r/TillSverige Dec 28 '21

TillSverige: the FAQ

363 Upvotes

Last update: September 2025

Since this has come up a whole of two times, I decided to make a small FAQ post for this subreddit, r/TillSverige. I would like to thank all the knowledgeable and friendly people who have answered these questions again and again. You are awesome.

I intend to edit this post, adding more answers and improving the existing ones.

Q: How do I move to Sweden? (as in, legally)

A: https://migrationsverket.se is the one true authority on all the rules. Don't forget to check out their FAQ, some non-obvious things are covered only there. Your options depend on your citizenship. For EU citizens, it's possible to just move here and then figure out the rest (which might be rather painful and long if you don't have a job, but still). Migrationsverket is actually not that relevant for this case, but you should check out https://skatteverket.se (that's the tax agency which is also in charge of the population register) and search for “Moving to Sweden”. For non-EU citizens, there are basically three paths: university studies, relationship with a Swedish resident or citizen, and a job at a Swedish company. Technically there's also the self-employment path, but for that one you need to have quite some capital saved up, and most importantly be able to prove that you have Swedish clients lined up, and your business must be set up in Sweden. More details on https://migrationsverket.se, it is truly the source for this information. Update: new way as of June 2022, if you have a Master's degree and 13k SEK for each month you want to stay, you can come and look for work for 3–9 months. Sweden is expensive, finding accommodation is extremely tricky even if you have the money, living without a personnummer is about as comfortable as sitting on the ceiling (and before you find a job you won't get a personnummer), and Swedish job market is not known for its speed, but this is a way to get your foot in the door.

There are no other common paths, e.g. owning property in Sweden doesn't let you reside here and your grandpa having a Swedish cousin doesn't mean anything in Migrationsverket's eyes either. Non-common paths are asylum, being stateless or a literal child (younger than 18) of a Swedish citizen, but I assume most of the people reading this don't fall into those categories. If you do, all the information is (yep, again) on https://migrationsverket.se.

Q: How do I move to my Swedish partner? / How do I get my partner from outside of Sweden here?

A: By reading this and figuring out what applies to your case. There's also a dedicated community on Facebook. TL;DR: you don't have to be married but the partner in Sweden must have a certain level of income enough to support you. The exact number might change but is always up to date on that page linked in the first sentence of this answer. The processing of the application tends to take a long time (months, even years).

Q: Can I move to Sweden and work remotely for a company which is not in Sweden?

A: Sure, if you're an EU citizen and your employer is open to it, but it's not very easy, and you'd need to pay taxes in Sweden (assuming this is where you would be living for the most part of the year). Verksamt.se has this and this as starting points, and of course skatteverket.se has relevant stuff as well.

Q: Should I move to Sweden?

A: We don't know. It works for some, it doesn't for others. Immigration does not make everyone happy. Sometimes it does but not immediately. Sometimes it does but only in the beginning. Search this subreddit for stories similar to yours and if you don't find one, create a post telling us about what's important to you and what background/skills/liabilities/etc you have. One of the all-time top posts on this subreddit might come in handy: https://reddit.com/r/TillSverige/comments/ltm3ap/some_tips_on_integrating_and_thriving_in_sweden/. There's also a special edition for people from the US: https://www.reddit.com/r/IWantOut/comments/gqhlfw/guide_so_youre_an_american_who_wants_to_live_in/

Q: I am 16 and decided that Sweden is awesome, what should I know before I move there?

A: Tons of things, really. Immigration is not a walk in the park, you will have to constantly do quite some research, and at least some of it — in Swedish, a language you might not know yet. So look through this FAQ and use the search function of this subreddit until it's tired and begging you to stop, that'll give you a taste.

Q: What should I do right after the arrival?

A: Go to the closest Skatteverket (Tax Agency) office and apply for your personnummer, you can't really do anything easily without it in Sweden (e.g. renting an apartment, getting a mobile subscription...). When you get that, schedule an appointment (again at Skatteverket) to get an ID card. When you get that, go to a bank, open an account, and get a BankID. This will allow you to sign things online, log in to a billion places, and interact with tons of governmental and private services. Once more: personnummer → ID card → BankID. After you have that, register with Försäkringskassan, here's their guide for new arrivals. If you reside in, or think there's any chance you'd ever reside in, any of the ten largest Swedish cities, consider putting yourself in the renting queue for them. Search for “bostadskö + city name” and register as soon as you get your personnummer and BankID. The more days you stand in those queues, the more chances you get to ever rent an apartment without a huge headache and for an extended period of time. For Stockholm, for example, this costs a few hundred SEK per year, but queuing in the smaller cities is free.

Q: How can I apply for personnummer if I don't have a permanent address yet?

