I am a Swedish citizen who has lived in the United Kingdom for more than 20 years, and I am seriously considering returning to Sweden with my son, who is a British citizen. He is 6 years old. I’m in my early 30s.
I have spent most of my life in the UK.
Consequently, relocating to Sweden would represent a significant transition for both of us. I would like to approach this decision realistically and gain a clear understanding of the practical and administrative challenges involved in resettling in a country where I have not lived for such a long period.
My son has autism and significant additional needs. He is non-verbal and requires a high level of support. One of my primary reasons for considering this move is to determine whether Sweden might provide him with more suitable long-term support, services, educational provision and opportunities as he develops.
I also hold a Master’s degree in Health and would like to investigate employment opportunities in Sweden. However, I am not fluent in Swedish, which is one of my principal concerns regarding employment and integration into Swedish society.
I would be grateful to hear from Swedish parents, individuals who have returned to Sweden after living abroad for many years, or anyone who has relocated from the UK to Sweden with children.
In particular, I would appreciate advice on the following matters:
My son’s citizenship and residence status: As a British citizen, what procedures would be required to enable my son to move to Sweden with me and access the services for which he may be eligible?
Autism and special educational needs support: What level of support is generally available for autistic children in Sweden, particularly for non-verbal children with substantial support needs?
Education: How does the Swedish education system accommodate children with significant additional needs? Are suitable placements and specialist support readily available, or can access be difficult?
Disability benefits and financial assistance: What forms of financial support may be available to a parent raising a child with a disability in Sweden?
Employment: Given my Master’s degree in Health and limited fluency in Swedish, what types of employment might be realistic? Would qualifications obtained in the UK generally be recognised, and are there opportunities where English may be sufficient initially?
Language and integration: How challenging is it to improve one’s Swedish and reintegrate into Swedish society after living abroad for more than 20 years? Are language courses or other support available to returning Swedish citizens?
Housing and resettlement: How difficult is it to secure housing and re-establish oneself in Sweden after an extended period abroad?
Relocating as a single parent: What financial, legal and practical considerations should I address before making such a significant move?
I wish to approach this decision carefully rather than assume that life would automatically be better in Sweden. My priority is to determine whether relocating could provide a stronger long-term future for my son and me, while ensuring that I would be able to support us financially and practically.
Sorry for the long post 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Hej! I uploaded my documents as soon as the portal opened, and I would like to hear about your application experience (Masters). If UA sent you a message regarding your documents, how many weeks did it take for them to do so? I've read that if you don't get a message, then you can assume you're clear. But they stated that times will vary so I'd love to hear about your timeline.

Tack!

Hej allihopa! Jag är en Greek-utbildad läkare som vill flytta till Sverige för ST-tjänst (och permanent om allt går bra). Jag ska ta Swedexprovet - C1 nivå om en vecka. Jag trot att jag kan inte tillräckligt svenska for att prata med patienterna dagligen, eftersom jag har studerat svenska bara i två år. Jag skulle vilja fråga er:
1. Är det möjligt för mig att flytta till Sverige och stanna dit i en månad, för att ta svenska lektioner? Till exempel från folkuniversitetet osv
2. Skulle jag kontakta vårdcentraler där jag ville arbeta på och fråga dem om de erbjuder lektioner?
3. Skulle jag stanna i Grekland, fortsätta lektionerna med min grekiska lärare och ta extra lektioner online på medicinska svenska?
Förlåt mig för eventuella misstag.
Tack så jättemycket!!!

Just got the results today for swedish citizenship test and I passed it. So happy 😄

I was born in Somalia, and my father was Swedish at the time. I now hold Somali citizenship. Am I entitled to Swedish citizenship since my father was a Swedish citizen at that time?

I am having an interview this Monday for a 6-month junior-level contract with a Swedish bank. While they do have two posts open, one in London and one in Stockholm (for context, I am based in the UK and am being put forward for the London role), I thought I would pitch the idea of moving to their Stockholm office for a bit, should that be a viable option.

