5 Hidden Obstacles When Moving To Sweden

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🇸🇪 If you're planning to move to Sweden, it's important to be prepared. That's why I've put together a list of 5 hidden obstacles you may encounter during the process. Consider it a friendly warning, but with a bit of planning, you'll be able to tackle these challenges with ease ;)
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[@LivingSwedish]

Were you aware of these obstacles?! 🤷🏻‍♀️ Watch next ► kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6K2oq2oeKx8j9E

[@malinandtom]

I think the childcare system here in Sweden is unreal compared to the UK! Especially with how little it costs. You're right though, you definitely only see the real benefits if you work full time.

[@LivingSwedish]

Absolutely! It's sooo much better than in the UK, at least when it comes to price. This is fair and well regulated by the government. It's very similar to Germany. Makes it so much harder to have kids in the UK AND work full-time or even part-time (sometimes just not worth it...) ❤️

[@RafaelMoranBautista]

Nice video, thanks to share it!

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for your feedback and thanks for watching! 😊

[@jhors7777]

Thank you for posting this helpful video

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@randomgeocacher]

There’s two types of job contracts in Sweden regarding paid vacation; one where you get paid vacation in advance (employee is in debt to employer) and one where you get your vacation as you have earned them. It has its pros and cons; with vacation in advanced you can get pay reduction when you leave if you have taken too much vacation. With vacation as you earn it means you may need to take some unpaid vacation the first year. You earn 1/12 of your vacation each month so if you have 30 days vacation you earn about 30/12 days (2.5 days) every month. So if you worked 6 months you have ~ 15 payed days. Basically just don’t worry about it, you still have vacation whichever of the two systems you are in, but it behaves strangely the first and last year of your job depending of which system you are in. Unpaid vacation vs weirdness in the end, it all becomes correct and same amount regardless of system.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for clarifying! 😊

[@randomgeocacher]

:) this is confusing to Swedish employees as well, and the administration of it is a hassle for small employers without a dedicated HR department. Don’t really understand why Sweden have two different kinds of contracts regarding vacation; maybe this was just invented to give everyone more stuff to be confused about :-)

[@phil5276]

So, don't people in Sweden change jobs very often? I personally tend to change jobs every couple of years or so. So does that mean, in Sweden I would only have paid time off every other year? Would someone who changes jobs every year actually have no paid time off at all?

[@Johan_g]

@@phil5276 The answer to your question is no. Every month you work, you gain about 2,5 paid vacation days. There is only a slight confusion if you get them in advance or aftewards. But i either case, you still get them. And if you quit work before you use your vacation, the company will have to pay you for those days anyway, so you will get extra money. The thing she talks about, getting the days after 5 years is an extra bonus.

[@axelhallberg8349]

Hi! I dont think you have to worry that much about the holidays. As a few others said you are entitled to 5 weeks a year no matter what with 4 consecutive weeks if you want to, but if you have worked less than a year for that company you might need to take some of that time unpaid. Its the same for anyone who switch jobs, not just for "foreigners". Tim Nilsson sums it up nicely! Hope you and your family enjoys your life here 👍🏼

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for clarifying! So far, we enjoy life here very much, thank you! 😊

[@vodamark]

Yeah, I wanted to add to that as well, I wouldn't call it a problem. Switching jobs is never instant, it always takes a few months at least from when you decide to look for something else until your last day, so you can plan for it. Any days you haven't spent you can use to "repay" those loaned days. And you can always keep a few days unspent per year. In addition to that, when a new year starts, you'll get new vacation days for that year and it's very likely that you'll have most of them available for the first half of the year.