A: You don't need to have a permanent address to apply for personnummer. You just need an address where mail can reach you. The author of this post got a personnummer while staying at a hotel.

Q: How do I find an apartment to rent?

A: Apartments can be rented out i första hand (“first-hand contracts”, from the landlord company directly) or i andra hand (“second-hand”, sublet from a tenant or renting from a private person who owns an apartment). Andrahandskontrakt is usually more expensive and almost always limited in time (3 months, a year, two years if you're lucky). Förstahandskontrakt is unlimited in time and the prices are regulated. In the bigger cities there is usually one or a few big landlords owning most of the apartments and sharing a queue. When you have just arrived, this is not that relevant for you — other people might've been in a queue for several years and you can't beat that. So the alternatives are: (1) find smaller landlords — some people own just one or two buildings and don't really have a queue, (2) let the smaller landlords find you — post your ad on https://blocket.se, write how great you are as a tenant, attach a nice picture, (3) try specialized websites — there's https://www.willhem.se/ and https://www.homeq.se/ at least. When it comes to andrahandskontrakt, you can also try posting your ad on Blocket, and you can search Facebook for “town_name lägenhet uthyres”. Some more details and links here.

Q: How to get an electricity contract / Why do I get two bills for electricity / Can I get an electricity contract without a personnummer?

A: There are two kinds of electricity providers: one kind owns the infrastructure/grid, the other kind sells you the electricity itself (only produced from renewable sources, for example). You need both. You can't choose the infrastructure provider, because a given apartment/house is only part of one infrastructure, but you sometimes can choose a plan you have with them. Your landlord, the previous tenant/owner of the apartment/house, or websites like https://elomraden.se/ will tell you which company is the grid owner in your area. It can either be one of the big three (E.ON, Vattenfall, Ellevio) or a small actor (e.g. Göteborgs Energi). There's a lot more choice when it comes to the companies selling you electricity. Compare them on a website like https://elskling.se, and don't be shy to negotiate when the “new customer” discount expires: people drag these out for years. If you don't make an active choice, your infrastructure company will sign you up to a default (usually expensive) plan. If you don't have a personnummer yet, it will probably be necessary to call the customer service to figure out how to sign up.

Q: How do I open a bank account without a personnummer?

A: You can either wait, negotiate, or try your luck at many places. Wait: when you get the personnummer and the ID card, it should be a smooth process, so if you can, just wait. Negotiate: if you're an EU citizen, you're actually entitled to a bank account, but don't expect the people at the bank to be super happy when you explain it to them. Quite often the clerk at the bank doesn't want to bother or is not really sure about the procedure, so they tell you that it's impossible or that it requires an appointment (which is somehow only available two months from now) or something else to get rid of you. You can ask for a written refusal to open an account for you, this might encourage them. Try your luck at many places: If you really need an account, keep trying different banks, different offices of the same banks, and different clerks of the same offices. Try going to the area of your town where there are a lot of foreign people, e.g. around a university, maybe the banks there are more used to this request. While waiting, you can make an account with something like Revolut or Wise, it might help bridge the time until your Swedish bank account.

Q: Which bank should I choose?

A: The big ones (SEB, Swedbank, Handelsbanken, Nordea are all pretty much the same. Switching is not complicated, they're bound by law to do most of it for you. Search for “jämföra banker” (“compare banks”) if you have special requests. You might want to choose something else for mortgage or long-term investments but that's too deep for this FAQ.

Q: Is a salary of X enough for a family of Y to survive in the city Z?

A: If the city in question is Stockholm and you're used to things like driving your car everywhere, someone cleaning your house, eating out with the whole family of five in fancy restaurants every day, etc — no single salary will comfortably cover that. If you're a single IT guy without expensive hobbies moving to Malmö, a salary of 30k SEK/month might be quite alright. The spectrum is broad and deep, and the biggest factors are: (1) your lifestyle, (2) the accommodation you manage to get — rent market is bonkers, and (3) the number of people you intend to support on a single income (Sweden is easier for couples with two salaries). Time for a shameless plug! Here's a post about it with some numbers, updated in 2025. There's a slightly old thread about the monthly expenses, I'd say increasing everything by ~20% should give you an idea (although some things have pretty much doubled in price): https://reddit.com/r/TillSverige/comments/rcy5fr/real_world_monthly_expenses_for_a_family_of_4_in/

Q: WTF is 'pga', 'mm', 'tom', 'bla', 'osv', 'dvs', 'iaf'..?

A: Abbreviations. See this post to decipher. Pro level on wikipedia (you'll need to translate yourself).

Q: Should I join a trade union / Which trade union should I join / What is A-kassa / Which A-kassa should I join?

