Why Sweden for expats?
The world has never been more connected than today. In less than a week, we can travel around the globe. Therefore, you don’t necessarily have to live in your country of birth. In fact, you can live anywhere you want. So, with all of these choices, why should you chose Sweden? That is exactly what we will be talking about today in this article today.
Quality of life
It’s no secret that Sweden has a great quality of life. For one thing, all people who live in Sweden get 25 days of paid vacation, every year. Taking these vacation days are encouraged by employers and the law states that you get at least four weeks’ vacation during the summer, if you want it.
The salary
If you simply compare an American salary to a Swedish salary, the American one will probably be bigger. However, we also have to take into account all expenses. In Sweden, healthcare is completely free for all citizens. Also, school is free, as is the school lunch. If you are a citizen and can’t find any work, you get paid a sum by the government called “socialbidrag.” Another place where you can save money is on different activities. Here in Sweden, all companies offer their employees something called a “friskvårdsbidrag.” This is a sum of money that you get to pay for any activities like skiing or swimming. It won’t cover the entire cost but it helps you on the way to a more healthy life.
Despite healthcare being free, it is far from bad. If you get sick in Sweden, we can offer state of the art medicine and facilities to ensure a healthy recovery. At the same time, the chance of you getting sick is slim. Sweden has a great air quality, even in the major cities.
Retirement
If you are over 65 and have worked in Sweden, you can get a government funded pension. It’s also common that companies have their own pension plan that adds to the government pension. Basically, this means that if you have worked in Sweden and are a citizen, as soon as you pass 65, you won’t have to work for the rest of your life. That on it’s own is a great reason to become an expat in Sweden.
Nature
In Sweden, there is something called “allemansrätten.” This means that you are allowed to go out in the forest, anywhere, no matter who owns the land. All nature in Sweden is free unless specifically stated otherwise. You are even allowed to camp more or less anywhere you want. Your allowed to stay for one night, then you have to move your camp. You are also allowed to light a fire for food and warmth, as long as you keep it under control.
The last benefit of “allemansrätten” is that you’re allowed to pick berries and fruit in nature as long as you’re not in someone’s garden. If you like nature and freedom, Sweden is the perfect destination for you. Of course, there are still national parks but being able to get out anywhere gives you a certain freedom few other countries can offer.
We hope that you have enjoyed this short article about why you should become an expat in Sweden. We truly believe that Sweden is one of the best countries in the world to live in, no matter who you are. It might seem scary to move so far up north but we can almost promise that you won’t regret it. Hopefully, we will meet you here soon.