[@Tim_Nilsson]

You are talking about the 25 days (minimum by law) vacation. The holidays like midsummer, easter, christmas etc you will always get no matter what. You can always demand 5 weeks vacation and 4 weeks consecutive but it will be unpaid if you haven't accumulated any working days from the previous year. If you have worked for lets say 6 months the previous year you will receive half of those 25 days. It's the same dilemma every time you change employer. In that case however any accumulated vacation will be paid out as money when you quit. So you do essentially pay for your own vacation. EDIT: Perhaps I should add that the accumulation of "days worked" is based on the company's fiscal year. So if the fiscal year is April to March and you start working in April you will have the full amount of vacation the next year. EDIT2: Some unions also offers "arbetstidsförkortning" (work time shortening =P) which you receive every month. I believe the total time of arbetstidsförkortning I receive every year is around 70 h.

[@SteamboatW]

The AFK is a EU law for people working nights. Not something the union gives, but for every profession with a collective bargaining agreement it's regulated there. ... and some professions don't have holidays off like police, security, customs, medical professions, etc. Everyone do have the basic right to a vacation, though, when it's not a pandemic around.

[@SteamboatW]

... oh, and days worked aren't usually base on the fiscal year, but on the Semesterlagen's (law of vacation) "intjänandeår".

[@ahlsn7346]

This sums it up quite nicely. I wouldn't worry about it unless you get on full vacation the last weeks on your job. In normal circumstances you will have accumulated vacation days for next year that will cover most/all. Let's say you start a new job june 1. You get on 3 weeks vacation during summer and then you quit your job at the end of march next year. Then you've accumulated vacations days from 10 months. 25 days /12 months * 10 months = 20 days. So you will actually get payout for 5 vacation days instead of having to pay back.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for input! This is all very new to me :)

[@prepperinireland2240]

Thanks for this, it's very helpful, particularly the summertime and personummer info which shocked me a little! We're planning to buy a home there in Spring (and I've read it's also often cheaper to buy than rent but of course the catch being homes can be too far from work) and the summer holiday thing explains now why I haven't heard back from the Immigration Office! :/ Luckily the estate agent informed us we can still purchase a home there without being resident or having a personummer, but we do intend applying for one soon as we get there. Sounds like we'll just have to wing it!

[@Wextraa]

Welcome to Sweden, hope you'll enjoy your time here nevertheless :)

[@LivingSwedish]

I think if you leave your set-up in your home or resident country for a while the transition to Sweden will be easier. Most important is to have access to money so you can pay for things. Everything else will slowly fall into place 😊 Very exciting that you're going to buy a home here! Good luck! 🍀

[@prepperinireland2240]

@@LivingSwedish Thanks :) The estate agent says there'll be no problem transferring funds to pay for the house, so that's the main thing. We're hoping the fact my husband uses BNP Parabis might help though the Swedes seem to be super strict on what bank is acceptable or not. We're determined to make it though! Thankfully being older has given us a wee bit extra patience. At our age *everything* seems to take longer! :D

[@kimmoengman5876]

The lower priced homes (100000-400000sek)are often not sold by real estate agents just directly from the owner . Seeing prepper in your name the old cheap houses are likely to have a wood stove/heater as a primary or backup heat source but they might need some repair. More expensive houses are mostly sold by real estate agents.

[@sempremil]

Amazing

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for watching! ❤️

[@redscale82]

The vacation you have to work for. To get 5-6 weeks payed vacation you have to work from April to April in the next year.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thank you!

[@josephparakkal1525]

Good to see u from India,my son moving to Sweden from Japan this month end

[@LivingSwedish]

Good luck to him! 🙏🏻 How exciting!

[@quwipyui6519]

what for?

[@theresech]

For each month you work on a new job, you get about 2 days holiday for each month worked. This applies to everyone in Sweden who starts a new job. If you still have a holiday at your old job, these days you will be paid in cash. If you have a BankID, you can fix most things, for example vaccine pass.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thank you! I will have BankID very soon 💪🏻

[@thehoogard]

If you quit your job before you've taken out your outstanding vacation, that would usually be paid out as a lump sum of money. If you then start a new job, you can usually (always?) take unpaid vacation, so the extra money you got when you left your old job should cover it. So I think this is mostly an issue when you start your very first job, or if you've been away from the job market for a while (or enter it from another country). But, many companies offer "Förskottssemester", and as you say, you don't have to pay it back if you stay for 5 years.

