Indians have been one of Sweden's biggest groups of new immigrants in recent years, but recent statistics suggest that the tide is turning.
Even so, two-thirds of more than 80 respondents told a survey by The Local that they would recommend Sweden to fellow Indians.
Moving to a new country is however always an individual choice, so readers also shared some factors that may help you decide whether Sweden is the place for you.
Cost of living and salaries
As anyone living in Sweden has undoubtedly noticed in recent years, the cost of living here is high, and it’s only got higher over the past few years.
For Indians who may be looking to put away money into savings during their career, this can cause issues.
“Don't expect that your ambitions and performance will reflect on take-home salary,” said a research engineer in Norrbotten, who wished to remain anonymous.
“Salary increments are next to negligible as a whole. It is more the social structure which one has to relish, which is odd when one comes from India where own savings is a big part of everyone's life.”
Despite this, the country “works well for people who are planning to live here for the very long term,” a 33-year-old software engineer from Gothenburg wrote.
Work
Despite lower salaries, the better work-life balance, as well as other benefits included in salary, like annual leave, parental leave and insurance, often make up for it.
“Sweden is not a country for high savings or a luxurious life,” a reader named Adarsh told The Local, while adding that there are often “hidden benefits in salary”, like generous annual leave and insurance.
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“In contrast to the limited vacation days in India, I enjoy at least 33 days of paid vacation annually in Sweden, which helps in recharging and maintaining a healthy work-life balance,” added Dilip Elavazhagan, a senior IT cloud specialist in Stockholm.
Neil Pradhan, a data scientist also working in Stockholm, described the work-life balance in Sweden as “enviable”.
“As an Indian living in Sweden for six years, I have experienced both the advantages and challenges that come with moving to a new country. Sweden offers an enviable work-life balance, a close connection to nature, and excellent infrastructure for physical activities, all of which contribute to a high quality of life. The respect for personal space and freedom to make one’s own decisions without societal pressure is refreshing, as is the generally flat organisational structure that fosters inclusivity and collaboration,” he said.
Having said that, it’s not always easy to get a job in Sweden in the first place, especially when it comes to accompanying spouses, and some readers raised concerns of discrimination against non-Swedish speakers.
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“If you come to India with your spouse, getting a job will be another full time job for you,” a 28-year-old design engineer from Gothenburg said. “Fasten your seatbelts. If you add a child to it, then the burden to provide will be to a point where you question your decision to move to a new country with dependents."
Climate
Sweden’s climate was mentioned both as a positive and a negative for many survey respondents, with the weather and the winters commonly listed as a drawback.
“The long, cold winters and limited daylight can be challenging for those accustomed to warmer climates,” an anonymous respondent said, although Indian readers have also told us previously that they "love" the Swedish winter weather.
Other readers, like one 42-year-old IT engineer from Gothenburg, praised the country for its “pollution free environment” providing a “better living environment for kids”.
“Noise and pollution is something which impacts you when you travel back home,” wrote a female IoT analyst based in Gothenburg.
“Clean air is a big positive in Sweden,” 30-year-old Sachin, based in Stockholm, said. “In India it has only gotten worse in big cities.”
Education
The Swedish education system was also mentioned as having both benefits and drawbacks, with respondents praising the fact that it is free, while adding that there can be issues with accessing quality education, as well as education in English.
“If you have kids, research the Swedish education system and how it differs from India,” a software architect from Stockholm wrote. You can find the answers to some common questions about the Swedish school system under our 'schools' tag.
A 34-year-old data scientist, also based in Stockholm, said that the academic level is not always as good in Sweden as it is in India.
“Children’s education is standardised and consistent across Sweden,” he said. “While sports and extracurricular activities are great, the academic level is poor compared to the good schools in the cities of India. Higher level university education on the other hand is very good in Sweden.”
“Private education in English is very expensive,” a 46-year-old reader based in Stockholm, who moved to Sweden five years ago, added. “The other option is bilingual schools.”
Family
Respondents with children were quick to praise Sweden as a great country for families, although there are drawbacks when it comes to visits from family back home.
