Moving to Sweden                                                                                        Updated 2007-12-20

The Sofia Albertina Klubben, better known as SAK, has noticed a need to address the issues that a foreign-born spouse of a Swedish foreign service officer confronts upon moving to Sweden. To that end, we have put together a short paper in English, that outlines the basics of what he or she needs to think about before and immediately after the move. Naturally, each case is different and everyone is at a different place on the adjustment scale. However, with this paper we are attempting to reach out to the "foreign-borns," who have either not lived in Sweden before or have not lived in Sweden for very long.

Moving to Sweden?

There is a lot of information that is available for spouses and partners, both from Utrikesdepartementet (otherwise known as UD or the Swedish Foreign Ministry) and from the Swedish Foreign Affairs Spouses Association (also known as "SAK," Sophia Albertina Klubben) that can help you prepare for your arrival in Sweden. Most of the available information is in Swedish, but there is also quite a bit in English. Ask your spouse to start getting that information together, and for help in understanding it.
This paper is an outline over the very basics, devoted in particular to those who will be arriving in Sweden for the very first time.

Let us first draw your attention to two websites.

These are:

www.spouses.nu which is put together by UD. It's in Swedish, so grab your spouse to help you translate it,

www.sakspouses.org which is put together by yours truly, the Sophia Albertina Klubben. You will find a lot of information there, with much of it in English. We recommend taking a look.

Who are we?

In short, Sophia Albertina Klubben, or SAK, is an association devoted to promoting the interests of spouses and partners of Swedish foreign service officers. We are men and women of all ages, experiences and backgrounds that know what it's like to be on a posting and what it's like to "come home."

Take a look at our website www.sakspouses.org and become a SAK member!

The following few notes are devoted in particular to those of you who will soon arrive in Sweden to live for the first time.

Not a Swedish citizen?

Make sure you have your residency and/or work permit papers in order.

If you are a citizen of a non-EU and non-Scandinavian country
you need to apply for residency and work papers before you arrive.

If you are a citizen of another Scandinavian country
you do not need to get Swedish residency papers. However, make sure you have an inter-Nordic moving certificate ("internordisk flyttningsbetyg." You can get this from the Scandinavian municipality that you live in.)

If you are a citizen of another EU country
you can apply for residency when you arrive in Sweden.

More information on residency permits is available at the www.migrationsverket.se. They have information there in various languages.

Your first residency permit might only be for a limited period of time, but it is easily extended once you're here. The embassy will have all the information you need.

Update your CV.

As always, this is the first step to gainful employment in any country. Have one in any or all the languages you are comfortable working in.

Swedish employers and schools look for "intyg" (proof, or references) and "betyg" (grades or certificates.) If you have been on a posting abroad, Ann-Katrin Eriksdotter (see "Contact UD") can send you a paper stating that you have been on a posting that you can then use to explain large gaps in your CV.

You are likely to need references to apply to school or for a job, so contact any previous employers and see if they are willing to be a reference.

The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (Högskoleverket) evaluates qualifications awarded on completion of heigher ecucation programmes outside Sweden. This evaluation determines to which Swedish programme the foreign programme corresponds.

Klick here to find the form to fill in for an application for evaluation of your higher education.

This evaluation can take a few months to process, and you will need the all-important personbevis (see "proof of being a person") to complete the application. However it can often take time to get the information together, so we are mentioning it now.

Get started learning or improving your Swedish!

Of course there are many courses in Sweden that you can and should sign up for. We'll get into details later, but it can not be stressed enough that...

learning Swedish is key to your survival.

Anything you learn before you arrive is going to help you when you get here.

The deadline for signing up for a class here in Sweden is usually a couple months in advance, so it's a good idea to look up the information while still abroad.

If you're just starting out, the class for you is called SFI, Svenska För Invandrare, (or in English, Swedish For Immigrants.) However, you need to be "folkbokförd" and have a "personnummer" to apply (see "registering yourself in Sweden" and "proof of being a person".)

The SFI web site address is found under www.stockholm.se/sfi

For more information,

• read the document Learning Swedish in Stockholm 

Contact UD/the Foreign Ministry

Contact the administrative liaison between the Spouse Association and the Foreign Ministry.

Contact: karin.grundel@foreign.ministry.se, phone +46-8- 405 50 30

If you have kids, start looking at schools.

If your children are young it can be difficult to get into the day-schools because of long waiting lists. There are many English-speaking or bilingual nursery schools in the greater Stockholm area, so please get in touch if you are interested in this information.

If they are much older, there is often a deadline for applying to the "högskolor" or university level courses. There is more information available on the student internet portal www.studera.nu.

In between, you will want to look at the local schools as well as the possibilities for different lines of education, i.e. International Baccalaureate programs or private schools.

If you're planning on staying home with very young children, there are various mothers' groups you can join. Besides making some friends, you can work on your conversational Swedish at the same time!

The website address for school information in the Stockholm area is the Service Guide at www.stockholm.se
 

Many of us have experience with the different schools, so feel free to contact us if you have specific questions.

