Most people moving to Sweden from India come for two reasons: work or study. The biggest allure is to get a slice of European living known for its quality of life. If the below points resonate with you, a home in Sweden awaits you.
- Be Happy in one of the happiest countries in the world
- Clean air, water, and four distinct seasons
- Gorgeous summer and fairytale snow-covered winters
- Free medical care
- A society built around family and children
- Free education for all residents, with top-tier colleges
- More peaceful than many developed countries
- Unionized workplace providing job loss insurance
- Pet-friendly country
- If you love adventure or nature, Sweden has much to offer
Do I need to worry about anything?
But Sweden is not completely flawless. There are challenges that could be a deal breaker for some. Here are some of the areas that you should take a closer look at before moving:
Less salary than the USA: Many people move abroad to have a higher standard of living and a better salary. The average salary in Sweden is 33,500 SEK per month. An engineer working for a top MNC can get anywhere between 50,000 SEK to 70,000 SEK. While salaries vary with age, experience, and area of expertise, very few people would get above that range. That translates to between $5,000 to $7,000 per month. But with similar experience, salaries on average are much more in the USA than in Sweden. Separately higher salary will equate to higher taxes. (READ: Is My Salary Enough)
Slow bureaucracy: Especially for the renewal of work permits/visas could take months, making it a major pain. The current wait times for work permit renewals can go up to a year. If you want to go back to India/another country, you can not enter without procuring another temporary visa called a D-Visa. If you are getting a resident permit for less than one year, life will be quite difficult without access to a personal number. (READ: How To Speed Up Things?)
Free medical care – with a caveat: Swedes are very disciplined and queue up for everything. Unless you are extremely sick or faced an emergency, you will need to wait for getting a doctor’s appointment which could take weeks. If you are used to instant appointments, you would need to make some adjustments. (READ: How To See A Doctor?)
Cold. Dark. Weather: It could be a hard life for someone not used to cold as winter temperatures can drop below -20 degrees. Summer, albeit beautiful, is about four months. And there are weeks where there would be no sun, just a grey sky. You need to also get used to taking regular vitamin supplements to avoid depression. (READ: How To Prepare For Winter?)
Bombings. Murders. Rapes: Sweden is not crime free. And there have been instances of bombings and explosions from across the country. While many of those were related to the drug trade, it did create a perception of increased crimes. A change in the definition of rape has also increased the number of reported rape cases. (READ: Is Sweden Safe?)
MSH Opinion – Despite some drawbacks, the positives outweigh the negatives by a wide margin. A lot of things just work in Sweden, be it public transport or dealing with friendly government officials. The quality of life you get is alone worth the move. Uprooting yourself from your country and relocating to a foreign one requires a lot of courage, forethought, and determination. Don’t base it on one or two metrics like a higher salary. Consider all factors before making the decision. If you decide to come to Sweden, we will help make Sweden your home.
- https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-happiest-countries-2022-wellness/index.html
- https://www.government.se/articles/2017/02/facts-about-migration-and-crime-in-sweden/
- https://aqicn.org/map/sweden/
- https://www.scb.se/en/finding-statistics/statistics-by-subject-area/labour-market/wages-salaries-and-labour-costs/wage-and-salary-structures-and-employment-in-the-municipalities/pong/tables-and-graphs/average-monthly-salary-by-occupation/
- https://www.thelocal.se/20220930/swedish-work-permit-holders-launch-petition-demanding-re-entry-visas/