“Recommending Sweden to fellow Indians, particularly families, is well-founded due to its supportive family policies, high-quality education system, and safe, healthy living environment,” said Kuhelee Chandel, a researcher and lecturer in Gävle who lives in Sweden with her 11-year-old.
“Sweden offers generous parental leave, affordable childcare, and free education,” she added. “The healthcare system is inclusive and comprehensive, ensuring well-being for all family members. Additionally, the emphasis on outdoor living and the overall safety and stability make Sweden an ideal place for raising children in a nurturing and enriching environment. These factors make Sweden a top choice for Indian families considering a move abroad.”
On the other hand, it’s not always easy to be so far from home, especially considering the fact that it’s so hard for parents in India to get visas to visit their children and grandchildren in Sweden.
“Being far away from family is hard for Indians. The Schengen visa is expensive, hard to apply for and is only given for a limited time,” said Avinash, a senior scientist at AstraZeneca in Mölndal.
“My mother has visited me in Germany three times and gone back to India within the stipulated time causing no problems,” he added. “Yet, she has to produce all the documents to visit me one more time. There is no path towards a longer visa (for example USA's ten-year visitor visa option) which makes it unattractive for Indians.”
One respondent, based in Gothenburg, went as far as to say that the government risks losing out on top talent if they don’t provide some sort of visa for visiting parents.
“There are cases where the Swedish Migration Agency denies parents a visa for the short or long term,” he said. “That gives a strong negative message to the Indian community, because for Indians their family is not complete without their parents. We don’t leave them alone in their old age as is done in Sweden."
“If Sweden would like to attract top talents then they must think about this aspect, otherwise you will see more and more departing Indians. Indians are a great asset to the Swedish economy and if the Swedish government does not consider this a priority then it is going to be difficult for Indians to stay.”
Property
As The Local has reported before, it’s not easy for immigrants to find affordable rentals in Sweden, and the situation is no different for Indians coming to live in the country.
“There is a general shortage of apartments,” wrote 35-year-old Rahul Arora. “The queue for first-hand contracts is huge. Most apartments are tiny with only one toilet. In India, it is common to have an attached toilet with every bedroom.”
“The rental market in Sweden is extremely complicated and outright unfair towards newcomers in the country,” wrote Avinash, the Indian quoted above who is based in Mölndal.
“For an Indian who has just moved to the country, they won't be sure about living here for a long time for the first couple of years and therefore would want to rent rather than buy a property. First-hand rentals are nearly impossible to get in the big cities (which is where the jobs for Indians are) and second-hand rentals are way too uncertain. My friend was asked to leave within two months of getting his rental contract. People are paying over 40-50 percent of their monthly income on these rental apartments they find on Blocket or Samtrygg.”
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“If you want to buy a house as a family then it's better to both have jobs so that you can live a comfortable life (financially). You are at the mercy of interest rates,” senior application architect Harsha Aithal added.
Cultural differences
Culturally, Swedes and Indians are definitely different.
“Sweden has a more individualistic culture, whereas India is more collectivist. Understand the local customs, norms, and values,” one respondent, a software architect in Stockholm, said.
A number of respondents added that “loneliness” was a big issue, with PhD student Sanjay Sukumar describing the country as an “introvert’s paradise”.
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“The conflict-avoidance attitude, cold weather and reserved people in Sweden are definitely cons as compared to India,” researcher Bharat Mehta added. “Debating and arguing is part of everyday life in India like negotiating with fruit vendors and arguing for a better workplace environment.”
Despite this, he would still encourage other Indians to make the move.
“Even though Sweden and Swedes sound culturally opposite to India, the whole idea is to be open-minded if you are planning to leave India,” he said. “This, to multicultural and multilingual Indians would be relatively easy in my opinion! If you open your mind, Sweden is a beautiful country with nice (albeit reserved) people, a working public system and better overall quality of life.”
Thank you to everyone who replied to our survey. We received more than 80 responses so weren't able to include them all, but we tried to pick a representative sample. If you would like to add your own thoughts to the conversation, please feel free to do so in the comments below.
If you have any future ideas, feedback or questions about life in Sweden for The Local's editorial team, you're always welcome to email news@thelocal.se.
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