Relocation to Sweden

The process
The process is a little bit different depending on your country of residence, so small
differences may apply. What we describe here is the general process which applies for most.

Before you arrive in Sweden

We have a partner who are specialized in immigration and relocation to Sweden. They assist
Go See with all the necessary preparations and formalities which needs to be done. As soon as
the employment contract is signed with Go See, our partner will be authorized to initialize this
process with you. They will contact you and inform of the process and which documents they
need from you to be able to apply for the work permit and visa on your behalf.

When all the necessary paperwork has been filed and the work permit and visa process is
ongoing, you will be asked to do biometrics at the Swedish embassy (if possible, this doesn’t
apply to all countries).

The work permit and visa process usually take only a couple of weeks. When approved, there
will be a residence card for you to pick up. The costs for work permit and visa for you is
covered by Go See.

If you have a partner and/or children, they should be included in the same application for visa
as yourself. Go See will cover the cost for visa for your partner and/or children when they are
included in the same application.

A relocation to a whole new country is a big change and we therefore recommend that you do
come alone at first and bring your family along a couple of months later when you have settled
in. This is usually a smoother way of relocating and makes the transition easier and a better
overall experience.

You make your own travel arrangements for the journey to Sweden. This includes booking the
necessary flights. The cost for the journey to Sweden and Stockholm is on you and not on Go
See. We recommend you come at least a day or two before your first working day, so you allow
time to get to know the neighborhood a little bit.

Our relocation agency will contact you to initiate the housing search process. They will explain
the process for you and also ask for your preferences and budget. In short, they will present
different options for you, arrange viewings via Skype, negotiate prices and help you with the
contract. The housing market in Stockholm is quick and there is a big shortage of available
options. That means it’s good to be prepared to compromise with some of the preferences you
have listed and also to be fairly quick on deciding in the process.

It is common for landlords to ask for rent 1-2 months in advance and a deposit. This needs to
be paid before moving in. Sometimes this is a bit difficult to manage from abroad and it is
sometimes also a considerable amount to pay up-front. Go See can usually help you with this
and arrange a very advantageous loan with no interest. Talk to your contact person at Go See if
needed.

If you don’t find anything you wish to sign before you come here, there is always an option for
you to find an apartment on your own. There are a few different possibilities for that, such as
Airbnb or Blocket. You do need to be very cautious if renting something on your own. Scams do
happen.

Our recommendation for all our candidates who relocate to Stockholm, is to sign an apartment
before coming here as that will make the settling in process smoother.

Upon arrival in Sweden

Sweden is a cashless country. Very few stores and restaurants accept cash. Make sure you
have a credit/debit card which works in Sweden (Visa, Mastercard are good options, Diners and
AMEX are not accepted everywhere).

It will take you, in best cases 3-4 weeks and in worse cases up to 5-6 weeks, before you have
your Swedish id card and a bank account with a Swedish debit card. The salary in Sweden is
paid on the 25th each month and you need to have a Swedish bank account for your salary.
Make sure you can manage financially for the first weeks until your first salary has been paid to
your Swedish bank account.

Go See will book and accompany you to the tax office on your first working day at Go See. The
purpose of that visit is to register you as having arrived in Sweden and to apply for the Swedish
social security number (“personal number”). The personal number is the key to most contacts
with authorities in Sweden, so it’s important to make the application straight away. It usually
takes 10-15 days to get the personal number (may take longer during busy periods).

If you haven’t been able to do the biometrics in your home country, this is also something Go
See will help you arrange as soon as possible.

If you wish, Go See will make an appointment for you with one of the big banks in Sweden. You
will be able to apply for a bank account and get information about their other services which
will be available to you as soon as you have gotten your Swedish id card. You will get your bank
account directly if you use the bank Go See recommends. Other banks sometimes require
longer time to open the account. This also depends on the risk assessment the bank is
required to do according to the EU laws.

Go See will book you an appointment with tax office for getting the Swedish id card as well.
The application for id card can be done as soon as you have gotten your personal number.

The personal number and bank documents will be sent to the address you give when applying.
Making sure the important mail come to the right address is also a strong reason for moving
straight into your permanent address instead of renting something short term.

Our relocation partner will also assist you when you move into the apartment/house that you
have signed.