Looking to emmigrate to Sweden

[w1z4rd]

After the last couple of weeks I have decided to have a serious look at emmigrating to Sweden. I dont think I will have problems getting in, as it is the home of linux and therfore just right for me.

So far the advantages I have found:

- healthiest country in the world
- cleanest country in the world
- working skandanavian socialist/capitalist monetry system
- swedish pirate party
- an awesome GDP
- not many religious hang ups
- worlds fastest broadband (40Gbs)

I have also just started learning Swedish and hope to become fairly fluent with it in 6 months.

The country has it right, and has very few hangups. I like snow so weather is not an issue.

Has anyone worked/lived in Sweden and has any advice?

[Albereth]

Prepare to pay a lot of tax

[rainy]

There is no country in the world which is easy to get into. Read up on the requirements for a work permit/residence permit and see if you can fulfill them. Remember that immigrating anywhere means leaving everything behind and starting from scratch. It is a huge step and needs to be well thought through and well planned.

[w1z4rd]

I dont mind paying massive tax, im a little bit of a socialist at heart. I dont believe you can have an enlightened nation and leave people behind... which the skandinavian system deals with nicely.

Things are well managed and most of your basics are taken care of. For instance other than free (insert just about every public service here).. your kids get something like $1000 from the government for pocket money every month.

[w1z4rd]

. Read up on the requirements for a work permit/residence permit and see if you can fulfill them.

I do. My qualifications and experience are badly needed. Also Sweden is a declining aging population, they need people and its not hard even to get into their army.


Remember that immigrating anywhere means leaving everything behind and starting from scratch.

Thats the point... have never really being a "set down my roots" kinda guy. Its being an interesting life.


It is a huge step and needs to be well thought through and well planned.

I want to leave before March next year, but will take more time if required. Busy learning to speak Swedish as we speak.

Thanks for the advice rainy.

[gus]

Also check what a bottle of wine cost there. Make sure you still buy at least one each month, after you have paid your taxes.

Would also suggest you go there for a couple of weeks holiday before to make up your mind about going permanently. It is very expensive to emigrate.

[w1z4rd]

I dont drink wine, but thanks. Am looking at going over for 2 weeks at the end of January.

[sss]

send me chocolate and bank account details please

[Hoss]

....its sweden, not switzerland bru

sss :p

[SunnyCash]

Life is a adventure and I see no logical reason why some one would not take full advantage. But remember that people are all the same no matter what there faith or taxes are. So I would say dont leave to start a new life leave for the experience of it. The problems will always be there they just wear different outfits.

P.S Cows are still cool

[Titan]

Bravo Sunny, that was a brilliant comment m8, deep for a Monday morning, very deep :sharp:

[SunnyCash]

Deep for my best mate. ;)

P.S as strange as he is!!! :D

[Ga5can]

There are a few things you have to consider ...

1. You will always be a foreigner in their country cause you cannto speak their dialect, you look different and you dont drink as much vodka as they do!

2. Sunshine! in summer you will have 22 hours of it per day. In winter you will have about 8 if it is not cloudy, rainy or snowing.

3. Everything is expensive there! dont be fooled, socialist does not mean cheap food, drink, cars, etc!

on the plus ...

A. It is a beautiful country.
B. People tend to be friendly but you have heard of the ranting sweed?
C. Safe and clean with public transport that works.

At the end of the day you have to find a play where you can be happy and live in peace. The vikings are quite a nice bunch of people to live with, though you have not heard of many swedish-stand-up-comedians!

[sss]

....its sweden, not switzerland bru

sss :p

eh.. monday morning for me!!

[gus]

We once had a guy from one of our swiss customers doing a three month work placement in our team to get some product experience. One evening in the pub, my wife was there as well. So she asked the guy: "How is life in Sweden?" The look on his face was classic. But since his company effectively pays my salary, I could not roll on the floor laughing. Sigh. :D

[w1z4rd]

There are a few things you have to consider ...

1. You will always be a foreigner in their country cause you cannto speak their dialect, you look different and you dont drink as much vodka as they do!