Registration

If you're really new to Sweden,

forget about unpacking and head straight for your local "skattemyndigheten" (the local Swedish Tax Agency.)

You are not a real person in Sweden until you are "folkbokförd" and have a "personnummer." "Folkbokförd" means that you are "written in the people's book" or more accurately nowadays, registered.

The tax office's website www.skatteverket.se ("skatteverket") states that service is faster if you come to the office in person. The website has some excellent information in English, but the actual forms and the detailed information is in Swedish. If you need someone to help you with the language, call them in advance of your visit or ask your nearest Swede to go along with you. Bring your passport, your proof of residency ("uppehållstillstånd") and any papers that certify your civil status (married or sambo.) To register children you will need their birth certificates.

While you're there at the tax office, don't forget to apply for a "personnummer" or personal identity number. You will need a personnummer if you want to use a credit card, pick up a package at the Post Office, sign up for class, or for almost anything at all. Without a personnummer you will find it difficult to survive here in Sweden.

Depending on how busy they are, you will get this magic number (it will be your birthday plus four digits,) on the spot or it could take a few weeks. Apply right away, then unpack.

The Swedish Tax Agency, Skatteverket, has excellent information in English, as well as some other languages, on their website at www.skatteverket.se.

Click on

• International, then choose a language
• Brochures, Information, and then
• Population registration in Sweden (SKV 717B, further down)
• Download the brochure

When you are folkbokförd and have the all-important personnummer, go ahead and…

Order an "Extract from the Population Registry" - the "personbevis"

Almost literally, this paper is your proof of being a person. You will need to have this piece of paper to give to various authorities in the future because it officially lists your address and of course your personnummer, and serves as proof that you are officially and legally in Sweden. You will need this piece of paper to sign up for any language class at Komvux, to include in any official application, and for a myriad of other things. The personbevis "expires" after three months, so make sure you use a recent one.

You can order it (for free) over the internet at www.skatteverket.se (there is excellent information in English, but to find this particular form you need to read Swedish.)

Sign up for Swedish classes. SFI and Adult Education classes ("Vuxenutbildning")

SFI - Svenska för Invandrare

As we mentioned earlier, if you're just starting out to learn Swedish, the class for you is called SFI, Svenska För Invandrare (Swedish For Immigrants.) SFI classes are free and are a very good introduction to the language.

If you're a little more advanced, you should take a placement test after which you will be placed in classes called SAS A (1 or 2) or SAS B (1 or 2), which are run by Komvux.

The SFI web site address is found under www.stockholm.se/sfi

Vuxenutbildning - Swedish Adult Education

If you're going to be in the Stockholm area, you can find more information about Komvux at www.stockholm.se/vux

• Click on the orange square which says "Webbkatalogen" for all courses.

You can also call Vuxenutbildning i Stockholm at (08) 508-33200 for more information.
The phone hours are Monday - Thursday 9.00 -11.00. The message you will hear is in Swedish.

Komvux is the tried and true place to improve your Swedish. All Komvux classes are run by the local municipality and are free.

It is important to note that the deadline to sign up for a class is usually a couple of months in advance of when the classes actually start. You can not just drop in and start learning! Therefore look into this early, and sign up as soon as you can.

There are also classes at Folkuniversitetet, Berlitz, as well as a myriad of other institutions to learn Swedish. There is usually a fee for these classes, but you may apply for a grant to help you pay for them - see "Other resources". Most of us have taken (at least!) one or two Swedish classes so if you have questions get in touch with us.

Head out to your local "Arbetsförmedlingen" (the Employment Service.)

This is not the most fun thing to do here in Sweden, but it is still something you need to do to get started on finding a job. Registering at the employment service does not guarantee you a job, but it is part of the process of finding one.

Click here for information on the Swedish Employment Service.

There are three things you must do to complete the employment-registration process: The first thing you will do is to fill in the standardized form on their computer system. This has to be done in whichever office is closest to you. You will be asked to specify your previous work experience as well as to choose up to four different categories of fields in which you want to work in the future.

Typical of any on-line job database, you will need to describe yourself and your experience in short sentences. Be prepared.

The form is in Swedish. If you do not speak Swedish it is a good idea to call in advance and set up a specific appointment so that someone there can help you. The form can be slightly confusing as it is adapted to their system, but don't let it get you down; it is not the only resource you have, it is just the beginning. The two other steps to go through at the employment office are also in Swedish, so if this is not a language you are comfortable with, ask them to schedule private appointments.

The second step is to attend their general information meeting. They will give you a date and time when you first register. This is not a personalized meeting; you will be together with 30 or so other job-seekers and they tell you about the different resources that are available to you and about their web site. If you do not go to this meeting and do not sign their attendance-sheet they will not consider you fully registered.

Finally, you will also be given a date and time for your one-on-one meeting with a guidance counselor. Together you will go through your CV and make up a plan for your job search. The guidance counselors know the system and are familiar with Swedish society, so make a list of all your questions before you go, and ask them.

