(edit title) Moving to Sweden Looking for housing and employment. Options

[Az1986]

Im in the very beginning stages of planning my move from the USA to Sweden. I am shooting for the first part of next year to make this move so I want to get as much information and planning done as I can before I go. Im not picky about any town in general to move to but I was looking at gothenburg, but I was also told that Hallstahammar was a good and affordable place to live. However I am open to suggestions of good and affordable places to live. I was told, by the same person that said Hallstahammar was a good location, that I should not go too far south because there tends to be more crime in the south, as well as not to go to far north because it gets way to cold and theres no sun in the winter.

As for work here in the States I'm a Graphic Designer I do both freelance and I work as a Designer and Printer Operator for a design company that deals with mostly with collegiate design. However I am willing to do most anything to make a living. I've worked as a cashier, store stocker, I was an intern at a news paper for 6 months. I was a baker in a bakery for a few years and help start my friends bakery and worked as a baker and a cake decorator for her for a little over a year. So needless to say that, though Graphic Design is my passion I am willing to work outside of the field of Graphic Design so that I make make a living and support myself.

Any an all help is welcomed!!!!!

Thank you,

Andrew

[JulieLou40]

Do you have a job offer, or money to support yourself?

Can you speak Swedish?

[Puffin]

Wjat sort of immigration visa are you going for? You realise you cannot just move here to live without a residence permit?

Most non-EU citizens would need a job offer or a serious relationship/marriage to get the Swedish version of a green card

[rtharper]

Essential reading about these laws can be found at http://www.migrationsverket.se/info/156_en.html, which explains the laws and procedures about coming to live in Sweden as a non-EU citizen for the purpose of working.

I would recommend obtaining a job offer *before* moving to Sweden. There are companies whose working language is English, although I do not know about the demand for graphic designers. If you are pre-planning a move, it is also best to begin learning Swedish as soon as possible. The more you know before moving, the more it will ease your integration. You can do "get around" in Sweden without speaking in Swedish, but do not expect a very good social life, and you shut yourself off to most career opportunities.

Someone else will have to comment on the situation with freelancing, if this is even possible for a non-EU citizen, initially.

[Johno]

You need to do a lot more research if you can believe that a very small town like Hallstahammar is a place to move to compared to a large buzzing cosmopolitan place like Gothenburg. Its a pleasant enough place if you like watching to boats go through the locks during the small season when the Strömsholms kanal is open and a sleepy little town the rest of the year. Unless that is your contact can give you good introductions in the place with job opportunities.

[klubbnika]

"Gothenburg - a large buzzling cosmopolitan place..."

Hahahahahahahahahah!

[Johno]

Compared to Hallstahammar ...

Typical helpful (not) contribution from one of the (non) resident trolls!

[klubbnika]

Hm... compare to Halstahammar... yes, you are right.

[Johno]

And I know Hallstahammar well, but compared to Halstahammar ??

[Az1986]

I do understand that I need a job offer and a Residence visa before I come to Sweden. I am working on getting my Residence Visa, I've been in contact with the Migration borad for about a month now, and Im working closely with a couple of graphic's companies in Stockholm to try and secure a job offer. I do know that I need to do more research before I come thats why I posted my question.

As for the person that ask about money. I do have some saved up now but If things go as planned I should have around 80,000 SKR by the time I get to sweden... I know its not a ton of money but I've been told by my swedish friends that as long as I have a job offer before I get there that is more than enough money to get me settled in a place and money for transportation.

[rabbemos]

If you were retiring or setting up a business and wanted to move to Scandinavia I might say Sweden is a good choice depending on the details. On the other hand, almost across the board Sweden has lower salaries and higher unemployment than Norway or Denmark. So, as a wage earner not sure why you would choose the worst of the three countries in Scandinavia for earning wages?

Not sure either why you would choose Gotehenburg, its one of the ugliest large cities in Scandinavia an industrial poop hole of a town, its kind of disgusting really...its like Sweden's version of Oslo but with more industry, except in Oslo you earn about 50% more. Stockholm that is the gem of Scandinavia followed by Copenhagen, as for smaller cities Bergen, Norway is lovely if you can stand the rain. There is always the: live in Malmo work in Copenhagen plan where you are paid Danish wages and expend Swedish costs usually benefiting in the deal.

Not quite sure how you came up with the decisions in your original post? If the reader base understood why then they could advise you a bit better.

You already live in Portland? That is about as close to Scandinavia you can get in the USA in terms of progressive ideas. Not quite sure what you expect to gain living in Scandinavia that you could not gain in Portland? Not saying that there are not gains to be made but just curious to know what you think those gains will be.

[Cool Carib]

DON´'T

[Cool Carib]

perhaps come for a few weeks or months or even a year off and on before you decide on long term plans and talk to other expats while you are here, but don't just come here if you think its nice and beautiful- it's damn hard. i studied and worked in switzerland, california, and surrey, born and brewed in the southern carribbean, and my dear this is real hard just to get your head around living here, much less the people who speak not. i feel like johanthan livingston seagull with most of the characters around

[LagomSucks]

DON´'T

Seconded.

It's one thing to have Swedish friends, come here on holiday and think "hey, this seems like a nice place to live" but the reality is a lot different.

Once the initial buzz and novelty has worn off, (as an american) you will find the culture here quite abrasive and annoying. I look forward to hearing your gripes on this forum in approx 2 years time.

[rtharper]

My advice:

Don't listen to general "It sucks" or "It's awesome" comments. DO find out for yourself. The answer is that everyone is right, because they are relating their own experiences. Some people have a harder time integrating than others, and it comes down to so many factors that I don't think you can be sure how you'll like it until you try. Doing some research before is always good, though. I hope you've gotten an idea from some people who have come before how you can set yourself up for success.

Many of the problems people enumerate are not, in my opinion, Sweden-specific, but rather the kinds of things that expats face the world round. I have not yet moved to Sweden, but many of the issues I have seen one this forum are ones I have experienced or seen others experience here in the UK. Moving country always involves some awkardness, isolation, etc. I think the best intentioned are simply trying to warn you that it was not as easy as they expected. Anyway, I'm quite positive about anyone willing to take a chance and get some experiences outside their comfort zone. The key is to get as much information as possible and, in your case, try and come to a job rather than to nothing.

Best of luck =)