Working in Sweden
Sweden sweetens the deal of being an expat premier destination with its competitive job market combined with warm people.
Although the country's high unemployment rate might give you second thoughts on moving to Sweden, there are plenty of job opportunities for skilled expats in the engineering, IT, public health and education sectors. Labour shortage demands are high due to an expected large number of retirements in the years ahead.
Learning Swedish will be an advantage when applying for a job in Sweden. One can visit the nearest local municipalities as they provide free Swedish lessons for immigrants.
Swedish business etiquette is a bit informal. It is common to see employees wearing jeans and calling their bosses by the first name. For Swedes, egalitarianism is a dominant social value and it is important to remain humble. Senior executives even dress down at work.
When working in Sweden, always be punctual. Remember, business meetings or social engagements always start on time. Swedes maintain a healthy balance between work and private life. Working hours can be flexible. Usually, it is okay to leave work two hours early (if one has to pick up kids from day care) as long as one will render a couple of work hours from home.
Living in Sweden can be perfect for expats wanting to live a quality Scandinavian life. The cost of living in Sweden is very high compared to other countries. However, it should be noted that Sweden is very generous with its public programs. Most of the taxes paid to the government are used for public services resulting in free education for children and health care that can be accessed for free, or at a reduced cost for citizens and legal residents.
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