[@LivingSwedish]

Ah, interesting! Yes, it's very likely this is the case because it's the first time we work in Sweden. Thanks for sharing!

[@carlkolthoff5402]

The "förskottssemester" is definetely a thing. I had 25 paid vacation days in advance from day one on the company I work for, and I know it's quite common among my friends too. However, if you take it all the first summer and then quit a month later you're likely to be liable for repayment. The "five years rule" I believe is more of a thing they say, than something they actually keep track of for five full years. Never heard of anyone who had to pay back after staying with a company for, say three and a half years or so.

[@rasmuswi]

One thing I don't see mentioned is that it's pretty likely that your employers salary handling/time reporting system probably keeps track of your holiday, meaning that it can tell you the precise number of days off you've earned so far, and how many you have utilized. So you should be able to take just the number of days you've earned if you want your holiday to be paid.

[@LivingSwedish]

I will ask my partner if he has a tracker like that at work. There must be something he can login and look. Thanks for the tip!

[@senchaholic]

@@LivingSwedishor you just ask HR

[@adoby83]

You always get the time off, but the first year it might not be paid. As you work you "store up" paid leave for coming vacations. On the other hand, when you quit a job you will get the stored up paid leave in cash. And you can use this yourself to get paid leave at your next job.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for sharing! 🙋🏻‍♀️

[@martinlomsater9660]

The Hollyday system is based on what you have done you pay your time of whit your monthly salary Every time you are new employed it’s tricky but change your job after the summer so you have the hole vinter to work so you pay for your vacation.

[@LivingSwedish]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@reydesoll111]

I’m having trouble finding a job and was wondering where is it best to find a remote job in Sweden? I’ve tried the sites but was wondering if you have an recommendations :))

[@LivingSwedish]

I'm afraid I don't have any recommendations because I haven't looked for a job in Sweden yet. However, LinkedIn is a really good website to have a look in general. If you're looking for a remote job in Sweden you might even want to look worldwide? You can always start a business or freelance and pay taxes in Sweden but get work from anywhere.

[@annalizheart]

This was very helpful, especially about kindergarten. I have a 3 year old and am not sure if I could survive without getting a break with preschool. Do you know how many hours you can get in preschool if you don’t work? Also, at what age do they go to school longer hours there? Thank you I love your videos!!!

[@LivingSwedish]

I think you're still entitled to at least 15 hours per week even if you don't work. I'm on 25 hours during maternity leave at the moment. Kids go to school from 6 years old here.

[@leptir7110]

KAKVO JE TO PORODILJNO KOJE TRAJE 25 SATI ,OBIČNO TRAJE PAR MJESECI

[@olasjoberg2111]

the hollidays are regulated in the "kollektivavtal" unions agreement... never heard of this. I hope it works out.. who gave you this information?

[@LivingSwedish]

Info was directly from work.

[@zainulabdin1720]

Nice informative video! For a German who lived in uk than why you select Sweden? Sorry if is personal question ⁉️

[@LivingSwedish]

There were a few reasons. Sweden is great for kids, we already had friends here, we love nature and Swedish traditions. Sweden seemed like a really great country compared to other countries. I like that Sweden is a bit smaller and quieter.

[@zainulabdin1720]

@@LivingSwedish accurate! Wish you all the best 🙏 may God bless you dear sis, Sweden is nice 🙂 country l.

[@SteamboatW]

Well, Swedish law says you have the right to have four weeks vacation during the summer months The first year, they aren't paid, because you earn it during the previous year. The "earning year" goes from april 1st to march last, so depending on the time of year you could have some days paid. About two days per worked month. Edit: Some companies or professions do give put paud days in advance, but that is not the common thing to do.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for sharing! 🙏🏻

[@lokis7230]

4 weeks vacation during summer by law, not 5.