Having done these three things, you are fully registered. (Congratulations!)

The process described above is mainly for unemployed Swedes that are eligible for "a-kassan" or unemployment compensation (a stipend to live on while they look for new employment.) However, even if you are not eligible for unemployment compensation (as many of us aren't) you still learn about Sweden, the system, and what resources are there for you.

Also at the uemployment office you will find a lot of different pamphlets and brochures about schools to attend, courses to take, and of course, job possibilities so it is definitely worth a visit every once in a while. Of course, most of the information is in Swedish. You'll notice too that the office is usually crowded, so at least you know you're not the only one without a job.

The arbetsförmedlingen website is www.ams.se. There is general information available in English there, but the forms and information about available jobs are in Swedish.

Get some leg.

"Leg." is short for "legitimation" or identification. People will ask you for your "leg" and what they are looking for is not a body part in English, but a little laminated card with your picture, and most importantly your personnummer on it.

When you have your "personbevis" go to your local bank or post-office and apply for your "leg." You will need two passport-size photos (colour's fine), your passport, and a real Swede along to identify you (spouses are good for this.) You should receive a card in the mail within two weeks.

The Swedish Driver's License

If you have a driver's license from another EEA country, Japan or Switzerland, you're alright. Once you are registered as permanently living in Sweden you can exchange your license for a Swedish license. If you have a license from Japan or Switzerland however, you have one year to exchange it.

EEA states are the following: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,  Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

By the way, valid driver's licenses from another country are not valid if the driver is under 18.

If you come from another country, you can drive on your own license for one year from the date you are registered in Sweden (folbokförd, see above.) The license must be written in English, French or German. For more restrictions, see the website www.vv.se, click on English at the top, and go from there.

After that, if you like to drive, need to drive, or would like to drive, you need to get a Swedish driver's license. This means taking all the tests; the theory test (which you have to take before doing anything more,) the slippery-surface test and the actual driving test. These tests also cost money. If you wait for a year or more to look into this, you also need to apply for a conditional or provisional driver's permit (Vägverket, the Swedish Road Administration, calls it both) before you can do any of the above!

There is some information in English on the Swedish Road Authority's (vägverket's) website www.vv.se but the detailed information you need is in Swedish. You might want to get this over with soon after your arrival.

Connect to the internet.

Sweden is a well-connected society with one of the highest percentages of computers per household in the world. Broadband internet connection is widely available if you're already an avid user.

An incredible number of organizations, associations and state offices just refer you to their website instead of answering your question over the phone. Many job-listings in the newspaper also only refer you to the company website. Internet connection will help you immensely.

If you already have a computer, great. If you don't then there is a possibility of getting some money to help you buy one. (See "Other resources".)

Other resources for UD spouses

The Swedish Foreign Ministry also offers different classes that spouses can sign up for if there is a seat available. These include classes in

- Internet Technology

- learning a foreign language (both intensive and regular courses).

There are also special seminars for spouses that take place at various times depending on the interest. If no one expresses an interest, then no special seminar is arranged. These seminars include, but are not limited to

- finding a job

- how to start your own business

- learning Swedish

The Foreign Ministry, in cooperation with the Spouses Association, arranges a 1 day seminar for spouses in August of each year. Topics during these seminars cover the pension system, posting issues, child and education issues, as well as other topics. The seminars are most often run in Swedish, but the meetings are still a good place to meet other spouses and to compare notes. It is entirely possible that someone there speaks your language (and/or English) so if you want to attend but don't speak Swedish, let us know.

The family officer is the contact for all the above, and more. Be sure to contact her when you arrive. Get in touch with the officer at phone number 08-405 50 30.

Finally,

it is important to understand that while UD is fairly engaged in spouse-related issues, it will not give you a job just because your spouse works there. Nor does being a spouse to a Swedish foreign service officer give you any advantage in the general job market. Prepare for your arrival in Sweden as much as possible.

(Have you noticed that a lot of the information mentioned here is in reference to employment?)

The Swedish pension system is built upon your living and working in Sweden for 40 years. If you haven't done that or will not be doing that, extra efforts need to be made to make your retirement somewhat comfortable.  Therefore it becomes important to find a job now to help with your pension later.

Sweden is also pretty expensive and two incomes really help. On top of this, most people work and the workplace is where many people make their friends. Therefore we decided it was important to include all this information.

In between…

packing and unpacking, setting up your new home, figuring things out and trying to get a job… get in touch with us at SAK! We are a group of foreign-born spouses of UD employees that have lots and varied experiences of life in Sweden (and in general of course,) and we can either answer your questions or help you find the answers you need. There are many of us who are willing to be contacted if you have general questions, and since we come from all over the world there is a chance that we can assist you in your own language.

Elsebeth Palmstierna is a coordinator for foreign-born members of SAK. Contact her with your question and we'll see what we can help you with.

Occasionally the foreign-born members of SAK will get together for dinner or drinks – we'd love to see you.

Linnéa Lidén Hermance
updated May, 2006.