Sweden
Sweden recycles 99% of its waste
About Country
Continent | Europe |
Capital | Stockholm |
Population | 10,099,265 |
World share | 0.1 % |
Land area | 410,340 km² |
Official Languages | - Swedish |
Unofficial Languages | |
Currency | SEK |
Economy rating | 23 |
Economy GDP | 625,948 millions USD |
ВВП на человека | 61,980 USD |
Democracy Index
9.26
Full
democracy
*
|
Crime Rate |
1.1 |
Safe zone |
Unemployment |
8.9 % |
Normal unemployment |
*
|
Average salary |
4,505 USD |
|
Average expense |
971 USD |
|
Average rent price |
851 USD |
Immigration
Immigration difficulty |
Hard |
|
Recommended Savings |
10,937 USD |
Double citizenship |
Allowed |
Official site |
Immigration official website |
Compulsory exams |
- |
|
Passport rating |
5 Amount of countries: 188 |
Immigration options
| Immigration type | Required Time | Fee |
| Employee | from 1 to 2 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) | 220 USD |
| Business | from 1 to 2 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) | 220 USD |
| Marriage | from 8 to 21 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) | 165 USD |
| Family reunification | from 8 to 21 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) | 165 USD |
| Student | from 1 to 6 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) | 165 USD |
| Refugee | not regulated (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) | 100 USD |
Employee
| Immigration fee | Immigration Time |
| 220 USD | from 1 to 2 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) |
List of documents:
- A copy of the pages with passport data (in 2 copies) and the passport;- Foreign passport;
- Copy of foreign passport (in 2 copies);
- Receipt of payment of the fee;
- Completed application form in 2 copies in English or Swedish. Questionnaire for employees;
- "Offer of Employment", which should be sent to you by the employer;
- Additional documents may be required.
Additional Information:
For immigration through work, it is necessary to obtain a residence permit on the basis of employment. Your future employer must obtain an "Offer of Employment" work permit for you through Swedish Immigration Service . After the approval of the Immigration Service, you must apply and pay the consular fee at the embassy.The residence permit is issued for a period of time, in order to extend it, the employer must initiate the renewal process again through Swedish Immigration Service . As you understand, you will not be able to spread your fingers with a residence permit, but after 4 years you can apply for permanent residence. An important note, you can actually change the employer, but you must work in your specialty. A residence permit is issued for a profession and cannot be changed, so if you were a stern engineer and suddenly became a ballerina - no way.
Work permit, EU Blue Card, ICT permit, seasonal work will cost 2,000 SEK or 220 USD. The extension of the decision to work will also cost 2,000 SEK or 220 USD. All fees can be viewed on the website of the Immigration Service.
Business
| Immigration fee | Immigration Time |
| 220 USD | from 1 to 2 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) |
List of documents:
- A copy of the pages with passport data (in 2 copies) and the passport itself;- Foreign passport;
- Copy of foreign passport (in 2 copies);
- Company registration certificate;
- Confirmation of qualification;
- Documents confirming the experience of owning a business;
- Business plan and marketing research for the presence in Sweden of demand for services;
- Planned annual report and annual balance sheet;
- Bank statement;
- Receipt of payment of the fee;
- Completed application form in 2 copies in English or Swedish. Questionnaire for businessman;
- Additional documents may be required.
Additional Information:
The first step is to register your company on the site Swedish Tax Authority. After that, you need to get a residence permit to stay in the country and then regularly renew it, and after 5 years you can apply for permanent residence. It is important to note that if your company does not show an income sufficient to live in Sweden, the residence permit can not be extended.Marriage
| Immigration fee | Immigration Time |
| 165 USD | from 8 to 21 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) |
List of documents:
- A copy of the pages with passport data (in 2 copies) and the passport itself;- Foreign passport;
- Copy of foreign passport (in 2 copies);
- Receipt of payment of the fee;
- Completed application form in 2 copies in English or Swedish. Application for a residence permit;
- Evidence of relationship with a partner (marriage certificate, document confirming cohabitation, such as a rental agreement);
- Additional documents may be required.