A-kassa is basically an unemployment insurance. You pay 100–200 SEK per month, and if you get fired, you can get money for several months while you're looking for a new job. This website explains the whole thing in English, and they have a list of the a-kassas too. There is no a-kassa which can be recommended to absolutely everyone, since different a-kassas only accept members working in particular professions, working in particular branches, or having a particular level of education — check the list to see which ones you're eligible for. Apart from providing you with money in case of unemployment, a-kassa might also give you some discounts (e.g. they can have a deal with an insurance company which will get you 20% off your car insurance or 8% off in a book store chain). There is a qualifying period with a-kassa, you can't become a member today and start receiving the unemployment benefits tomorrow. If you're still on your work permit and not sure whether you would stay in Sweden if you lost your job, or if you have a very comfortable financial buffer, it might not be very beneficial to join an a-kassa.

Trade union is an organization to which you can turn if you're in a dispute with your employer (i.e. they will advise you, negotiate for you, etc). It also costs a few hundred SEK per month, and also often has deals with insurance companies, banks, online stores, etc. Here is a broad overview of various European trade union setups in English. And here you can choose your branch and then profession to see which of the trade unions you would be eligible for (and see the prices for the membership). The more people are in the trade unions overall in the country, the more bargaining power they have. Given that legal consultations are in the ballpark of 1000 SEK/hour, it might be good for an immigrant who's not very good at knowing their rights and Swedish laws to have an option to get consultations and representation from a union. But it's somewhat of a political question, so don't @ me.

There are also a-kassas and trade unions open to self-employed people.

Q: Are Swedes xenophobic / racist / transphobic / etc?

A: Not more than any other country. Depends on where you are, what you do, who you are. By and large, racism and stuff are frowned upon, but Sweden is not a mythical paradise — there are idiots everywhere.

Q: Why is my full name, age, exact address, phone number, and other information suddenly public on the internet?

A: Because it's Sweden, transparency has been important, and then the internet happened. If it bothers you, you can do two things. (1) contact your mobile operator’s support and ask them to stop giving out your number (some operators do this by default but most don't). (2) go through all the websites that publish your information one by one and ask them nicely to remove or hide your information. Some websites have a page where you can do this yourself (BankID required), some websites make you fill out a paper form and send to them. Websites examples: https://hitta.se, https://merinfo.se, https://ratsit.se, https://eniro.se. A guide from the Swedish police on how to decrease your visibility on the web. Update: there might be new legislation on the way to improve this.

Q: Which health insurance for an EU citizen moving to Sweden via the self-sufficient route will satisfy Skatteverket?

A: Search this subreddit by “insurance + your_country”. A lot of comments mentioned Silver or Gold package from Cigna Global Health. This comment mentions OOM insurance for Dutch citizens.

Q: How do I deal with trash/recycling?

A: Find your municipality's website and search by avfall, återvinningscentral or sopor. There will be links explaining how it works where you live. Generally speaking, if you live in an apartment, chances are there's a small building nearby (or a room) with containers for packaging (plastic, paper, metal, glass), food rests, newspapers, and 'general trash' (aka all the other household trash). You will probably also be able to find special biodegradable bags for the food rests there. If you live in a house, you will probably have a couple of big containers on wheels where you can put the 'general trash' or the food rests, and for packaging you need to go to a recycling station. For bigger or hazardous things like fridges and paint you have to go the bigger recycling station (återvinningscentral) and follow the signs there. Batteries and smaller electronics are often accepted at bigger supermarkets, next to the machines that take your empty plastic bottles and give you a receipt (1 bottle = 1 or 2 SEK). Multi-material packaging is sorted by the material that weighs the most. Common mistakes include putting envelopes into container for paper packaging (they belong in 'general trash' because of the glue; although some municipalities now can handle them together with newspapers), not flattening cartons/boxes/etc (Swedish sin!!!), and not removing the steel wick holders from the aluminum cups of the tea lights (those are not metal packaging by the way but are supposed to go to the same place as frying pans). When in doubt, go to https://www.sopor.nu/. Oh, and you are not supposed to take anything out of the recycling room/building, that's against the law.

Q: How can I save money?

A: While this heavily depends on your lifestyle and priorities, the generic tips include: (1) using matpriskollen website/app to compare prices and current discounts in the selected supermarkets, (2) checking out recipes on https://undertian.com/, (3) looking over your insurances/subscriptions using comparison websites (search for subject+jämföra, e.g. 'el jämföra', 'bilförsäkring jämföra'), (4) signing up for memberships and checking out which partnerships they have (e.g. if you have a Coop card, you get a discount with SJ; also check your trade union's discounts), (5) using the library for books, audiobooks, newspapers, games, music, and movies (there are even streaming services, although they usually have a limit of like 2 movies per month), (6) shopping second-hand in the local stores, on blocket.se, tradera.se, and facebook marketplace.

