Advice on getting a Swedish work permit/job in Sweden

Originally Posted by MumRaww

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One proposal from SD was to cut immigration with 90% - but I don't think that they will be able to enforce that seeing as all other political parties refuse to cooperate with them. I'm very curious to see how things play out.

Sweden have always had a tradition of hospitality and generally held a very humanistic view on the whole issue. Right now one in five or one in seven (depending on which statistics you use as source) Swedish citizens are from a different culture.

For example, the municipality of Södertölje have accepted more Iraki refugees than both USA and Canda combined.

During the post-war era Sweden's was booming and we needed manpower which often came from Greece, Italy, Turkey, Austria former Yugoslavia and later Finland. During the 80-90s we also accepted a lot of refugees from Yugoslavia, Chile and the Middle East (especially Iran).

This has all been written about in various pieces on the Nordic socialism models and how they start to unravel when you have a material population of visible minorities from recent immigration.

An possible way into the country, would be to enroll in a graduate degree program there. That would get you a year or two in the country. While there make contacts and hopefully someone will offer you a job.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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This has all been written about in various pieces on the Nordic socialism models and how they start to unravel when you have a material population of visible minorities from recent immigration.

Yes this also seems to be the case from what I've gathered reading about this topic in school and in different media outlets, I think a change in the way Sweden works is necessary but I still believe in the welfare model.

I'm not the most educated on this subject but I'm interested and engaged and I would be thankful if you could point me towards some of these sources (I'm not disputing your point, I'm just curious).

Originally Posted by MumRaww

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Yes this also seems to be the case from what I've gathered reading about this topic in school and in different media outlets, I think a change in the way Sweden works is necessary but I still believe in the welfare model.

I'm not the most educated on this subject but I'm interested and engaged and I would be thankful if you could point me towards some of these sources (I'm not disputing your point, I'm just curious).

I've posted links here before concerning this and other posters that live there have verified the basic premise.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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I've posted links here before concerning this and other posters that live there have verified the basic premise.

Alright, I'm not going to go digging and I still agree with you.

Originally Posted by Jodum5

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An possible way into the country, would be to enroll in a graduate degree program there. That would get you a year or two in the country. While there make contacts and hopefully someone will offer you a job.

Yes, I've thought of that too. There are a lot of grad programs in english. The bummer is that I have to wait until next fall (unless someone knows of a program in which I could enroll for the Spring).

Originally Posted by Howell31

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Yes, I've thought of that too. There are a lot of grad programs in english. The bummer is that I have to wait until next fall (unless someone knows of a program in which I could enroll for the Spring).

Dunno, you should be able to sign up for individual courses but that might not be enough for you to get a visa?

Originally Posted by MumRaww

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Yesterday was actually the first time I protested/demonstrated. I actually feel bad for Sweden right now...

Our best hope right now is that Miljöpartiet will agree to form a coalition with the right-wing power block to create a majority in the parliament so that Sverige Demokraterna (Sweden Democrats) will be rendered powerless.

It's ridiculous that a party that 12 years ago wore Nazi uniforms and want to deny immigrants the right of free religion and healthcare is in a position of power or in the parliament at all.

Sorry if I'm boring you with Swedish politics...

well considering what the muslims are up to in MALMO they may have been on to something and seen the future

you could just enroll in a US grad school and go on foreign exchange

Originally Posted by MumRaww

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Dunno, you should be able to sign up for individual courses but that might not be enough for you to get a visa?
Can you enroll in individual courses at the graduate level? I would enroll in undergrad just to get the residence permit, but practically all the undergrad courses for non-exchange students are in Swedish, which I don't speak. Bummer

Originally Posted by Matt

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you could just enroll in a US grad school and go on foreign exchange
Yea, but then I could only go for one semester, probably 5 months max, and I want to stay longer than that.

Originally Posted by Howell31

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Yea, but then I could only go for one semester, probably 5 months max, and I want to stay longer than that.
Once you are there, do what most immigrants do.. find yourself a nice blondey bluey and start reproducing and stay as long as you want Isn't there a working holiday maker visa that usually lasts 2 years ? Not sure if its applicable in Sweden or if such a thing exists but it might be a good way to get a foot hold there and get a feel for the place. Though if you have friends there then really more then half the battle is won, get there and give yourself a time limit say a month or two and start pounding the pavement looking for jobs.. it's always easier to do it in-country then try from far away.. all you loose is 2 months and perhaps some friends who are fed up you taking up the couch

Originally Posted by Howell31

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Yea, but then I could only go for one semester, probably 5 months max, and I want to stay longer than that.
that depends on the program. I did two years in the US on study abroad. But if you join one of those three-zillion-americans-on-a-bus programs, then ya, in and out in a few months, be lucky if you know how to say thank you in Swedish by the end of it....

Marrying Victoria Silverstedt gets my vote.

On a serious note, good luck. Sweden is a great country.

Originally Posted by Matt

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you could just enroll in a US grad school and go on foreign exchange

U.S. grad schools are crazy expensive. Say he needs loans, it would most likely be much cheaper to enroll in a foreign program and use loans for the much lower tuition costs and similar living expenses. This is based on my rudimentary maths when debating whether to do part time in US (cheaper because I'd be working so no living expense issues) or full time in Switzerland (came to about the same price). On that basis, I'd choose a strictly abroad program because I'd consider it more fulfilling.

Also, doing full time in the U.S. and a study abroad during the period would incur an additional cost.

I probably wouldn't turn to 'rudimentary math' when it comes to costs of just about everything in Scandinavia, nor foriegn student tuition fees.

In my case, my Australian university fees covered my US university education (which worked out great for me, since Australia subsidises its fees) and I won a scholarship toward a lot of the rest, so I went to UCLA for peanuts. Presumably some Californian paid way too much to go to college in Australia in return.