[@SteamboatW]

@@lokis7230 Yes, of course. My mistake.

[@SteamboatW]

Holidays sounds very strange. Either you have them or you don't. (Depending on your profession) I never heard about holidays being metered out like that. Do ypu mean vacation time perhaps? Sounds strange, or perhaps I am misunderstanding something. Working on a public holiday is always paid higher.

[@LivingSwedish]

Well, it is strange to me as well hahaha I mean I do understand that you have to work first to earn your vacation. But what I don't understand is why you have to stay at least 5 years in the same job to make sure you don't have to pay your taken vacation years from your first year back...

[@SteamboatW]

@@LivingSwedish Okay, that is when you get your paid vacation days in advance? I have seen that for some special jobs. Normally, you don't have any paid vacation days (or few of them) the first year, and never accumulate a debt - unless you get paid days in advance the first year. If it's a good agreement, the vacation "debt" is paid of in a few years... With a bad agreement, it's never paid off and it persists until you quit that particular job. You wrote about holidays before, and that made me a but confused. Public holidays is always public holidays. ;-).

[@latikabenz6289]

Hi! Is it still highly required in Sweden to have the cov 19 vaccine in order to get a job? Thanks !

[@LivingSwedish]

I don't think you ever needed to be vaccinated to get a job in Sweden (maybe in healthcare I'm not sure about that). But Sweden recommends everyone to get vaccinated and most people follow(ed) the recommendation.

[@latikabenz6289]

@@LivingSwedish thank you 🙏

[@jonaldblip_]

I read that it takes 5 years of living in Sweden before you can apply for citizenship. Does this mean that you have to pay out of pocket for medical expenses for the first 5 years, or do you automatically get to use the health care system once you start paying taxes? Thanks!

[@LivingSwedish]

As soon as you have a personnummer you get medical help like everyone else (aka it is - almost - free). It's not connected to citizenship.

[@theconfessionsofahebrewisr2975]

Hello, Is a vaccine required to stay, work or study there?

[@LivingSwedish]

Not that I know of. But here in Sweden, people get vaccinated based on the recommendation of the government and it's highly respected to be vaccinated.

[@junexdoronio777]

Hi! I'm 65 years old and a single dad with more than 40 years of experience as a journalist in the Philippines. I'd like to migrate to Sweden with my two kids, aged 12 and 14 years old. Is there an age limit to work in Sweden? I'm willing to be trained in jobs other than writing. Thank you for your informative vlog.

[@LivingSwedish]

There is no age limit as far as I know. Usually, people retire at that age here in Sweden though.

[@dawitasres2877]

Halo please could you tell me my chance of getting job via sweden job seeker visa ,i am a doctor in Ethiopia ,Africa.

[@thefartstarver35]

Is it safe to run a bar in Sweden at this point, or is there another country I should be looking for?

[@LivingSwedish]

I wouldn't know why it wouldn't be safe 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@thefartstarver35]

@@LivingSwedish Like I live in San Francisco, and it's gotten to be too dangerous for small business owners at this point due to street crime. No problems like that over in Sweden? What might be a good place in Sweden to try to run a bar from over there?

[@LivingSwedish]

@@thefartstarver35 Anywhere in Sweden I would say :) It's safe!

[@clyubove]

Is the vaccine still required to travel? I thought it was dropped around the time this video was posted.

[@LivingSwedish]

It's not required.

[@szilardszabo2728]

is it late to move in my forties and dont speak swedish?

[@LivingSwedish]

It's never too late!! :) You can always start learning Swedish. It's not easy but also not impossible. You can also get by without speaking Swedish in Sweden but if you want to stay here forever then you might as well start learning the language. It's also good for you brain ;)

[@LeeGee]

This was going so well until you said 'how are you going to prove you've had it? and I thought, 'I'm never going to be in a situation when i have to prove I've had /that/ stuff.' I'm mean, we've all heard the reports now, a year on from the video's filming. Would have been a helpful channel.