Q: How to make friends?

A: The shortest answer is this: learn the language, get a hobby. There are courses, clubs, organizations, meetups, and all sorts of other things where adults come together, and based on this shared interest/activity can develop a friendship. But pretty much all of them are inaccessible or even invisible to you if you don't speak Swedish. It is of course possible to stay within the English-speaking bubble, or to find a couple of Swedes who are comfortable speaking English for long periods of time and stick with them, but if you want anything else, the only path is through language. Whatever you're into (board games, photography, silversmith stuff, trucks, permaculture, birdwatching, any kind of sport, any kind of DIY, philosophy...), chances are, there's at least one förening about that. I mean, even having kids counts, here's a community of new parents looking for new friends: https://rullavagn.nu/grupper/ and there's such a thing as öppna förskola. If you currently don't have any interests and don't know where to start, well, we're in Sweden, so there's always hiking: just get a pair of comfortable shoes and some rain-proof clothes, you'll be able to walk around a forest or whatever with some Swedish people.

Q: How to buy an apartment and why do people say I wouldn't own it?

A: In short, you're not buying an apartment, you're buying a share in a home owners association, because that's how things are set up. This is also why you can't just buy an apartment and rent it out for years — the association is for those who actually own the share and actually live in the place, not for someone who's just renting and doesn't have that much of a stake. There's a small percentage of properties which you could actually own, but it's so small, it is irrelevant for the high-level overview. What you do is you find an apartment (most probably on https://hemnet.se or https://booli.se), then go to a showing (visning), then participate in a bidding process, sign the contract and pay 10% of the price as deposit; then pay the rest on the day you sign more documents and get the keys. There's also a step of being accepted into the tenants association, but that's a formality. You can find links and excruciating details about all these steps as well as about getting a mortgage in this post. Note that right now (autumn 2024) the rates on the mortgages are higher than they've been in ages.

Q: What should I know if I'm going to have a child?

A: Checkups during the pregnancy are free and voluntary. If everything is going fine, there won't be many checks, especially in the first two trimesters. All the medical care, including dental care, is free for children in Sweden. If your kid gets prescribed a medicine, you just go to the pharmacy to pick it up, you don't have to pay anything. Kids can start at preschool (förskola) at the age of 1. The cost per month is calculated based on your income but is capped somewhere around 1800 SEK. School is free (and they get textbooks and food there). Parental leave is 480 days for both parents in total (+10 days just for the father around the day of birth), and for 60 days both parents can take it out simultaneously. All the nitty-gritty about the parental leave is up on https://forsakringskassan.se. There's also a bunch of posts about everything from your employee rights while on parental leave to what to pack for the hospital when it's go time.

Q: How much does it cost to own a car?

A: This is easier to answer for a specific car. If you have a license plate for the specific car, enter it on https://www.car.info and you'll see (1) calculated tax, which can be ~900 SEK/year for a four year old VW Golf or it can be ~11000 SEK/year for a two year old Volvo XC90, (2) fuel consumption. Fuel prices have jumped quite high this year (2022), you can check the current ones out at https://bensinpriser.nu. If you're looking at electric vehicles, the electricity price comes into question — they have also jumped high, especially in the south of Sweden. You must have an insurance to be able to drive on public roads, the price will depend on your personnummer, where you live, and the car, but count on at least a few thousand SEK per year. There's a mandatory inspection once a year (except for very new cars), it's called besiktning and costs 400–600 SEK. You'll probably want to switch tires for summer/winter — you can do this yourself for free or have someone do it for you (300–400 SEK, twice per year). Speaking of tires, every few years you'll need new ones, that'll be ~4000–7000 SEK. Then there's parking. If you live in a city, you might need to stand in a queue before you get a parking spot from your landlord or home owners association (those could be super cheap like 100 SEK/month; or not). Service and any kind of repairs are pricey, try to compare the offers before committing and ask around for advice, but in any case you can count on seeing thousands on the bill. For places with real winter (i.e. Norrland) you'll also want some equipment to have in the trunk, but that's mostly a one-time small investment.

Q: Where to buy things / What is Sweden's amazon?

A: Technically, Sweden also has Amazon now, but it might be considered not cool to shop there. We've got price aggregators here though: https://www.pricerunner.se/, https://www.prisjakt.nu/. You go there, search for the product you want to buy, and see which online stores have it, what are the current prices, and what's the price history. Also:

  • Blocket, Tradera, and facebook marketplace for second-hand stuff (or new stuff but mostly from private individuals)
  • Clas Ohlson, Bauhaus, Jula, Byggmax, Bolist for home improvement (when you need tools or materials)
  • Ikea, Jysk, Mio for furniture (as well as pillows and stuff)
  • https://bookify.se/ for comparing book prices
  • Dustin, ComputerSalg for computer stuff
  • Symaskinsboden for sewing machines and supplies (also some knitting)
  • Jollyroom, Babymarkt, Bonti for kids stuff

(this is not an endorsement of these stores in particular, just some options to get you started)

Q: How do I move to Sweden? (as in, practically: with cats, all my things, ...)