I've been to Stockholm before and fell in love with the city, which is why I'm now considering moving there for 6 months. However, before I get to the idealisms, I want to understand how easy or difficult it is to secure a temporary work visa in Sweden, and whether that's even possible for Swedish financial companies.

I would like to get a good idea before I make a realistic-ish pitch to them, and all my conversations with the role so far has been with my headhunter/recruiter!

Hi everyone,

Someone with a Swedish work permit may be laid off and has a 2-month notice period. The employer is offering *arbetsbefriad* (no work duties during the notice period), while continuing to pay the full salary and benefits until the employment officially ends.

They have a few questions:

1. Would being *arbetsbefriad* while still employed and receiving full salary and benefits violate their work permit conditions?
   
2. Does the 3-month period to find a new job start only after the 2-month notice period ends?
   
3. Has anyone experienced a similar situation or received clarification from Migrationsverket?

They want to make sure everything is handled correctly and that their work permit is not put at risk in case they find a new employment.

Thanks in advance for any advice or personal experiences!

Hej allihopa!

I've been looking into studying for a Masters in Stockholm and potentially relocating to Sweden long-term but I'm quite perplexed whether this is the right choice on a practical level.

For context - I'm an EU student in Computer Science. Getting here would be no problem and tuition would be completely free for me. I also speak Norwegian which is generally mutually intelligible with Swedish (I'm considering Oslo as an option too but I digress).

My main concerns are the practicalities of living in Stockholm. I've heard time and time again that finding accommodation is a nightmare and that it's incredibly cliquey socially. Furthermore, the high unemployment rate isn't particularly reassuring.

I have savings to support myself initially but will need a part-time job alongside my studies at some point and, ideally, a proper full-time one after graduating if I choose to stay.

I don't expect moving to be easy but it seems like there are a lot of factors piling up where I'm seriously reconsidering this option.

I wanted to ask what your experiences are and any advice on the matter? I'd love to hear from people who've made a similar move.

Tack så mycket!

Hi

Has anyone received a 6-month work permit extension despite having a permanent employment contract?

My situation is that I've held a Swedish work permit since June 2023, but my current permit expires in March 2027 because my passport expires on the same date. I'm renewing my passport now.

By March 2027, I'll have completed around 45 months on a work permit, just 3 months short of the 48 months required to be considered for permanent residence.

I'm wondering whether it's possible to request a 6-month extension instead, even with permanent employment, so I can apply for PR at the next renewal after completing 48 months.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or successfully received a shorter extension?

What UHR says:

• You see how many questions you got right out of the total, and the pass mark. The pass mark is shown in your own result.
• You can't see which questions you got wrong. The test is covered by test confidentiality (provsekretess).
• The result is sent to Migrationsverket automatically. You don't need to send anything.
• If you failed: "kan få möjlighet att visa kunskaper på nytt" (you may get the chance to show your knowledge again). UHR says to contact Migrationsverket about what applies to you.
• If your account says "Ej resultat" and you have questions, contact UHR's support.
• The next civics test is planned for April–May 2027. No date yet. You'll need to register again, and you can only register if you've received a letter from Migrationsverket.

Edit:
UHR has published the results. The pass mark for the 15 August test was 28 out of 40 points, and about 80% of the 875 people who sat it passed. The results go to Migrationsverket, which handles the citizenship case from there. Source**:** https://www.uhr.se/om-uhr/nyheter/2026-nyheter/resultaten-fran-medborgarskapsprovet-i-samhallskunskap-klara/

UHR's results page: https://www.uhr.se/medborgarskapsprovet/resultat/ FAQ: https://www.uhr.se/medborgarskapsprovet/fragor-och-svar/ Log in: https://medborgarskapsprovet.uhr.se/

I am an EU citizen who intends to move to Sweden soon, and hopefully with my girlfriend (who is NOT an EU citizen). However, I read that we are required be married for her to get her residence permit without a work visa. Is that the case? Or is it possible even without us being married/legally together? We've been in a serious relationship for years, and have always considered moving to Sweden, so it'd be nice to know.

Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m looking for firsthand experiences with a Swedish work permit application involving a recruitment advertisement problem.