My plan is to get to basic conversational skills within 4 months and a decent grasp of the language in 6 months. I have already started and boy... can I drink vodka!!!


2. Sunshine! in summer you will have 22 hours of it per day. In winter you will have about 8 if it is not cloudy, rainy or snowing.

Weather is not a big thing for me.. and most South Africans.. otherwise there wouldnt be many saffies in the UK. Im more an indoor type person and when I wanna go out and play... I can remove surfing from the list of things to do and add snowboarding and snowmobiles. Also did you notice the fastest broadband in the world? Im going to download the internetz... who needs outside? hehe


3. Everything is expensive there! dont be fooled, socialist does not mean cheap food, drink, cars, etc!

Luxuries are expensive, of that I have no doubt, but think of the money I will save on my kids education up through to university, the money ill save on not having to pay a medical aid. The housing subsidies and many more. Im not looking for a cheeper country. Just a healthier one. I also look forward to a country where there is less apathy in the population, and people are aware enough, and care enough for the direction their country needs to take. A little less of that, "theres nothing I can do" lie will make my day. Swedish pirate party ftw!

Sunny... Sweden is the least religious country in the world, and there seems to be a direct corilation between the religious percentage of a country and its health and cleansiness.

I dont mind religion.. I just hate it when its constantly used as a means of bigotry and hypocracy. Those gay bashing religious freaks make me sick ... I feel like I cant be your friend because of who you are. JUST KIDDING!!! hehe

[senorblinky]

I always thought Hong Kong had the fastest broadband in the world, but maybe i'm supping a G where the should be an M.
Boet, baie sterkte met die skuif, man, it's scary, but also extremely exciting, i would love to do something similar! It's going to be awesome, i'm sure you're going to love it, just remember to always have an exit strategy.

[w1z4rd]

Sigbritt, 75, has world's fastest broadband

Published: 12th July 2007 11:07 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/7869/

A 75 year old woman from Karlstad in central Sweden has been thrust into the IT history books - with the world's fastest internet connection.

Sigbritt Löthberg's home has been supplied with a blistering 40 Gigabits per second connection, many thousands of times faster than the average residential link and the first time ever that a home user has experienced such a high speed.

http://www.thelocal.se/7869/20070712/

[WingNut]

lol w1z, you looking to go courting? :D

[w1z4rd]

lol w1z, you looking to go courting? :D

...well it is a 40gbs connection.... I wonder if she is single... just kidding! :D

[Tresbien]

Friends of mine from Varsity moved to Sweden when their marriage wasn't accepted here (she's white as white can be and he's so dark he absorbs light - he's actully from Rwanda). Anyway, they moved to Sweden and are happy as anything last I heard. Good luck if you make the move. Have fun while you're at it. Just one concern - how many kids do you have Wiz???

[Stool]

careful that you dont get lonely

[WondaWoman]

What about healthcare...hospitals and such stuff?

Reason i'm wondering is coz friends of ours in London said they'd rather come back to SA to have their baby than have it in the hospitals in London. Not sure about the rest of Europe....

[Stool]

haha yeah my mom is a social worker in London. There government healthcare is something else. She spent a day tracking down her patient. The system saw fit too transfer the patient too 2 diff hospitals in one single day and then ended off by getting the patient a cab and taking her home.
My mom eventually caught up with her at home and got her back into the hospital. Bunch of nutters

[w1z4rd]

What about healthcare...hospitals and such stuff?

Reason i'm wondering is coz friends of ours in London said they'd rather come back to SA to have their baby than have it in the hospitals in London. Not sure about the rest of Europe....

Hospitals in Sweden are excellent and free. I suppose thats why its considered the healthiest country in the world. I have one kid wawa.

[WondaWoman]

really? i don't have any kids...they don't allow us to keep farmyard aneeemals in our backyard here in the suburbs. Although...this one old dog down the road almost 'baaa's' when it barks...i have suspicions of it being a sheepdog - with more emphasis on the first part.

Yup yup.