Moving to Sweden

I'd say a top priority should be learning Swedish, as that will help unlock the job market and facilitate your integration into Sweden.  Until you do that, you might very well find your opportunities to be limited unless you have extremely special qualifications.

Romaniac

Thanks Romaniac.

Unfortunately I've no special qualifications all I've got is the 14 years work experience since I left school.  My aim is to get into PostNord once I learn Swedish as I'm currently working within the postal service in the UK and would see them as a great company to work for given my experience in that industry.

Sean

Hey shawn

Well first of all, almost everybody speaks english, it might be a problem with your accent and the speed that you talk.

Second, there is not alot of work here, and tax is around 30% up to 375.000kr (30k£) i think it is, and from there it is around 50%.

Third, it IS a beautyfull country and i think that you should go for it.

Fourth, drinking is quite pricey here and here is not many bars, clubs and restaurants There is also a shortage of sport facilities in my opinion.

Fifth, it is very cheap to live here, rent and food. Ofcourse it can be very expensive around stockholm and other snob and posh areas.

When you move here they expect that you sign in at the tax office right away and get a swedish social security number. If you have pets they must have their shots and passport. It gets quite cold at the winter, so make sure that the house you get can be heated at en realistic price, otherwise you might end up heating at astronomic costs.


Good luck with your project

Thanks for your insight Manden.

I'm currently in Trollhattan at the moment visiting family and just seeing how laid back the lifestyle is over here is one of the main reasons I'd like to move here. I thought I'd start signing up to these pages and making inquiries whilst I'm here but once I'm back I'll start getting things in motion.

One thing I need to look at before moving is renting my house out back home in the UK, which shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Sean

Welcome to sweden then

Thank you. I've been to Sweden a few times now and every time I come back the urge to move gets stronger.

Recently I turned 30 and I feel it is a good time to move plus I don't have any commitments back home.  However I do understand that not knowing the language like Romaniac said will restrict me somewhat.

Is there any websites people could recommend for jobs?

Sean

Välkommen i sverige

Tack sa mycket Lily.

Has anyone used Rosetta Stone before? I'm considering buying the 24month course.

Varsågod,i have few friends using it and they say it's good and easy to understand.For now i am using duolingo i guess you should go ahead and buy it as far as it helps you learn swedish.

Yeah I've just bought it Lily.  Also I've been using duolingo and Memrise.

Good,what do you think of duolingo?

I think it's great and easy to use. Always found myself struggling when to use 'min, mina and mitt' when studying Swedish.

It's confusing i sometimes don't know how to use them.When to make a sentence i guess school will teach me how.

That's what I mainly struggle with or being lazy with the accents.

I think you should just learn the language the accent will come automatically.

Do not be too optimistic about your potential career in Sweden. Sorry for cutting your wings, maybe you will end up with a good job, nice Volvo, beautiful blonde at your side and 3 trips to Thailand per year. Maybe.
However, here, without Swedish you can do nothing. Even with a good command of it you may end up with a low paid blue collar jobs that won't let you make ends meet. As an English speaker you may be in a better position since you bellong to the 'better' part of Europe and Swedes will appreciate training English with you.
Prepare yourself for work with old people ( sickness, excrements, death, mental disfunctions, dementia, rush, no time to eat your sandwich and lazy staff with longer work experience using you)
If you are lucky you may work in ICA or other grocery.


If you are a doctor, programmer, engineer..... You will have it much easier. IT-geeks do not have to speak Swedish and they are massively imported from the entire world, even from India or such exotic coutries like my Poland .

I really wish you luck.... If you have a good and wide network and brilliant ideas you may start your own business. Wish you all the best.

Ps. I am master in economics, IT and administration with a sort of decent English and fluent Swedish. Have worked with grandpas and grandmas after much effort end hope lost in action as well as years spent with something not contributing to my diplomas . I did it for my husband who 'imported' me from my country (where I had a very well paid job and prospects for future) promissing me that I will have no probs with finding a decent job regarding my experience in an international environement in international concerns as well as my education. As long as I speak Swedish the best I can. I can .


Sorry for a bitter tone and irony, but I say what many people don't adjusting to the local specifities and beliving that something is wrong with them when they sen 100s of CVs and have not a single reply. I am getting to my desk job in Poland. Less paid but finally I will be allowed to keep my nails painted .

I would be extremely gratefull if I had heard this from somebody who had experienced that before I moved to Sweden.

Much appreciated Red.Onion, I prefer getting other peoples perspectives.  Personally I dont mind what job I end up doing in Sweden, I'm coming for the experience of living in a beautiful so anything will do aslong as I can afford my lifestyle.  My swedish is getting better and I was able to hold a conversation with my tutor for the first time last week, albeit a bit broken but its a start.

The last few days I've registered with employment agencies to get the ball rolling in terms of looking for jobs aswell as applying for a few jobs online that match my experience.  I do hope my enthusiasm of wanting a new challenge shines through to the potential employers as I know there are jobs in Sweden I could do.  With my current experience of 5+ years as a postman here in the UK I'll be using that to my advantage to try get a courier or even a warehouse/airport import export job.

Share with me as much as you can about my move to Sweden as it will only help.  I want to saturate my brain with as much information as possible whether it be about jobs or learning the language.

Tack så mycket

Sean

when u determine for sure you can get what you want,and obcourse patience is the key and hardworking..bra sean

Sean, I have moved back to Warsaw. Now I am working as an accountant with Swedish, Norwegian and Danish segment. Prospects for promising future as I am applying for a role of key account manager f;r Scandinavian markets due to my education... In Sweden I have almost forgotten how is to have my nail painted, how is to drink a coffe in a cafe and go to an opera and so on. My diplomas were useless there.

I promise.... It will be very tough in the begining. You must have very strong reason behind your decission. Honestly speaking, this country is not a place for permanent stay. Neither for my Italian, Kenian nor for Russian friends. We have different tempers and are definitely warmer and more friendly.

The job market is hermetic. If you want to work as a postman, you are oblige to speak at least some Swedish to start with. Wages are very poor there and finding an accomodation near to impossible due to mass immigration so called refugees. The first generation of 18yo young people has no guarantee to obtain their communal flat.

Think twice. maybe Norway instead? Or Denmark? I know, Dannish is a tough cookie to learn, but Norwegian is actually very melodic and easier. Love it.

Do not think I am a permanent pessimist. In warsaw I feel I am alive. My friends are not Poles actually... but Portugese, Israeli, Bulgarians and one Norwegian as I am working for a huge consulting concern. Total difference to changing grandma's diapers in Sweden and hearing/feeling I belonged tothe worse part of the globe.

Whatever you do.... I keep my thumbs for you and do not cut all the connections to your home country. You may return one day just like me. After 7 years of living in Sweden as a whife and 12 years after my first 'touch' with anything Swedish .

Good luck!!!!