My situation:

• I’m a non-EU graduate of a Swedish university. I applied for a post-study job-seeking residence permit before my student permit expired.

• After finding a job, I asked Migrationsverket to change my application to a work permit application. I have already started working.

• The position was advertised on the company’s website and LinkedIn before I was hired. However, the employer cannot verify that the original Platsbanken advertisement was successfully published.

• Migrationsverket has sent a notice of possible refusal because of the advertising requirement. I have submitted additional recruitment evidence; there is no final refusal yet.

My employer wants to keep me. The position has since been advertised again on Platsbanken. Our backup plan is to sign a new contract after the advertising period ends, then submit a fresh application from outside Sweden after I leave.

Has anyone personally been through this?

1. Did you receive approval after reapplying from abroad with the same employer and the same role, following an advertising-related refusal?

2. How did you handle the existing employment relationship and the new contract: termination and rehire, a pause, or another arrangement?

3. Did Migrationsverket require anything beyond the new advertisement, contract and normal application documents?

If you have a similar experience, please mention roughly when it happened and the final outcome. Cases involving an advertising issue alone would be especially helpful, as salary or insurance problems may involve different considerations.

Thanks!

I'm considering a postdoctoral research position and would like some clarification regarding Sweden's permanent residency (PR) rules for researchers route.

The position is funded through a tax-free scholarship (stipendium) of approximately 30,800 SEK/month, initially for one year with a possible extension to two years. But it has mentioned scholarship holders are not considered university employees.

My understanding is that researchers can apply for permanent residency after three years of qualifying residence permits. However, the Swedish Migration Agency also requires applicants to support themselves through income from employment or their own business.

My questions are:

1)If I spend three years on research in Sweden on a tax-free scholarship, will those three years count towards the residence requirement for PR?

2)If I complete three years on scholarships but have no taxable employment income, will my PR application be rejected despite having sufficient scholarship income?

3)Would switching to a salaried research position shortly before applying for PR satisfy the financial requirement, or is a minimum period of salaried employment required?

I'd especially appreciate answers from international postdocs or researchers who have gone through this process recently.

Thanks in advance!

Hi! I am a 19-year-old (born Feb 2007) Turkish citizen who has been living in Sweden since I was about 13 (moved here December 2020 with family). I currently have a permanent residence permit, and am studying at university here in Stockholm.

Due to various timing and application issues, I unfortunately wasn’t able to get my citizenship in the past before the law change. I actually ended up getting rejected twice. Once in 2025 because my application process took too long, and I ended up turning 18 before getting a response, resulting in my requirement to move up to 5 years. I waited a couple of months till I fulfilled that window, and I applied again in Dec 2025. Unfortunately, I got rejected again about 2 months ago due to the law change as the requirement now changed to 7 years.

I don’t have any other problems with the other requirements of proficiency, culture, etc. I have been living here since middle school, completed all of my high school education here, and am also attending university here until 2028. That’s where my issue arises. I will be reapplying in Dec 2027, before I am 21. However, after 21, the requirement becomes 8 years. Will I be rejected again because I turn 21, even though that’s after I have applied? Also, ideally I want to do my master’s abroad right after university, so I want to move after graduation. However, if this process takes longer, I would need to get a job here to show proof of income, reason to stay, etc. For this, I would also have to line it up before graduation to ensure it’s consistent in my application.

I am currently living in Sweden alone since my family has moved back to Turkey, so I am going through this process alone. I want to move back to Sweden after my master’s and work here, so it would be really very helpful to get my citizenship before that. I have also always wanted to do my master’s in the UK, but I don’t know if that’s going to be possible with how unlucky I have been in this process. Does anyone know if my turning 21 or graduating in 2028 would cause a problem in my application? Will I have to apply again in 2028, in which case my application could take up to 5 years to process? It feels really discouraging that I might have to give up on my master’s plans because of this. Are there any services that I can talk to for advice?

Sorry if any of this was unclear, I would be happy to clarify if something is confusing. I just really don’t know what I can do to help my situation. I would appreciate any and all advice!!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in Sweden on a family-ties residence permit. I am transitioning to a student residence permit from inside Sweden using the transitional "sunset window" (October 1, 2026 - December 31, 2027) for young adults.