Additional Information:
Like most countries, Sweden has immigration programm for spouses. It is important to note that you can provide documents on cohabitation if you have no official marriage document (for example, a lease agreement), which will also give you the opportunity to immigrate as a spouse.Family reunification
| Immigration fee | Immigration Time |
| 165 USD | from 8 to 21 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) |
List of documents:
- A copy of the pages with passport data (in 2 copies) and the passport itself;- Foreign passport;
- Copy of foreign passport (in 2 copies);
- Receipt of payment of the fee;
- Completed application form in 2 copies in English or Swedish. Application for a residence permit;
- Proof of kinship with a Swedish citizen or with a residence permit / permanent residence in Sweden (birth certificate, evidence of cohabitation);
- Completed family form. Family Information Questionnaire;
- Consent to move for a child (Accept Form for the Child to Live in Sweden);
- Bank statement;
- Additional documents may be required.
Additional Information:
Family-based immigration will give you the opportunity to bring your family to Sweden. In this method, you must show that you are able to support your relatives. The amount of the fee for the consideration of documents for children in this case will be less and will amount to 750 SEK or 83 USD. All fees can be viewed on Immigration website services (Fee).Student
| Immigration fee | Immigration Time |
| 165 USD | from 1 to 6 months (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) |
List of documents:
- An invitation from an educational institution;- A copy of the pages with passport data (in 2 copies) and the passport itself;
- Foreign passport;
- Copy of foreign passport (in 2 copies);
- Receipt of payment of the fee;
- Completed application form in 2 copies in English or Swedish. Application for a student residence permit;
- Bank statement or a document confirming the receipt of a study grant or scholarship;
- Additional documents may be required.
Additional Information:
Having entered an educational institution in Sweden, you can apply on a residence permit based on an educational program. There are several moments here, firstly if If you are in a short-term or exchange program, then you cannot work is Sweden, and if your studies involve an internship, then you need to obtain a work permit. Secondly, a spouse and children under 18 can receive a residence permit as accompanying persons (Accompanying Form). Thirdly, students from Japan, students of World Maritime University and participants of the Tempus, TACIS, SIDA or Svenska Institutet programs do not need to pay a fee. Fourthly, the fact of long-term study in Sweden does not give you the opportunity to stay in the country with permanent residence or citizenship, but if in the study process you get a work permit, find a life partner, etc., then welcome to the country.Refugee
| Immigration fee | Immigration Time |
| 100 USD | not regulated (paperwork) 5 years (for citizenship) |
List of documents:
- A copy of the pages with passport data (in 2 copies) and the passport itself;- Foreign passport;
- Copy of foreign passport (in 2 copies);
- Receipt of payment of the fee;
- Completed application form in 2 copies in English or Swedish. Application for visa;
- Description of the persecution in free form. Why are you being persecuted, how did it start. Try to describe briefly and clearly;
- Evidence of the persecution and violation of rights;
- Additional documents may be required.
Additional Information:
If you are harassed in your home country for the following reasons:- race;
- nationality;
- religious or political beliefs;
- gender;
- sexual orientation;
- belonging to a certain social group.
You can apply on asylum in Sweden under the UN Convention. Also your family members can also apply on a residence permit. You may be deprived of your residence permit status if you provided false data or performed of crimes against humanity.
Detailed information on granting asylum can be found on the official Swedish Immigration website
It is important to note that a residence permit will be given for 3 years, and if you find a job during this time and your income is sufficient to live in Sweden, then you will be extended the residence permit without any problems. For this method, you need to arrive in Sweden, for example on a tourist visa and contact the Migration Service.
Immigration processThe whole immigration procedure in Sweden is just 3 steps:
- Obtaining a residence permit;
- Obtaining permanent residence after living in a country with a residence permit;
- Obtaining Swedish citizenship.
Important! When obtaining citizenship, it is strongly recommended to know the local language, you will not be asked to take an exam, but this may affect the decision.
The time to obtain permanent residence varies depending on the method of immigration - for example, a couple of months under the family reunification program or after 4 years through employment.
Taxes
One of the main reasons for Sweden's prosperity is taxes. Health care, preschool, and after-school classes, and other benefits are all paid for through taxes.Salaried employees pay income tax. This means that a certain percentage is deducted from the total amount earned, which is lent to government organizations. The employee receives the rest. The tax rate varies depending on the municipality, but on average it is 29-35% of the salary. If the salary exceeds a certain limit set by the government, additional taxes are payable.
