Most people who dream of emigrating to Sweden have in their heads the image of a country with a very high standard of living, various amenities and a high degree of security. Like any country, there are pluses and minuses here, they must be taken into account in advance so that the decision to move is as conscious as possible.
Country information
The Kingdom of Sweden is the fifth largest country in the EU (about 450 thousand sq. km) with a population of at least 10 million people... The capital is Stockholm, the only official language is Swedish. The territory is divided for 21 flax (so called areas).
The climate is temperate, the influence of the Gulf Stream is great, dry, sunny weather prevails. Since the kingdom has a strong north-south length, the range of average temperatures is quite large:
- In winterfrom -16 degrees (in the north) to +1 (south-west);
- Summer from +1 to +18.
Even with a small population, the kingdom is a highly industrial country, ranking, for example, in the first place in the production of bearings. The automotive industry is well developed.
The main population is Swedes, there are also many Finns and Sami. The average life expectancy is 80 years.
National cuisine uses simple products:
- Potato;
- Fish;
- A variety of pastries are also popular.
Emigration to Sweden
Obtaining citizenship of the kingdom is not easy. The significant migration of refugees from Arab and African countries forced the government to tighten the rules for obtaining citizenship.
There are three options for legal residence in Sweden:
- Temporary residence permit (residence permit);
- Permanent residence permit (permanent residence);
- Citizenship.
You May Also Like
Staying in refugee camps is possible only for those who were forced to leave their homeland due to wars, political repression and other similar reasons. It is unlikely that this method will be of interest to Russian-speaking citizens of the former USSR, since it will be very difficult to prove the fact of a threat to life or freedom.
The statistics for obtaining a residence permit in Sweden for 2019 looks like this:
| Gr. Of Russia | Gr. Rep. Belarus | Gr. Of Ukraine | |
| Moved to work | 634 | 203 | 1250 |
| Started their own business | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Reunited with your family | 570 | 114 | 390 |
| Started studying in the country | 250 | 28 | 108 |
| Received refugee status with the assignment of a residence permit | 136 | 8 | 61 |
Note: these tables do not take into account those who started the procedure for obtaining a residence permit while already in the EU.
It should be noted that it is almost impossible to obtain a residence permit without knowledge of the Swedish (or English) language.
To start the procedure, you must visit the Swedish consulate at your place of residence and go through an interview with representatives of the country.
It should be clarified that there are several reasons for entering the territory of the kingdom (not counting tour trips):
- Employment;
- Family reunification - this applies to those persons who have a spouse from Sweden (the same applies to people who are planning to marry), parents of a minor resident in Sweden;
- Moving for the period of study;
- Own business in the kingdom.
It is difficult to find a job in Sweden, the employer will be obliged to provide the authorities with evidence that the citizens of the EU countries do not apply for the vacancy. To enter, you will need to issue a work permit.
If a person plans to live in the country in connection with training (and its duration is more than 3 months), then a residence permit is required. This is done at the consulate, you must have a paper on hand, indicating the fact of admission to an educational institution.
An application for a residence permit can be filled out on the website of the Swedish Migration Service or brought in personally and given to the consular staff. Employees can consider it for quite a long time - 2-9 months.
All data will be carefully checked, so it is not recommended to provide false information, otherwise a refusal will follow.
You May Also Like
The list of documents attached to the application may be different, it depends on the reasons for obtaining a residence permit.
At a minimum you will need:
- International passport;
- A copy of a civil passport and educational documents (with translation into English / Swedish and a notary visa);
- Completed forms: application form and application.
You can clarify the current requirements and find out the complete list of documents on the portal of the Swedish Migration Service, the Russian-language page.
Immigration methods
The Kingdom is loyal to residents of other countries wishing to move for permanent residence.
Most of all people (according to statistics) come here to work and after marriage - about 40% from the whole mass of migrants. For training come about 12-14%.
The most in demand are employees of the following specialties:
- Builders of various profiles;
- Mechanics, repairmen, drivers;
- Conveyor line operators;
- Babysitters, social workers to help the elderly;
- Medical specialists;
- Translators;
- IT workers;
- Engineers of various profiles.
It is worth noting that you do not have to come to Sweden to search for vacancies. You can find work on the relevant sites. Many employers even conduct interviews online (for example, on Skype).
If the applicant has a deficit profession, then the procedure for obtaining a residence permit will noticeably accelerate, and it will be possible to pass it already in Sweden. This applies to:
- Dentists;
- Concrete workers;
- Bus drivers.
But we can say for sure that you will have to undergo a long certification on the territory of the kingdom, and sometimes retraining. It all depends on the interest of the employer.
If a potential migrant plans to open his own business in the country, then with a good business plan and decent start-up capital, local authorities will gladly give him a residence permit. Especially if there are vacancies for the indigenous people of the state.
If the move is necessary for family reunification, then in this case there will be no obstacles on the part of Swedish officials. The main thing is that the marriage is not fictitious.
Employment
Emigration for employment is possible if the applicant is fluent in foreign languages (English, Swedish) and has practical work experience.
You will need to find an employer who can fulfill the necessary conditions for the admission of Russians, Belarusians or Ukrainians.