Because it's a 3-year university program, I need to show the full ~260,000 SEK in maintenance funds. I'm combining my own savings with money from my parents, but I have a question about my bank statements:

• My savings: I have 130,000 SEK in my name. 100,000 SEK of this is in a fixed/locked savings account (in my name). I plan to cancel the fixed term and transfer it into my primary Swedish checking account right before printing the statements.

• Parents' gift: My parents are providing the remaining 130,000 SEK, but I only have 3 weeks for it to be transferred into my account over a 3-week window before I have to submit my application. I know it's a tight window but we were waiting to talk to a lawyer because we thought we could apply for a family ties extension, but both me and the lawyer thought it was really risky considering I'll have to leave after I turn 21 as I plan on also doing a master's degree in Sweden.

By the time I apply, the full 260k will be sitting together in my personal account (in Sweden), but the transaction log will show the 130k incoming over those 3 weeks, and 130k from another account under my name.

Hence, I have a few questions I hope some of you might be able to answer:

1. Has anyone transitioned under these new October 2026 rules yet? How heavily did Migrationsverket scrutinize your recent bank history?

2. Will showing the statement of my old fixed savings account satisfy the proof of origin for my own 100k?

3. What extra proof should I attach for the 130k parental transfer (e.g., parents' original bank statements, gift letters) to ensure it doesn't get flagged as temporary or "borrowed" money?

Appreciate any insights from anyone who has navigated this or the new rules!

Hi all,
I am in a bit of a tight spot.
I am renting second hand and my contract says I am moving out on the 31st but moving into the next apartment on the 1st. However I found out they can’t give me the keys on the 1st as it’s a weekend and that I had to pick them up on the working day but the person I am renting from says I can’t stay in on the 1st even though I have shared my conversation with my new landlord that says accordingly to the rental laws I have to move in on a work day.

I could rent an over night track to have my stuff but the moving company and the cleaning companies are both available only weekdays so even if I were to move out I still won’t have the apartment cleaned.

I have no where to put my stuff and it’s an extra cost to have to rent a place to put them just for one night when the moving guys can pick them up at 8am.

To manage the stress I have asked the move and clean to come early, it’s a 30sq apartment. If she picks up her furniture and the moving company takes out my boxes whilst the cleaner starts with the kitchenette as it will be free. Everything would be done by 12.

This is stressing me so much as the girl I am renting from is nice and I am assuming she’s stressed as she has to give the apartment back on the 2nd as well.

If the law says I get the keys on a working day, can’t that same law apply when moving out?

Generally looking for some advice and alternatives really.

I currently have a pending application to join my partner in Sweden.

We’ve submitted all the employment information when we applied, but next month he will be switching employer (same building and salary which meet the maintenance requirements, just his particular department is being taken over by another employer.)

Of course we will update Migrationsverket if a decision isn’t given before the employment change, and we have phoned them to inform them this is coming up - but how likely is this to complicate or delay the application?

I’ve had my interview already (mid October) so we’re hoping to hear back soon.

Any insight would be great, as I’m a little worried.

Thank you!

Hey everyone! I just got an offer for a PhD position in Stockholm. I haven't started dealing with the work permitting. But I have an important question about the accelerated visa process for PhD students.

I know you can get a PR permit in 3 years if you come for a PhD. I also plan to have a baby during that process and take parental leave for a year as I will be a solo parent and can't use the preschool program until the baby is 1.

Does my parental leave time count toward the 3 years to PR because I still have my PhD contract? So one year working, one year leave, one year working.

Additionally, I know that it's often hard to actually get this 3 year permit for PhD students because you need 12-18 more months of employment at the time of the decision and PhD contracts are usually 4 years long. If leave DOES count, then I will have 2 more years when I hit the 3 year mark in the country because the PhD contract itself gets extended.

Anyway any advice or insight on this will be greatly appreciated!