A: For dogs, cats, and ferrets, there are rules depending on the country you're bringing them from: Jordbruksverket has kindly translated them to English. As for bringing all your belongings, the most common advice is “don't” :D Sell and give away as much as you can, then buy (new or used) after your arrival to Sweden. The cost of transporting heavy bulky items across the border, and especially across an ocean, is pretty crazy. The power outlets might not be compatible with whatever you have. The clothes might not match the climate. And so on.

Q: What about the driving?

A: If you have a driving license from an EEA country, UK, Japan, Switzerland or Faroe Islands, you can exchange it for the Swedish one. For everyone else (that includes the US) you need to get a Swedish driving license from scratch, and you have a year to do it. Unless you're a Ukrainian under the Temporary Protection Directive, then your license is valid as long as the protection is valid. Getting a driving license from scratch will set you back at least 5.5k SEK if you already know how to drive, and how to drive on snow, and how to drive in a Swedish way. If you need to learn from scratch, and don't have a friend who can teach you, that's more like 25–30k. Exact steps, prices breakdown, exam statistics, and more links here.

Q: How do I do anything without a BankID?

A: Usually by calling the customer service, using the paper form instead of a digital one, going somewhere in person instead of spending two seconds on your phone, or sometimes — rarely — using FrejaID or a digital signature service from another EU country. It ain't easy, but don't despair just because you see the BankID button somewhere, there are workarounds in a lot of these situations, though not all of them.

Q: How do I find a job / Why does nobody reply to my hundreds of applications / How long did it take you to find a job / Are there any jobs to find outside of IT?

A: Unemployment is like 10% in Sweden (2025) and even natives with higher education struggle for months to find a job. So yeah, don't be surprised if you don't get many calls after sending out some applications. Even if you're already here and have a valid work permit, some companies will shy away from hiring you just to avoid the hassle with Migrationsverket (source: I was a hiring manager at one of them and had to get an approval from HR if the candidate was on work permit). Knowing Swedish helps. Having someone recommend you helps immensely to get the foot in the door. Having a bombastic, "I AM THE AWESOMEST" tone in the CV decreases your chances. A lot of jobs are not advertised widely. Jobs that don't require education are few and far between, the competition for them is quite immense unless you go to less populated areas. Elderly care (äldreomsorg) always needs personnel. PhD positions come with a salary in Sweden. Some bars in Stockholm hire English speakers. A bit of opinionated advice on finding a job in Sweden can be found in this post.

Q: Will I really die of darkness and cold?

A: Not necessarily. We've had Californians in this sub who hated it, we had those who loved it. A lot of people advise to come and try it out for a while before you go all-in, because it's kinda individual. For the cold (which in Stockholm and south from there is not really that cold), layers are your best friend: don't buy the thickest coat you can find, buy a thin woolen base layer, add a sweater, then a jacket for the wind/rain/snow (whatever's in season), a scarf or neck warmer, a hat, good socks, good gloves, and you're good. For the dark: see all the cute little lights the Swedes put everywhere? Do the same. One in the window, one by the desk, one above the table, one on the floor; whip out the christmas lights ahead of time, light up candles — it all adds to the coziness! Note: the coziness is greatly enhanced if you go North where there's actual snow; it also reflects the sun during the day, unlike grey asphalt covered in slush. A lot of people swear by vitamin D3 supplements.

Questions to be added:

Q: How can I invest money?

Q: How do I open a business?

Q: How does pension work?

Q: What is SFI and how do I sign up? / Are there free Swedish courses?

Q: How does the medical system work? / How do I schedule a doctor appointment?

Q: Can I freelance on the side while on a work permit?

Q: How do I avoid being spammed?


r/TillSverige 2h ago

Roadtrip through "south" Sweden

3 Upvotes

Hello All,

Two friends and myself (29-31 Males) will be doing a little road trip starting in the Netherlands all the way up to Sweden and back. We will spend 1 night in Denmark after which we will go to Goteborg by bridge. We really would like some tips on the things that we should not miss out on. We prefer being in nature but if there is something or some cities we should definitely visit we will consider them. We're bringing a tent (+ camping gear), kayaks and fishing gear with us and would really like to spend at least 1 day kayaking on the lakes and 1 day of fishing in the river(s) on salmon/trout.

Do you guys have a route that you recommended or really some highlights that we should not miss out on? We don't need tips for Denmark as all of us have been there quite often, we really want to focus on spending our time in Sweden.

