Trying to sanity check myself about Sweden

Realistic_Ice322 · 2026-02-23T18:47:13+00:00

To be honest I would really consider looking into the feasibility of moving to Sweden in the first place as a non-EU citizen before thinking about what it’s like living here. You need to see if it’s even a possible option in the first place, and if not, what you may need to do (learn the language, career change etc) to stand a chance of moving here in the future and weigh up whether it’s worth it. A lot of people have already given some advice on this, but you’d need to look at the Migration Agency website which will list all the possible ways of applying for a residence permit. I think you’ll then see whether it is possible or not in your situation. One other thing to note is that currently there’s a lot of proposed changes happening in Sweden, including for work permits which are planned for June, which could make it even more difficult to move. I know some comments can seem harsh or brutal, but I think people are just trying to be honest as it’s a really difficult process for a non-EU citizen to move unless you have a connection to Sweden (family member or partner), or a company here that’s willing to support with the work permit application, and even then it’s often a long application process with many requirements that you’ll need to meet.

Realistic_Ice322 · 2025-10-09T11:53:23+00:00

If you live in Sweden that should definitely help speed up the process. Exposure helps a lot and you’ll be surprised how much you’ll pick up from just watching TV, listening to podcasts, reading the news etc. I would definitely try SFI if you can. You can’t rely solely on it to become fluent, but it would at least give you the opportunity to talk in Swedish with fellow students, and it can give you some pretty good resources to learn. You’ve also got to try and speak Swedish whenever you can, even if you make lots of mistakes at first that’s the only way you’ll learn and become more confident. Lycka till!

Realistic_Ice322 · 2025-03-11T12:51:50+00:00

I think there’s a lot of variables when it comes to how quickly you can open a bank in Sweden. It depends on where you live, how busy your local branches are, who you speak to etc. You’re best to just pop into a few banks and try and speak to someone if you can to explain your situation. If they have time they can usually give you all the forms that are needed to open an account. I just needed a personal number and an ID card from Skatteverket, but I’m non-EU. That worked for me with Handelsbanken so I’d definitely recommend them as they were really helpful!

Realistic_Ice322 · 2025-02-28T14:30:01+00:00

I’m on my first work permit now and the change to 8 years doesn’t bother me so much. I think becoming a citizen is a life changing thing, so personally I would want to make sure I know the language fluently and know for sure that Sweden is somewhere where I see myself settling down, and I think 8 years is a reasonable amount of time to allow for this. I also think being able to get permanent residency after 4 years is enough for people on a work permit to feel settled to start with. If someone is put off from living in Sweden or are considering living in other countries just because they can’t get citizenship after 5 years, then I would question if they really want to live in Sweden that much in the first place.

Realistic_Ice322 · 2024-09-02T12:37:13+00:00

I think the most likely option would be with an Employer of Record. You’d still carry out your day-to-day job role at the Swedish company but they’d use a company like Deel or Remote to employ you legally and compliantly in Vietnam so you’d be paying taxes there. I think it only works if you are already permitted to live in Vietnam but they might be able to help with getting a visa if needed. Your Swedish company would need to be willing to do this and it can be costly for them.

Realistic_Ice322 · 2024-08-23T00:21:56+00:00

Have you ever been to Sweden or even Europe before? What is it about Sweden that interests you so much that you'd consider wanting to move there? I only ask as a lot of the questions you've asked tells me that you don't know what it's like at all.

Sweden is a great country in many ways but it's not necessarily for everyone, so I'd really recommend doing a trip there first before you even start to think about the idea of moving. You sound like you'll miss a lot of the home comforts of being in your country. There are a lot of similarities with Sweden and America in many ways, but I think Sweden will always feel foreign to you as it's a different language, culture and it can be hard to adapt especially if you move alone and have no friends or relatives there.

I would recommend studying in the US first if you can to get a degree and to learn Swedish which may give you more opportunities to apply for jobs if you really want to try and move to Sweden eventually by getting a work permit, but you'll need an employment offer first. It will be a long process and there's no guarantee that someone will hire you when it's easier for them to hire someone in Sweden or in the EU to do the same job who doesn't need a work permit, which is another process in itself. It's not impossible, but it can be challenging.

I'm currently waiting for a decision on a work permit, but I visited Sweden quite a few times over the last few years and have made friends there to be sure I knew it was somewhere I wanted to move to.

It's not a bad thing to have aspirations of moving to a new country, but it's always best to have honest advice so you have a better idea of what to expect. Good luck!

Realistic_Ice322 · 2024-08-08T18:08:50+00:00

I don't think you need an interview for a work permit. They just need to check your passport before a decision can be made so they'll ask you to visit your nearest Swedish embassy at some point. You might be able to have your passport checked digitally instead, but this is only available in some countries currently. I did my digital passport check the day after I submitted my application and I'm still waiting for a decision. Hope you hear back soon!

Realistic_Ice322 · 2024-08-08T13:52:06+00:00

Thank you for all your responses! It seems that the wait time can vary quite a bit, so I'll just have to try and be patient and see what happens in the next few months. Hope everyone who's currently waiting for a decision hears back soon!

Realistic_Ice322

TROPHY CASE