The rules must be followed:
- A certain minimum wage (about 1500 euros);
- Registration of the necessary insurances;
- Providing housing (at least for the first time).
If the employee immigrates with his family, then additional registration will be required.
It is important, after obtaining a residence permit, to work at the same place in the same specialty for 4 years. After that, as a rule, permanent residence is issued.
Business as a way of immigration
Businesses in Sweden, as well as in the entire EU, are subject to significant taxes, so their level of profit is not very high. However, doing business in Europe is much safer than in Russia and other countries of the former USSR. There is no corruption as such, there is no huge number of all kinds of supervisory bodies, a fairly simple and transparent document flow.
You can choose any type of business, the government does not restrict those who move to the kingdom to start their own business. The most important thing will be to prove to the officials who will decide the issue of issuing a residence permit, the fact of the availability of capital and the ability to work for at least a year without government assistance.
The entrepreneur is given a temporary Residence permit for 2 years, after this period, the issuance of permanent residence is possible.If the business is successful, then most likely a positive decision will be made on this issue.
Immigration through the acquisition of real estate
In Sweden, it is not practiced to issue a residence permit, permanent residence or citizenship in connection with the purchase of real estate. The only thing you can count on is getting a long-term Schengen visa (up to 180 days).
But for this you will have to pay the appropriate taxes, spend money on maintaining order in the house. Real estate is allowed to be leased.
Immigration through education
Education in Sweden is paid, but there is the possibility of obtaining grants that cover the cost of living and studying.
This also applies to Russians. But there are downsides:
- Quite expensive accommodation and food;
- You can only earn money during the holidays;
- It is quite difficult to enter a university.
Immigration for education is a fairly popular way to gain a foothold in Europe. After receiving a diploma, you can find a job or get married with a resident of the country.
A residence permit can be obtained only after entering a university. The following papers are required:
- Certificate of proficiency in the Swedish language;
- Certificate from your country;
- A statement justifying the choice of the university;
- International passport;
- Reference documents.
Swedish diplomas are highly regarded in the EU, especially in engineering and technical fields.
Immigration through family reunification and marriage
Living in Sweden with your partner (civil marriage) is possible even without entering into a marriage union. If the relationship is formalized, then the authorities will have much more confidence in the relationship.
The first time a residence permit is given for 2 years, after which there will be several interviews with both partners. As a result, social workers can either give a permanent residence permit or extend a temporary one.
For quite a long time, inspections will take place: representatives of social services regularly go and monitor married couples who have received a residence permit. They can also interrogate neighbors.
Important. If it is found that the marriage is fictitious, this act from a legal point of view will be considered a fraud (forgery). The punishment for this kind of violation is deportation, and in some cases it can be imprisonment for up to 1 year.
If the marriage is officially terminated, then the residence permit may be canceled.
Immigration for refugees
It is very difficult to obtain refugee status. It will be necessary to somehow prove that the applicant cannot live in his homeland for some reason.
The Swedish authorities themselves assess the chances of issuing even a residence permit for Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians as very low.
Most often, people applying for this status are simply not happy with their life in their homeland, and this cannot be the basis for obtaining a temporary residence permit.
Life in Sweden after immigration
The most difficult thing that emigrants from Russia and other countries face is the problem of finding a good job. Finding a job is not easy, and you won't be able to live normally on benefits.
Income tax - one of the highest in the EU, deducted on a progressive scale from 30 to 55%. The money goes to social security and medicine.
The services of doctors, although formally free, in fact, citizens spend about 100 euros per year. The payment is about the same in both public and private hospitals. And for children under 18 years of age, services are provided free of charge. It should be said that many patients complain about the incompetence of local doctors.
Persons living in the territory of Sweden without citizenship do not have such privileges and are required to pay more for visits to doctors, but holders of permanent residence in the kingdom more than 5 yearsalready can use the rights of their subjects.
School and preschool education is free, and children are provided with appropriate literature, good food, and even tablet computers. However, the level of schooling is quite low by the standards of the Warsaw Pact countries.
The spread of wages is great:
- Cook - about 2,500 euros;
- Teacher (primary school) - 3000;
- National average - 3500-3700.
Important! Taxes can reach 1500 euros... And the rent takes away on average 20-25% from earnings.
Renting a small apartment - about 600 euros per month.
Anna: My husband and children and I moved to Sweden 2 years ago. It took a long time to get used to it, but my husband found a good job in a large company. I often see how visitors from Russia and Belarus suffer, trying to find vacancies and at least obtain refugee status. It is not easy even for locals to find a job here.
Boris: With all the positive aspects, I was faced with poor medical care. There are few doctors here, and those who do exist are not responsible for anything, people constantly turn to insurance companies because of the frequent mistakes of the attending staff. I had to undergo an operation in Germany, there is not too much sense of such "free" medicine.
Emigrating from your home country to Sweden is a rather difficult task. Perhaps this makes sense if a highly qualified specialist leaves, to whom the employer is ready to pay a good salary. This should take into account the high taxes. The best option is to study at a Swedish university with further immigration to other EU countries.