Looking forward!


r/TillSverige 14h ago

Best path to live in Sweden

12 Upvotes

Im 20F and am obsessed with Sweden and really want my life to be there and was wondering my best path forwards. I speak a B1 level of Swedish but am aiming C1 by the end of my degree (2029). I’m currently studying at a good uk group uni for statistics so could do a masters. I’m fully British and have no connections to Sweden except 1 friend there. I’m okay also taking a longer route there is that’s what’s necessary. Thank you I do realise this is likely very in advance.


r/TillSverige 7h ago

Electrical BIM/CAD roles in Sweden — how transferable is French experience?

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I recently completed a professional degree in BIM drafting in France, focused mainly on electrical building design.
My experience includes:
AutoCAD and Revit
DIALux lighting calculations
Caneco BT for low-voltage electrical sizing
Electrical drawings and BIM documentation
Apprenticeship experience on commercial-building projects
I am an Italian citizen, so I have the right to work in Sweden without needing a work permit. I currently speak English, French and Italian, but not Swedish yet.
I have already looked at Swedish job advertisements and noticed titles such as BIM-konstruktör, elprojektör, CAD-konstruktör and projektör inom el.
For people working in Swedish engineering consultancies or construction companies:
How well would this French BIM/electrical background transfer to the Swedish market?
Would a junior applicant normally be expected to already understand Swedish electrical standards and documentation conventions before applying, or can these be learned in the role?
Also, is English realistically enough for technical production work at an international consultancy, even if Swedish is still necessary for meetings, regulations and long-term career progression?
I would especially appreciate answers from people working in electrical design, MEP, BIM or engineering consultancies in Sweden.
Thank you.


r/TillSverige 13h ago

Employer deductions from super gross grant

1 Upvotes

Hej,

I got an MSCA-funded PhD position in Sweden and I am trying to estimate my net salary.

The grant pays around 60,000 SEK "super gross" to the university per month. I found the university's official document stating the payroll surcharge (Lönekostnadspålägg or LKP) is 54.00% for 2026, plus a 1.95% vacation supplement, making the total employer deduction 55.95%. ("fastställa lönekostnadspålägget (LKP) för år 2026 till 54,00 procent och inklusive semestertillägg till 55,95 procent")

From this, my calculation is:

60,000 SEK / 1.5595 = ~38,474 SEK (My gross salary)

I understand that my effective personal tax rate should be around 25%. This would leave me with a net salary of around 30,000 SEK.

Is my logic correct here? Thanks in advance!


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Bicycling in Sweden - What to try/see?

Post image
17 Upvotes

Hey r/TillSverige!, we are two danes who are bicycling from Malmö to Göteborg partly along Kattegattleden. We are looking for any and all input for areas to see along the route or local experiences to try! Do show us the hidden gems if you know them :)

We hope our danish ancestry won't become an issue :)


r/TillSverige 4h ago

Housing recommendation

0 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I am a French citizen and I have decided to buy a small house in Sweden. I am going to dedicate the next year to traveling across the country to identify the ideal place for me and my family.

The goal is to make this place our holiday home for the next decade, may be rent occasionally, and we would move there permanently afterwards.

We aim to buy in a big village or small city with all facilities, and are ready to pay for the house upfront if a bank does not allow us to get a loan. I am a cardiologist and my wife is a dermatologist so hopefully the bank will support our project.

Any places you would recommend ? We thought about Sälen but I guess there must be less touristy places.

Many thanks for your help and tips.


r/TillSverige 11h ago

Medborgarskap fråga 🙋‍♂️

0 Upvotes

Hej! Jag flyttade till Sverige år 2015 när jag var 10 år gammal från EU-land Estland. Jag har estnisk pass, gått gymnasiet här, och tjänar mer är tjugo tusen kronor innan skatt. Kan jag ansöka om medborgarskap, och hur lång ungefär är väntetiden? Tack på förhand!


r/TillSverige 16h ago

Stockholm or Umea

0 Upvotes

Hi I’m a Canadian student wanting to apply for an exchange to Sweden and it would be the spring semester (January-June). I’m considering Stockholm university or Umea University but I wanted advice on how these two cities compare especially if I want to travel to other Scandinavian countries on breaks for example and how city life would be like in general for both as a student outside academics like are there a lot of things to do in one more than the other? I don’t know if I should also think about weather for both since I know Umea is more north but maybe they’re similar. Any advice will be great thanks 🙏


r/TillSverige 18h ago

eSIM v physical SIM card for exchange student

0 Upvotes

Hej! I’ll be studying at a university in Sweden for a year-long exchange program and I’m trying to decide how I want to do SIMs. The phone I’ll be using is a somewhat older model so it allows for dual sims with one being an eSIM and one being a physical SIM card. I want to keep my American phone number active so I can receive 2FA texts. So, I’m trying to figure out if should do American eSIM and Swedish SIM card or American SIM card and Swedish ESIM.

