Move abroad and live and work in Scandinavia on one of the Scandinavian Working Holiday Visas

 

Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe that is known for its royal families, snowy winters and tall, blonde people. The Scandinavian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in Europe and it extends from the Arctic Circle to the North and Baltic Seas. It is mostly defined as the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden that historically shared the Peninsula. However, Finland and Iceland are generally included also, and I have included details of those counties in this post on living and working in Scandinavia.

If you are wanting to extend your stay in a Scandinavian country, one of the options allowing you to do this is to apply for a working holiday visa. That is if you are a non-EU citizen.

 

Visas to live work and play in Scandinavia

 

Denmark, Finland and Sweden – Part of the European Union (EU)

 

Denmark, Finland and Sweden are country members of the European Union (EU). This means citizens of other member countries are allowed to live, work and play in Scandinavia. If you are a citizen of an EU country, then get more details about living and working in Scandinavia at the official EU website www.europa.eu.int.

 

Scandinavian countries are Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland

 

Working Holiday Visas available in Scandinavia

 

If you are a non-EU citizen, meaning not from an EU member state, you will be pleased to know here are five Scandinavian countries with a working holiday visas available. Qualifying for one of these working holiday visas allows you:

• an extended stay in the country for up to 12 months.
• allowed to take work to fund your travels.

 

Scandinavian countries with Working Holiday Visa

 

Denmark

Visa: Working Holiday
Available to citizens of:  Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea
Length of stay: 12 months
Age: 18 to 30 years
Contact: your nearest Danish Embassy or Consulate

 

Finland

Visa: Working Holiday
Available to citizens of:  Australia, Japan and New Zealand
Length of stay: 12 months
Age: 18 to 30 years
Contact: your nearest Finnish Embassy or Consulate

READ MORE:
Finland Highlights – What to See and Do in Finland

Iceland

Visa: Working Holiday
Available to citizens of:  Australia
Length of stay: 12 months
Age: 18 to 30 years
Contact: your nearest Icelandic Embassy or Consulate

READ MORE:
Why Visit Iceland – Convince Me

Norway

Visa: Working Holiday
Available to citizens of:  Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand
Length of stay: 12 months
Age: 18 to 30 years (35 years depending on country agreement)
Contact: your nearest Norwegian Embassy or Consulate

 

Sweden

Visa: Working Holiday
Available to citizens of:  Australia, Canada, Chile New Zealand and South Korea
Length of stay: 12 months
Age: 18 to 30 years
Contact: your nearest Swedish Embassy or Consulate

 

READ MORE:
Sweden Working Holiday Visa Guide
How to Spend 3 Days in Stockholm

 

As you can see, there are a number of options. Your main decision is which Scandinavian country will you choose to live, work and play in. Each country has a lot to offer.

 

Work Types for Working Holiday Makers in Scandinavia

 

Types of work will vary for whether you are bi-lingual or not. Knowing the language will definitely help in your job search. These countries do include English as part of their school curriculum, so you will find many people speak English very well. This means if you only speak English you can find work in a number of job types. Popular places to find a job includes office based positions. Also, in a traveller’s hostel and in coffee shops, bars and restaurants. Jobs in these professions are easier to obtain during the warmer months. This is when many tourists visit the Scandinavian region creating seasonal jobs.

As most of Scandinavia is covered in snow during the winter months there is the possibility of working in the ski centres. Scandinavia isn’t that mountainous and so there is a lot of cross country skiing. The ski resorts require a vast number of people, particularly to fill hospitality position, so the centres run efficiently.

 

Where Will You Live While in Scandinavia

 

You will need both short and long-term accommodation during your time in living and working in Scandinavia. When you first arrive, I highly recommend staying in either a hostel or a hotel room until you find something longer term. For short-term accommodation in Scandinavia check out HostelWorld for a bed in a hostel room. And Booking.com for a hotel room. For longer term accommodation I suggest you decide on the area you wish to live in first and then go house hunting.

Which ever country you decide to have an extended stay in I hope you enjoy your time when you Live, Work and Play in Scandinavia.

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