over the world, the employment market is saturated beyond belief. If you hope to find an english speaking job, then you should do so before you arrive. As quite frankly there are none, or the ones that area available are for professionals who have been head hunted.

If you plan to learn Swedish first, then make sure you have 36 months of savings to support yourself.

Good luck.

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Its imperative you learn the language to a level where you can have a rudimentary conversation. I was in Sweden for 2 years without the language and no chance of a decent job. And I can command a £50k + salary in the uK. Personally after my experience I would caution anyone considering moving to Sweden. Having a Swedish partner is a poor reason to move to Sweden but having a job in Sweden is a great reason to move. Finally, SFI is dreadful, shocking, a waste of time and a huge demotivator. Avoid! Even the term I find distasteful and patronising. On the positive side there is some great krav or organic food and the bird life is amazing and Swedish people can be very helpful. Good luck. You are going to need it.

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Tend to agree with previous two posts.

Sweden gets more than one or two asylum seekers with the result that there can be a long waiting list for SFI courses (if thats your preferred option)

I haven't found the Swedish healthcare system anything like as good as the UK's NHS. I was used to seeing one of the two or three doctors operating from my local GP practice in the UK. It can be easier to talk about whatever problems you have, when you feel you and the doctor know each other.

At my local Swedish practice, there is a high turnover of doctors, and its a little disconcerting to have a consultation when no doctor-patient relationship has been developed.

Most Swedes are OK (first neighbour I had couldn't have been more helpful when I first moved here) - at the same time, many people who have moved here find it difficult to make friends with Swedes.

In many ways, an awareness of Jantelagen may help you get by in Sweden ;)

(This from Wikipedia):

You're not to think you are anything special.
You're not to think you are as good as we are.
You're not to think you are smarter than we are.
You're not to convince yourself that you are better than we are.
You're not to think you know more than we do.
You're not to think you are more important than we are.
You're not to think you are good at anything.
You're not to laugh at us.
You're not to think anyone cares about you.
You're not to think you can teach us anything.

I would consider not severing all links with the UK until you're sure Sweden is for you

Good luck!

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Well, after having lived in France for 2 and a half years now, I felt that I had nothing new to add to a Swedish thread, but I agree with the previous posts. In fact I was about to write 'Keep your return ticket, you might need it sooner'n you think!
Blackie

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Good advice on the language skills. So many act on the assumption that it is not necessary to achieve competence in the local language. I seer similar caveats about other countries outside the "Anglosphere" come as a surprise to our insular fellow-countrymen.

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Language in Sweden is very different to many other parts of the world.

With Sweden having such a high proportion of refugees and immigrants, it has created a very divided nation in terms of language. Which has led to special laws being introduced to help protect Swedish and its 6 minority languages.

These laws were brought in specifically due to the influence of English and common use in everyday life, to help protect the Swedish language. But realistically its a loosing battle. Sweden is becoming more and more Anglicised everyday that it now is a real problem for those looking to ensure Sweden remains the official language in Sweden.

English has become both a hinderance and a godsend as Sweden has evolved.
Sweden has always been a small country in terms of population and linguisticall reach, which has meant that Anglo adoption has been very much present since the 70/80's onwards. And in big cities you will have no problem speaking only English, 100% of the time.

English speaking daycares, primary and secondary schools have become the norm for parents to send their children too. Which reflects the lack of hope pinned on Swedish as a language in the future or for use in employment.

But where the importance of Swedish comes into context is with cultural identity. There is no doubt that Sweden is battling to come to grips with huge and fast deployment of ethnic diversity, but the use of Swedish by many is more akin to being able to identify who is a native and who is not (The white ethnic Swede test). There is a strong underlying form of what many describe as ethnic racism in Sweden, where time and time again reports come out from governments and think tanks highlighting the disparity of employment based on ethnic identity.

To the point where it is not uncommon for non ethnics to need to change their surname, just so they get the chance to be called in for an interview when sending in their CV.

So bear this in mind,

Good luck

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

I'd only say that it's not a good idea to come over here unless you really have to. It's very unlikely that you'll find a job even if you speak Swedish so you'd better have plan B.

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Regardless of the country you plan on moving, you need to think about learning the language of the locals, as it will help you adapt, manage on your own around the town and eventually start looking for a job. I have a friend who was a teacher and decided to move to Sweden. She ended up working as a cleaning lady in a bank, until she was able to communicate in Swedish.

I love this!

I've attended a Swedish course recently and met a girl from Sweden who was teaching the course, and she explained us a lot about the way people think and are raised. This matches most of the things she said to us.

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Sweden is a very beautiful country. It is hugely exspensive. Children are taught ENGLISH at school.

Make sure you have an open return ticket.

Good luck.

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

In regards to Language and Swedish, I think the best thing to do is offer the following information.

According to statistics, there are approx 8.2million English speakers in Sweden.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ing_population

Whereas Swedish speakers account for (7,825,000, according to SIL's Ethnologue). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Sweden

However, this is partially due to Sweden's immigration policy, which has seen a steady rise in what is described as non ethnics. And in part led to language laws to strengthen the Swedish language in 2009.

But what is really being overlooked is the significance of Swedish as a language is more so to do with cultural significance. And any person who finds themselves looking to find work, being judged on their ethnicity and culture speaks volumes about an underlying issue which the state spends millions on trying to cover up.

This in itself has been long documented with numerous reports by the UN.
Sweden’s liberal image is a mirage that hides a very ugly problem - Quartz

Anything that usually appears to be too good, usually is.
And this could account to why there has been an all time record level of emigration from Sweden in recent years.

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

I couldn't agree more - I'd only add that xenophobia applies to all foreigners, not only African ones as report says. EU emigrants are probably the most discriminated group actually - while refugees are priority my EU passport is NOT a valid form of ID i.ex. in the bank and the post office. National insurance paid for years in UK is not taken into account despite it should be (there's lots more of EU directives that are not respected here but I wont bore you to death).
Also - those thousends of people who leave Sweden every year are not only foreigners but also Swedes themselves - this means something, doesn't it? And then ETC asks 'what are we doing wrong that they are leaving?' Oh well... propaganda can't stop people.
Lastly I'd like to quote one of Western journalists:' Sweden is an expert in creating and exporting image of this country that is completely untrue'. May everybody who wish to move here bear it in mind ;)

Re: Moving to Sweden, what problems lay ahead?
 

Your passport should be accepted, Annabel, (don't know about anywhere else) but if you're collecting mail from a postal pick up point then Posten (now Postnord's) rules apply on identity

Have to say I don't carry my passport around with me, and usually show my driver's licence - some staff at my local ICA store (20kms away!) are pretty obdurate and I don't relish an argument early in the morning.

There is also a book rural mail delivery service which I've found to be pretty good. Just mention it as it seems to be a well-kept secret ;)