Sweden offers many things to a newcomer. Located in Northern Europe, nature is close at heart to its citizens and holds unforgettable experiences for nature lovers.

The country also has above average standard of living with good public transportation. People more interested in living near the vibrant city could also find a good choice in Sweden.

Swedes are known for their excellent command of the English language, so the language barrier would not become an obstacle for people wanting to move there.

Working in Sweden

Jobs in Sweden for expats?

A person looking to locate in this new country may face tight competition for available jobs. Still, having proper education and, at least a fairly good command of English will stand against the competition. English is being widely spoken and used in many working places, still it doesn't hurt to have some knowledge of Swedish.

Most importantly, in a highly advanced society like Sweden, an internationally recognised degree will be mostly required to fulfil high skill demanding roles. Vocational school is also required for many physical labor roles. So, without having a degree or work history to show the expertise, it would be wise to look for other opportunities.

The Swedish immigration office publishes a yearly occupation list covering all the professions experiencing from a shortage of labor. See the full list for 2022 here.

Some professions are currently seeking skilled workers with extensive experience, a university degree, and other qualifications:

• Architects and surveyors
• Civil engineer in construction
• Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• Engineers and technicians in construction
• Laboratory engineers
• Network and system technicians

The Swedish labor market also has shortages in the following:

• Bartenders
• Electronics repairers and communications electricians
• Carpenters
• Driver of agricultural and forestry machinery
• Business salesman
• Nurses

Free time lovers could find interesting the talk for a 6-hour workday: in 2022, two of the biggest parties in the Swedish parliament have been speaking for a 30-hour workweek. Although, an 8-hour workday still resides in the majority of workplaces. Still, full time working hours won't exceed over 48 hours without a separate agreement.

Salary in Sweden

The salary in Sweden faces a quite high taxation, a common feature in Scandinavia that cover the high standard of living. Public transportation, road, education, and healthcare all benefit from the taxation system.

• An average salary: The labor market offers more or less the monthly average salary of 31,300.40 SEK (2,879.53 €) after taxes.
• High Salary: In Sweden, the high average salary is 67,938 SEK (6,250.06 €) which would cover the expenses of a family of four with rent.
• Minimum Salary: There are no official minimum salaries in Sweden, but an average minimum salary is around 6,400 SEK (588 €) per month. The salary would not suffice to live on its own, so the social welfare system would contribute to aid in having a minimum standard of living. Immigrants would not be able to move to Sweden without a guarantor.

Average salary per profession

Here are some examples of the average annual salary for common professions.

• Accountant: 623,540 SEK (57,363 €)
• Marketing manager: 615,431 SEK (56,617 €)
• Nurse: 331,105 SEK (30,460 €)
• Web designer:  516,844 SEK (47,547 €)
• Teacher 385,157 SEK (35,433 €)

Renting in Sweden

Looking at the rental market, you might notice first-hand and second-hand renting terms used in Sweden. The terms are good to understand as first-hand renting happens through directly with the apartment owner and second-hand sublet with a current tenant of the apartment.

Expats looking for a first apartment might want to look for short-term rental options, which second-hand renting offer mostly. Many times, the apartment could be rented with a one-year contract. More permanent stay in long-term apartments would be found in first-hand renting options.

When looking to rent, Uthyrningsportal includes rental apartments ("hyresbostäder" in Swedish) from the most popular cities in Sweden.

What do you need to rent in Sweden?

To rent first-hand apartment, an applicant is required to provide the following documents:

1. a personnummer (Swedish identification number)
2. employment contract
3. proof of sufficient income

In some case, if the income has been determined to be low, the apartment owner could ask for someone to guarantee on behalf of the renter. The employment contract usually covers also proof of sufficient income but would be wise to prepare other documentation in this regard as well.

There might also be differences between European citizens and non-EU citizens. It is always a good idea to confirm these with the apartment owner in first-hand contracts before renting the apartment.

The second-hand renting includes mostly the same documentation, only to remember, that you are not paying any sum over the originally agreed rent price between the apartment owner and second-hand renter as it is illegal for the renter to gain financial benefit with a higher renting price.

Utilities and bills the renter is responsible

Usually, in renting in Sweden, you will be responsible for your own gas, electric and internet bills. In some instances, the landlord includes the utilities costs in the monthly rental price.

This matter will be agreed usually in the rental contract, whether first-hand or second-hand renting.

Cost of living in Sweden

The cost of living is something to take in consideration when moving to Sweden. The high taxes will also surprise if not use to high taxation in the country from which locating to Sweden. Although, the salaries also tend to be higher than in several countries.

Stockholm's cost of living will differ from other cities. The capital of Sweden has higher expenses in comparison, for instance, to Linköping or Malmö. Remember to look for other cities as well if you do not have a particular taste for living in the capital city. The second largest city of Gothenburg also provides many of the same luxuries as the capital.

Here are some of the costs an average family or individual can expect to incur:

• Stockholm, a family of four estimated monthly living expenses are 37,183.16kr (3,422.56 €) without rent.
• Stockholm, a single person estimated monthly costs are 10,049.42kr (925.01€) without rent.

You can also read more information about expatriation to Sweden in our Expat Guide to Stockholm.

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