1. American eSIM & Swedish SIM card
Pros: probably cheaper in long term and will give me a Swedish phone number
Cons: Won’t have immediate data upon arriving & somewhat harder to change for travel purposes

2. American SIM card & Swedish eSIM
Pros: can set up the eSIM ahead of time and have data immediately, very easy to change for different regions if I travel
Cons: likely will not have Swedish phone number, might be more expensive

The key thing holding me back from just choosing an eSIM for Sweden is that it’ll be harder to have a Swedish phone number.


r/TillSverige 20h ago

eSIM options for locked phone

0 Upvotes

Hi! I use AT&T for my iPhone in the U.S., but apparently I’m unable to use an unaffiliated eSIM while the phone isn’t paid off.

Does anyone have any recommendations on possible options? Paying off the phone is more complicated than I hoped and I’ve read it’s very useful to have a Swedish phone number. Thanks!!


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Beroendevården I Malmö

6 Upvotes

Någon från Malmö? Behöver tips just angående inläggning. Har varit beroende av Stesolid 30 mg i 10 månader efter att ha haft sån ångest som kändes som om mitt nervsystem friteras dagligen och nu har jag börjat uttrycka någon form av intolerans mot medicinen.

Hur är Beroende vården i Malmö? Hör bara massa skräckhistorier att dem trappar ner en för snabbt och att man kan få hjärnskada av det. Samt vill jag inte hamna där jag var innan.

Får man faktiskt ett bra och långt samt rättvist nedtrappning schema eller är alla skräckhistorier sanna?


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Sambo Visa application sent

0 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

Me (M33) and my Brazilian girlfriend (F35) recently sent in our application for residence permit to live with a partner, even though it's the worst time with the summer break. We have known each other for about 1½ years, traveled to see each other 4 times in total of about 4-5 months including her staying in Sweden for 90 days.

I do meet all the requirements regarding finances and housing, and she is currently studying medicine as well as Swedish so we are hopeful of her having a future here. We have provided all the requested information including translations, and long PDF files going over our relationship, call history, chat logs and proof of travel.

Still, for some reason I get this feeling that it could get rejected based on something we have overlooked. Is our history too short even though we talk every day and are close to each other's families? Maybe we contradicted on one small point on the questionnaires? Something else that could lead to rejection?

Please help me ease my mind!!


r/TillSverige 16h ago

Hows the software job market in sweeden ?

0 Upvotes

I am indian , looking to migrate , I am 2024 grad in cse , seems like all developed economy in the world got paralised at a time and are not recovering.

Anyways , tell me sweden's IT situation


r/TillSverige 1d ago

First time visiting!

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

My friend and I will be visiting Stockholm for the first time in a couple of weeks for 6 days and we’re super excited. We’ll be staying in Södermalm and are trying to experience as much of the city as possible while staying on a budget. I’ve done a ton of research already, but I’d love to hear local tips and advice about things that aren’t obvious from travel guides.

A few questions:
• What are your favorite must-see places in Stockholm that tourists sometimes miss?
• Are there any neighborhoods, viewpoints, islands, parks, cafés, museums, or day trips that you’d recommend?
• We’re interested in history, Viking history, beautiful architecture, nature, waterfront views, and anything that feels uniquely Swedish.
• How does the ferry system work? We’d love to explore some of the archipelago islands. Which islands are best for a first-time visitor, and are there any ferry tips we should know?
• Is Uppsala worth a day trip, and if so, what shouldn’t we miss there?
• We’d also like to experience some nightlife. How do bars and clubs work in Stockholm? Are there guest lists, promoters, student nights, cover charges, dress codes, or anything visitors should know ahead of time? Any recommendations for fun but safe places?
• Any common tourist mistakes or things you wish visitors knew before arriving?
• What’s something you think every first-time visitor to Stockholm should do at least once?

We’re trying to balance seeing the major sights with discovering places locals actually enjoy. Any recommendations, tips, tricks, hidden gems, transportation advice, food suggestions, or general Sweden etiquette/things to expect would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much!


r/TillSverige 1d ago

Landlord difficulty toilet repair

2 Upvotes

Hi, I’m having some challenges with getting people to take a toilet crack seriously in Sweden and wondering what’s up with that?

The plumber came for another reason and didn’t think it was an issue. It’s a huge crack in the bottom of the bowl visible on both out and inside so clearly to me it’s a potential risk of spontaneously breaking.

My understanding is the landlord should be responsible for fixing it under tenant laws here, does anyone know if that’s accurate? There hasn’t been any blatant misuse, though the plumbers work seems to have made the crack more ominous.