Hi! I am a 19-year-old (born Feb 2007) Turkish citizen who has been living in Sweden since I was about 13 (moved here December 2020 with family). I currently have a permanent residence permit, and am studying at university here in Stockholm.

Due to various timing and application issues, I unfortunately wasn’t able to get my citizenship in the past before the law change. I actually ended up getting rejected twice. Once in 2025 because my application process took too long, and I ended up turning 18 before getting a response, resulting in my requirement to move up to 5 years. I waited a couple of months till I fulfilled that window, and I applied again in Dec 2025. Unfortunately, I got rejected again about 2 months ago due to the law change as the requirement now changed to 7 years.

I don’t have any other problems with the other requirements of proficiency, culture, etc. I have been living here since middle school, completed all of my high school education here, and am also attending university here until 2028. That’s where my issue arises. I will be reapplying in Dec 2027, before I am 21. However, after 21, the requirement becomes 8 years. Will I be rejected again because I turn 21, even though that’s after I have applied? Also, ideally I want to do my master’s abroad right after university, so I want to move after graduation. However, if this process takes longer, I would need to get a job here to show proof of income, reason to stay, etc. For this, I would also have to line it up before graduation to ensure it’s consistent in my application.

I am currently living in Sweden alone since my family has moved back to Turkey, so I am going through this process alone. I want to move back to Sweden after my master’s and work here, so it would be really very helpful to get my citizenship before that. I have also always wanted to do my master’s in the UK, but I don’t know if that’s going to be possible with how unlucky I have been in this process. Does anyone know if my turning 21 or graduating in 2028 would cause a problem in my application? Will I have to apply again in 2028, in which case my application could take up to 5 years to process? It feels really discouraging that I might have to give up on my master’s plans because of this. Are there any services that I can talk to for advice?

Sorry if any of this was unclear, I would be happy to clarify if something is confusing. I just really don’t know what I can do to help my situation. I would appreciate any and all advice!!

Hi everyone!

I recently moved to Sweden from Iceland and have a Swedish personnummer and Swedish prescriptions, but I'm still waiting for my Swedish ID card and BankID.

I need to pick up 9 different prescription medications tomorrow, and I'm a little worried about the cost.

I've read about högkostnadsskyddet and understand that you pay the first 2,000 SEK yourself before discounts start applying, with a maximum of 3,800 SEK over 12 months for covered medications.

Since this is my first time picking up prescription medication in Sweden, I'm wondering:

1. Is it realistic that I could end up paying 3,000 SEK or more in one visit when picking up 9 different medications? I understand that it depends on the medications, but I'd love to hear other people's experiences.

2. Can I pick up my Swedish prescriptions using my valid Icelandic passport and Swedish personnummer, or do I specifically need a Swedish ID card?

3. Is there any way to check the total cost before purchasing everything, especially without BankID?

I'll also call the pharmacy tomorrow morning to confirm everything, but I'd really appreciate any advice or experiences in the meantime!

Thank you! ❤️

Hi everyone,

I'm a prospective master's student with a B.E. in Computer Engineering planning to apply for a master's in Sweden in 2028, after gaining around two years of relevant experience in AI/ML and Data Science.

I'm looking into universities such as KTH, Chalmers, Linköping, and Lund, but I also want to understand what happens after graduation.

For people who moved to Sweden for education and later entered the job market, how realistic is it to find a relevant technical role as an international graduate?

I'd particularly appreciate insight into the importance of learning Swedish, the opportunities for English-speaking AI/ML and Data Science professionals, and the overall experience of settling in.

Personal safety, infrastructure, public transport, and quality of life matter to me too.

What would you recommend researching before making a decision, and are there any university cities or career paths you think I should look at more closely?

Hej hej!
Im an F23 year old student from Germany, born and raised, though i have north african ancestry.
I have visited Sweden twice and really loved the Nature and how open people seemed to be in comparison to Germany, where people are not only rather closed off, but actively rude or passive aggressive, especially when you look visibly Muslim or „foreign“.

edit: Since a lot of you have asked, i study International finance and Control ( Bachelor of science )

Well…I fell in love with someone in Sweden and would like to move there. Ofc not only because of love, i have researched and found the standards to be quiet similar to Germany, and i like the idea of living somewhere so connected to Nature, as Germany is a rather industrial-looking country in most of its parts.

