Sweden is known for its beautiful people, Viking history and having over 100 museums too enjoy. If you would like to experience all Sweden has to offer why not consider the Sweden Working Holiday Visa. With one of these, or EU heritage you could work and travel in Sweden for up to one year. Find out more about this exciting working holiday visa to Sweden option. Also in this post, discover the things you need to do on arrival, where you can live, types of work available and the best part of all, where to play and travel. Read on.
Sweden Working Holiday Visa
Sweden has working holiday visa agreements with 7 participating countries. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Korea. If you are a citizen of one of these countries, are aged 18 to 30 years inclusive you could apply for the Sweden working holiday visa. With one of these visas you can:
- Live in Sweden for up to one year
- Work for one employer for 6 months
- Visit other European countries within the Schengen Zone
To apply for the Swedish working holiday visa, you need to:
- Be 18-30 years of age (inclusive)
- Have a valid passport
- Saved at least SEK 15,000 so you can support yourself during your initial stay in Sweden
- Bought a return ticket or enough money to buy one
- Have a valid health insurance policy
For more details and to apply, contact your nearest Swedish Embassy or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sweden (Migrationsverket.
EU and EEA Citizens Visa Options
Sweden is an EU (European Union) member and anyone who is a citizen of an EU or EEA country is entitled to stay in Sweden for a shorter or longer period to work or study. You do not need a work permit or a residence permit and must register yourself if you intend to stay in the country for longer than three months. Check out the official EU website for more details.
Best time to go on your Swedish Working Holiday
Sweden has beautiful and hot summers and then freezing winters with plenty of snow and temperatures around freezing point and lower. I visited a friend in Stockholm one winter and I arrived with the temperature -15 degrees Celsius and a blizzard on the way which saw the temperature drop to -21 degrees Celsius. I have never been so cold! Going on a working holiday for 12 months means you will experience every season however, if you are not use to the cold weather you may want to first arrive during the warmer months. But really, anytime is a good time to start your working holiday.
Things to do on arrival in Sweden
When you arrive in Sweden, there are some things you need to do before you can begin to live, work and play in Sweden. These include:
- Register with a Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) to pay taxes from your wages.
- Register with Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). This will allow you to use public health services in Sweden. If you are an EU citizen, you should also have your EHIC with you. Check out the official EU website for more details.
- Find somewhere to live
- Find a job
Once things are sorted, start enjoying your working holiday in Sweden
Accommodation in Sweden
Most who come to Sweden on a working will start in Stockholm. There is plenty of short-term accommodation available including in hostels and hotels. For something longer a small flat can be found. I suggest you book your initial accommodation for at least 2 weeks. This is because by the time you have recovered from jet lag or any time differences, done some sightseeing, organised the things mentioned to do on your arrival and found somewhere long-term to live, the 2 weeks will almost be up. Some places to stay include:
Hostels are a great place to start your working holiday in Sweden as they are full of other travellers. City Backpackers is a great place to start as it is the most popular hostel in Stockholm for Backpackers. It has also won the best hostel award in Sweden from HostelWorld. The facilities offered are clean, modern with heated floors in the showers – great during the cold winter months. Skanstulls Hostel is another great hostel to begin your Swedish working holiday. It is next to the Skanstulls metro station making it easy for you to jump on the metro to explore. For more hostel options in Stockholm and Sweden and to get pricing and to book check out HostelWorld.
Hotels are in abundance in Stockholm and the rest of Sweden. If looking for a budget to mid-range hotel to begin your year in Sweden check out Comfort Hotel Xpress or the NOFO Hotel BW Premier Collection. For more options, or for something with a little more luxury check out the map following.
To find long-term accommodation for your one year working holiday in Sweden check out websites such as Bostadd Direkt, blocket, Easyroommate.com or dn.
Working Holiday Jobs in Sweden
The good news about working in Sweden is that English is spoken widely so you do not need to speak or write the Swedish language, however, learning some Swedish words and phrases will help.
Most working holiday makers to Sweden usually find work in one of the three major cities: Stockholm, Malmo and Gotenborg where you could find a job in an office, retail store, hospitality venue or with a family as an Au Pair. Also, along the coastline, between the major cities, there is also work, particularly in the holiday resorts during the summer months. During the long winter months you may find work in a ski resort. And there is seasonal agriculture work picking fruit and vegetables available. Find out more about working in Sweden on the official EU website and check out the job board.
You could also find work in your accommodation. Many hostels are run by travellers who are happy to work on reception or clean rooms. In return for working you are provided with accommodation, which might be a bed in a dorm room, meals while on duty and a wage. Some travellers even work in return for free accommodation. Find out about working in a hostel here.
Au Pair in Sweden
Being an Au Pair in Sweden is a popular option. One of the best things about this type of work is positions are live-in, so that takes care of a job and a place to live in the one go. Duties include basic cleaning around the house as well as looking after children and their needs. For a position check out employment companies such as Aupair or AupairWorld.
Useful sites to find employment in Sweden include JobsinStockholm which lists jobs for English speakers in Sweden and is a great place to start looking for employment, as are the following sites The Local, Sweden Jobs and Swedish Work.
You could also consider being a digital nomad in Sweden. Wifi is pretty fast however, the cost of living is quite high, but if your business is portable and you want to spend time in Sweden, well why not?
Playing and Travelling in Sweden
This is the best part of any holiday in Sweden. And there is plenty to see and do. You will definitely need to visit Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, with its Gamla Stan (Old City), palaces and islands to explore. But there are plenty of other towns like Helsingborg, Malmö, Ystad, Lundt, Halmstad, Gothenburg, Angelholm and Kristianstad to name a few that are easily accessible by car, bus and train. Each town has something different to offer from historic buildings to cathedrals to museums to coffee shops and shopping districts. Check out some of the tours following.
How to Travel around Sweden (Planes, trains and automobiles)
Sweden is serviced by a number of airports. In Stockholm, there is Arlanda airport, situated a mere forty kilometres north of the centre of Stockholm. Then there are smaller airports of Bromma, Skavsta and Vasteras and in Gothenburg, Landvetter and Gothenburg City. However, it is often easier to stay on the ground.
Train and Bus travel in Sweden
Train and bus are standard modes of transport for getting around Sweden. Buses are the more economical option and train travel, is the fastest way between two cities with train stations conveniently located in the centre of town. It will depend on your preference, and the routes you plan to take.
Train Tavel in Sweden
Sweden’s rail network is one of the most efficient and most advanced in Europe. The network is run by SJ and major routes are serviced by the X2000 high-speed gains. These trains typically reach speeds of up to 125 mph and see travellers leaving Stockholm and arriving in Gothenburg in under 3 hours. There are plenty of other high speed trains to take you to other Swedish destinations. SJ offer Flexi-pass that allows travel in first and second class and between three and five days of travel during a one month period. These passes can start at just over Sek 100. Scandal also offers a flexipass allowing up to 10 days of travel, including ferry journeys in a 2 month period within Scandinavia. Sweden is also part of the Eurail network so check out their passes.
Bus Travel in Sweden
Bus routes are extensive in Sweden and reach many places. Check out fares and passes with Swebus, FlixBus and Eurolines.
Renting a car in Sweden
If looking for a flexible way to travel around Sweden consider renting a car. Roads are easy to drive on and parking is plentiful. Be careful driving on snowy and icy roads! There are a number of car rental companies in Sweden.
Final Words
Sweden has plenty to offer the working holiday maker or those who want to spend extended time there. If you are looking for a great place to live, work and play Sweden should be on your list. If you have lived, worked and played in Sweden on a working holiday or are thinking about it and have questions, we would love to hear from you in the comments following.
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