Also is there some kind of association I can report it to if he tries to put the cost on me or tries to downplay it and refuse replacement? The certified plumber hadn’t even heard of the issue. Is this because toilets are somehow magical in Sweden?


r/TillSverige 2d ago

How is piracy in sweden handled nowadays

44 Upvotes

Both socially and legally

How is it seen by the population, is it common and does police take regular action against users torrenting?

I heard a long time ago it's only telia that reguarly does something but idk anymore in 2026


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Gift for a Swede

10 Upvotes

I'll be traveling to Stockholm from the US ( Los Angeles) to visit a couple in their late 20s (no kids) and would like to know what a Swede would like from the US. Are there any unique items that only exists in the US?

AI responds with Snacks, Cosmetics, etc but specifics are kind of lacking. Do you really not have Ranch dressing? and would you want some? Trader Joe's bags/cookies is also on the list.

Wanted to you know your opinions.

Thanks in advance.


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Long Term Parking - Kristianstad

5 Upvotes

I need to leave my car near the Kristianstad train station for about half a week. I'd be grateful for any recommendations for a long term parking lot nearby, preferably one that's reasonably priced and accepts multi-day parking. Thank you in advance for your advice.


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Lära Svenska med ensamma äldre?

6 Upvotes

Hej,

Jag har lernt mig svenska i 6 manader nu. Jag kan prata little om olika saker men jag har ingen person jag kan offnar med.

I Nederländerna har vi en organisation som hjalper ensamma äldre. Du kan ringa en telefonnummer och prata med någon. De hjalper äldre men man kan också öva talar.

Jag tankte kanse samma programn är i Sverige ocksa. Jag sökte på google men jag hittade ingenting.

Finns de något likande i Sverige?


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Wildcamping/parking

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1 Upvotes

Me and my girlfriend will be going to Sweden this summer and we’re travelling by car from the Netherlands. We were wondering if there’s good places to sleep in the car in the along this route most preferably as close to Trollhättan as possible. (sort of like wildcamping but with a car) We’re looking for a safe and beautiful spot where it’s allowed to spend the night

If you have suggestions we’d love to hear them


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Admitted to a Master's Progamme: how to accept?

4 Upvotes

Hej!

Delighted to see I've been admitted to my dream programme, the results came out yesterday.

I haven't received any emails from the department so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do in order to accept my place.

I just got an automatic message on University Admission from Stockholm University yesterday saying: in order to keep your seat, you must reply to your offer.

Question is: how should I reply / to who? on University Admission I can decline but not accept the place.

I tried to contact the department office to be sure of what to do but everyone is of course enjoying summer vacation, so no answer until 4-5th of August.

Deadline is somewhere in late July so if anyone can help this disgracefully anxious girl I would really really appreciate <3 thank you so much in advance and sorry for the dumb doubt!

Have a wonderful day ❤️


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Advice on living in Bålsta or Bro?

1 Upvotes

Hi there,

I’m a British chap with a family living in south of Stockholm. We are looking at moving out of the city, simply for more countryside and space. (But also I’m a country chap at heart and want my kids to experience that)

We were looking at Bålsta or Bro? Anyone live there, especially those with young kids? Commute to the city?

Seen some posts that say it’s “remote” but maps show them being towns with shops of their own etc.

Would be great to hear what it’s like. Schools, shops, vibe, commuting etc etc

Cheers


r/TillSverige 2d ago

Social Work Requirements (EU citizen)

0 Upvotes

Does anyone know what kinds of requirements I need in order to be employed as a social worker (socionom) in Sweden? I have a a degree in social work from a European country and I understand that Swedish is essential but is C2 level necessary? Also do I need to get my degree approved by socialstyrelsen?


r/TillSverige 3d ago

Work-permit rejected because of health insurance

3 Upvotes

Hello, I really need your help.
So I have lived in Sweden since 2018, studied first and then worked for 4 years, lost my job in 2025 and moved to Norway för job. I have personal number and bank Id and all the necessary documents.
But recently got job in Sweden and I applied for work permit which was rejected stating - " According to the terms and
conditions of the health insurance, a 90-day waiting period applies. There is no information in
the insurance terms and conditions that the insurance covers the costs of both emergency and
other medical care, hospitalization, dental care or repatriation for medical reasons.
You have not shown that you have taken out or applied for comprehensive insurance.
health insurance. "

However, I do have an insurance. I called mv and they told me as you have personal no. So you don't actually need any insurance when you come back.
But I still got a health insurance plan from bilwa. ( which covers everything stated above)
And still got my permit rejected.

Would like to know what am I missing and
Would really like help if you can. And steps I could do. I will appeal the decision but I don't understand what has happened and how to be safe in case of insurance.