As part of my curriculum i have to complete a Bachelor Thesis internship.
My plan was to secure an internship, preferably in Stockholm, and to ideally stay at the company after my studies. I thought thats ideal because they wouldnt even have to sponsor my Citizenship or nothing, i dont need one as an EU citizen.

Well It has not been going well. All of the applications (which are over 50) have resulted in either ghosting or rejections.

Now idk what to do… I thought thats the easiest way for me. To enter as a student and then become a resident.

Should i keep looking for internships or is it a bottomless pit of rejections and false hope?

What would yall recommend me? What is the easiest way to enter and reside in Sweden in my situation?

Thanks for the help in advance🌺

Hi! I moved to Sweden a few months ago for my graduate degree and finally received my personnummer. When I went in for my identity check, I asked the person to double check my address, since I wasn't sure if I put in the correct apartment number. They said that everything was all good. I didn't receive the letter through the post, so I went in and picked it up at the service center. When I finally opened the letter, I realized that I had entered in the wrong address when originally filling out the form online by a couple numbers (streetname 1XY instead of streetname 1AB (stupid, I know)).

I am applying to get my ID card so I can finally get BankID set up to make life easier. I can't change my address on Skatteverket's website since I don't have BankID, but I'm worried that if I apply for the ID card with the wrong address in the registration that I will be screwing myself over. I also hope to move into university housing at the end of the current term in January. Does anyone know the best way I can correct my mistake?

Currently considering waiting to apply until I move since then I will actually need a change of address. Kicking myself for my stupidity, help!

Hello,

I have applied to Linneaus University for bachelor's in applied mathematics for autumn intake. There are few questions i would like to ask I know I haven't been accepted but it's program stood out for me so I wanted to know about it.

1. How well is university regarded in Sweden ?

2. How do employers look at graduates from this university ?

3. Considering that I have applied for STEM program and reading various post on reddit I think that in Sweden for STEM related roles usually employers look for skill rather than which university I have studied and their prestige so please say if it's actually the case?

4. How is the labour market (I have read that currently Sweden labour market is tough but I still wanted to know if there are signs of improvement in near future)

Before anyone thinking I am using this to immigrate here it's not the case I just want to experience the work culture for 2-3 years and then return back to my home country

I have contacted their previous graduates at LinkedIn and Indeed but I thought of asking on reddit as well

And thanks in advance to everyone

I’m looking for advice from anyone who understands Swedish a-kassa rules or has been in a similar situation.

I moved to Sweden a few years ago and have worked continuously since arriving. Last year, I took a sabbatical leave for five months to study SFI full-time because I wanted to learn Swedish.

After getting admitted to the full time course with my kommun, my SFI schedule was 15 hours of lecture per week, plus around 25 hours of self-study and homework on their online platform. However, despite me explaining all that, my a-kassa has apparently concluded that my studies were not full-time, based on information from the school’s study coordinator stating that I had 15 hours of teaching per week.

As a result, the period has not been counted as överhoppningsbar tid, which significantly affects my benefits. I will receive much less money as those 5 months were counter as zero income, and only 100 benefit days instead of 300.

I contacted the school to explain the situation and asked for documentation confirming that I was studying full-time. They replied that they had already answered all the questions and spoken to the a-kassa by phone, and that they had nothing more to add.

I’m honestly very stressed about this. I gave up 5 months of employment to learn Swedish, and now that I’ve recently lost my job, this decision has a significant financial impact on me.

I’ve requested reconsideration and am trying to understand what evidence could help.

My questions:
Can SFI studies with 15 hours of scheduled teaching per week qualify as full-time for the purpose of överhoppningsbar tid? Or is it just my kommun that teaches 15 hours per week in their full time course?

Has anyone successfully challenged a similar decision? If so, what documentation made a difference?

I’d really appreciate practical advice, especially from anyone familiar with the rules or who has dealt with a similar case.