Advice on getting a Swedish work permit/job in Sweden

Howell31 · Sep 19, 2010

Hi everyone,
I just finished undergrad and would like to move to Sweden for a year or two and live with some good friends I made, exchange students at my university. So I've got the friends I can stay with and the money I need and what not, however, it's difficult to get a work permit.
In order to get a work permit you must have a written job offer on paper from an employer in Sweden, but the catch 22 is that you cannot apply for the permit while you are in Sweden but rather only from your home country (I live in the USA).
Right now, I just started working at American Apparel about a month ago, so if I stay on for a year then I could perhaps transfer overseas, however I don't want to wait that long.
Anyone out there who has some advice? Or better yet a Swede looking for employees? Haha

Thanks in advance, Look forward to hearing anything and everything!

rjacobs · Sep 19, 2010

Open a kebab stand.

Or try doing something else under the table for awhile.

Another option: get a friend who looks somewhat like you and have them take care of all the work permit stuff from the USA.

Sweden is really bureaucratic, but no one actually seems to know or enforce all the rules - that was my experience 7 years ago anyway. Not sure if it's changed.

MumRaww · Sep 20, 2010

What kind of work do you want to do? Where do you plan on staying?

Matt · Sep 20, 2010

why does Sweden need you?

when you are able to answer that question, apply.

Hombre Secreto · Sep 20, 2010

Originally Posted by Howell31

Hi everyone,
I just finished undergrad and would like to move to Sweden for a year or two and live with some good friends I made, exchange students at my university. So I've got the friends I can stay with and the money I need and what not, however, it's difficult to get a work permit.
In order to get a work permit you must have a written job offer on paper from an employer in Sweden, but the catch 22 is that you cannot apply for the permit while you are in Sweden but rather only from your home country (I live in the USA).
Right now, I just started working at American Apparel about a month ago, so if I stay on for a year then I could perhaps transfer overseas, however I don't want to wait that long.
Anyone out there who has some advice? Or better yet a Swede looking for employees? Haha

Thanks in advance, Look Forward to hearing anything and everything!

You might want to look for other more stable jobs in your country first, because AA isn't doing too well.

Howell31 · Sep 20, 2010

Originally Posted by MumRaww

What kind of work do you want to do? Where do you plan on staying?

I'm going to live with my friends in the Hagerston neighborhood in Stockholm.

I'm an art history and architecture student, but I'm willing to do most anything for a year or so (I'm taking a gap year or two before grad school).

frenchy · Sep 20, 2010

aaaah swedish women,second only to Copenhagen

MumRaww · Sep 20, 2010

Originally Posted by Howell31

I'm going to live with my friends in the Hagerston neighborhood in Stockholm.

I'm an art history and architecture student, but I'm willing to do most anything for a year or so (I'm taking a gap year or two before grad school).

I assume you mean HÃ¤gersten? I have a few friends in that neighborhood.

The job market in Sweden is really tough right now, your best bet would be to work at a cafÃ

or something like McDonalds (

) or maybe some of the independent boutiques.

Not speaking Swedish will make **** hard for you though...

Howell31 · Sep 20, 2010

Originally Posted by MumRaww

I assume you mean HÃ¤gersten? I have a few friends in that neighborhood. The job market in Sweden is really tough right now, your best bet would be to work at a cafÃ

or something like McDonalds (

) or maybe some of the independent boutiques. Not speaking Swedish will make **** hard for you though...
Yea, I meant Hagersten, thanks. I've been checking out arbetsfÃ¶rmedlingen, the Swedish National job search site and it does seem like something in the food service sector would be almost the only option....something I'm not very excited about to say the least, but might be willing to give it a go if it's the only option.

Watchaholic · Sep 21, 2010

Might want to get a move on, on that work permit http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...er-Sweden.html

Anti-immigration party formed from skinhead movement seizes balance of power in Sweden * Democrats win 20 seats to enter parliament for first time * Centre parties refuse to work with them as currency falls Sweden was today coming to terms with the emergence of a far right party into mainstream politics. The anti-immigration Democrats now hold the balance of power in Sweden after the centre-right government failed to win an outright majority. Unemployment and the flood of foreigners into the south of the country have been blamed for the rise of the group, which began life as a faction of skinheads. Now the party will enter Parliament for the first time, with 20 seats.

Howell31 · Sep 21, 2010

Originally Posted by Watchaholic

Might want to get a move on, on that work permit

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...er-Sweden.html

Hahaha, yea, one of my Swedish friends just emailed me about that this very morning....well, at least I'm blond and blue-eyed right....

MumRaww · Sep 21, 2010

Originally Posted by Watchaholic

Might want to get a move on, on that work permit

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...er-Sweden.html

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

Our best hope right now is that MiljÃ¶partiet 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...

Howell31 · Sep 21, 2010

MumRaww; Sorry if I'm boring you with Swedish politics...[/QUOTE said:
Hey, no probz. It is important, although perhaps it deserves a thread of it's own, and on the other hand it would be nice to hear more feedback about the work permit situation.

Watchaholic · Sep 21, 2010

The blonde hair and blue eyes might work in your favour in some situations but when it comes to you getting your work permit I imagine if they were fully in power, you would be affected too! Shame you're not a chick though... something about them blondey bluey's

MumRaww - no need to apologise, its always good to hear how its affecting in real life what one just sees/reads on/in the news - correct me if im wrong though but I always got the impression that Sweden was already generally very anti-migrant workers?

MumRaww · Sep 21, 2010

Originally Posted by Watchaholic

The blonde hair and blue eyes might work in your favour in some situations but when it comes to you getting your work permit I imagine if they were fully in power, you would be affected too! Shame you're not a chick though... something about them blondey bluey's MumRaww - no need to apologise, its always good to hear how its affecting in real life what one just sees/reads on/in the news - correct me if im wrong though but I always got the impression that Sweden was already generally very anti-migrant workers?
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 SÃ¶dertÃ¶lje 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).

Advice on getting a Swedish work permit/job in Sweden

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