[@mariecoloristasweden3112]

You work a year for get new vacation days every year and thats is for us swedes to. At new yer you start again and over and over.... you can not get a price for someting befor you earned them. And thats alot of things in sweden. You ned to work and pay taxes to get what swedem offers.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for clarifying! :)

[@TheJonasbz]

You are entitled to 5 weeks of but if you got a new job direct before the holidays you wont get a paid vaccation, you got to work one year to get the money,

[@LivingSwedish]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@Jonsson474]

Actually, the earning year for vacation is, according to the vacation law, April 1 to March 31. The vacation year is the same period of the following year. This may however vary depending on trade union agreements. In some sectors, the earning year is actually the same as the vacation year, so no earning period is needed and the employee may have full paid vacation the first year of employment. This typically apply to the public sector while the private sector is a bit more conservative.

[@andreasholmqvist7021]

You get vacation in the first year. But you don't get paid vacation.

[@IIS73f0II]

You holliday paied by you your self and transfered to a holliday account by your employer,12% of your monthly income goes into that account for your holliday,so this is not a governmental system it is earned by your self but not voulenteered you have to pay for it.

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for the info! 😊

[@LadyPinkLilly]

Looks like they take their sweet, long time to even reply to any single message you send if you are interested in renting an apartment...

[@LivingSwedish]

It's definitely difficult to rent a place here in Stockholm and the surrounding area.

[@klea2746]

Im raised in Sweden 💀

[@LivingSwedish]

👌🏻

[@walidalsharnoubi6611]

I want to come to Sweden for investment

[@leptir7110]

Tko tu kome što govori ,komentatori ili vi.

[@swedishdissident3406]

You do not sound a native english speaker. It would be intresting if you would compair you counry of origen with Sweden.

[@LivingSwedish]

I'm originally from Germany but I have lived in the UK for the last 10 years before moving to Sweden 😅

[@swedishdissident3406]

@@LivingSwedish It would be interesting to hear about simularites and differances between the two countries. An example is when you use pronouns formal Sie and informal du and how you feel about using du in every situation in Swedish.

[@morgansmith2647]

Can you talk about language

[@LivingSwedish]

What do you want to know?

[@alfrede.neumann671]

Who in his right mind would actually even want to consider moving to Sweden?!?

[@LivingSwedish]

🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️ Where do you live?

[@cyberinfomatic7512]

Um, someone like me?? 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️, looking for greener pastures?

[@adelaidea3551]

what's wrong with moving to Sweden?

[@carriesaundersson]

I'm moving soon. What's the issue? Where do you live thats so Perfect?

[@andersschoen3613]

Don’t arrive clean shaved as long beard is preferred , don’t bring ID/passport so you can lie about identity, don’t say your real country of birth, don’t say your real age as then you can’t get away with bad crime. If you follow these recommendations you will get everything for free. New ID, passport, apartment, clothe and food for the rest of your life.

[@LivingSwedish]

Hmm 🤔

[@karllarsen8797]

Thanks for the tip, Anders. Danke schoen. But Asians such as Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese would not be able to capitalize on the tip because they can't grow long beards.

[@hanadi2088]

اخي يامن تقرا كلامي هاذا اني أختكم من اليمن , أبي متوفي من 3سنة بسبب الحرب وعندي 4أخوات وحالنا يعلم الله فيه واني متكفلة فيهم , واني الان قمت بعمل قنات وربما أربح لكن ينقصني الكثير من المش تركين اللهم اني اسالك باسمك الاعضم ان ترزق صاحب اليد التي تضغط اش تراك فرحه ويحقق لك كل امانيك واتمنى ما تسخروا مني , وأعرف إن هذه الطريقه غلط لكنها الطريقه الوحيده اللي اقدر من خلالها اعيش اخوني الايتام 💔💔…

[@LivingSwedish]

Thanks for your message!