In addition to wages, employers are required to monthly pay tax for their employees to the Swedish State Tax Office. They also pay social contributions for their workers - employer contributions. It funds employers' pensions, parental and sick leave benefits.
Also in Sweden, there is a tax on goods and services called VAT. It is included in the final price and fluctuates depending on what a person buys. For special goods, an excise tax is often used. For example, taxes on alcohol, gasoline, electricity, and tobacco. These taxes are used by the government as a tool to help control the consumption of a given product or service. However, some goods and services are VAT-exempt, such as healthcare and education.
All taxpayers must also file a return with the tax office annually. In this declaration, the employer, the bank, and the insurance company indicate data on the annual earnings and the amount of tax data paid by a person during the year.
Education
In Sweden, children start learning from a very early age. When they are at the age of two, parents enroll them in kindergartens. And after a few years, those who turned six receive a guaranteed place in a primary school. Then there comes secondary education which includes: a primary school (grades 1–3), a secondary school (grades 4–6), and a high school (grades 7–9). After completing the ninth grade, children continue their education in a gymnasium (grades 10-12), but only if they successfully passed Math, Swedish, and English. A gymnasium is not required, but it is indispensable if a teenager wants to go to college or find a job in the desired specialization.Then the higher education consists of three levels: the Bachelor's Level (3 years), available after completing 12 grades or a college; the Master's Level (1-2 years); and the Doctoral Level (4 years). Moreover, during the first or the second level, one can proceed to professional qualifications, which are awarded in different fields such as medical, engineering, law, education, agriculture, etc.
The academic year in Sweden is divided into two semesters: the fall semester lasts from August to January. And the spring semester runs from January to early June.
And finally, talking about fees for higher education, everything is quite simple - citizens of Sweden, EU / EEA countries and Switzerland can study for free. For the rest, there are available scholarship programs that cover tuition and living costs for some non-EU countries.
Healthcare
According to the report by the World Health Organization, Sweden is ranked 23rd in the world ranking of countries for the functionality and development of health systems. Municipalities and the state bear the bulk of health care costs for the population. For patients, there is a limit of 100 euros, which restrict the collection of fees from one patient per year.General practitioners conduct routine medical examinations, pay attention to treatment, and, if necessary, refer the patient to a specialist disease. To visit a general practitioner, you must first register with a public health center and within seven days get an appointment.
One of the many advantages of the Sweden medical system that it’s provided not only for citizens of the country but also for foreigners who live here for a long time. As for children, they all have access to free medical care (up to 20-25 years old, depending on the region of residence). Examinations, immunizations, medical examinations, dental examinations, treatment are carried out regularly. For children under the age of five, a planned developmental examination is provided, which is carried out in the children's health center. The costs of pregnancy and childbirth are fully covered by the government health insurance program. The termination of pregnancy in Sweden for up to 18 weeks is at the request of the woman, regardless of the reason. Abortion up to 22 weeks is only subject to weighty reasons and an authorization issued by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.
Climate
Climate type |
- Temperate climates
|
Climate Information |
Сlimate in different countries |
Spring refers to the off-season period, and at this time the weather is changeable here, there are winds and frequent precipitation. In March, there’s around +3°C, the winds are blowing and the climatic winter continues. In April, the temperature rises to +9°C. And it gets warmer in May when the temperature is 16-18°C. During this period, the white nights begin in the north of Sweden.
In June, the temperature hit 21°C, in July in lowland Sweden range from 21 to 23°C, and in mountainous - from 9 to 12°C. In the Summer the weather is consistently warm and very comfortable, without any significant temperature fluctuations, winds, and rains. In August, the temperature doesn’t drop below 20-21°C. The advantage of this season is the long daylight hours, as the white nights continue.
In September it’s usually 14-15°C and the weather is mild. In October - 11-13°C, the weather becomes changeable, and in November it is quite cool, the temperature doesn’t rise above 5-6°C. Autumn in these places is cloudy and long, and it often rains here.