Sweden

Family life in Sweden is easy. With a state paid child allowance, kindergarden is affordable. There are also a lot of sports and other extra curricular activities for children as Sweden is one of the most child friendly countries in the world.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY LIFE THE SWEDISH WAY

Swedish income taxes are high compared with most countries. A large share goes into providing a work–life balance within society. The idea is that everyone contributes so that society can offer family-friendly solutions for everyday life.

State-subsidised childbirth

Women in Sweden usually give birth in hospital. The birth and the following hospital stay are almost fully tax-funded.

The particular conditions for childbirth vary a lot between hospitals. Some Swedish hospitals have adjoining ‘hotels’ – a less hospital-looking part of the hospital – where new mothers and their partners may stay for two or three days after a birth, when required, so that nurses can monitor the mothers and provide postnatal care for newborns.

Parental leave – an opportunity to bond with your child

In Sweden, parents are entitled to 480 days of paid parental leave when a child is born or adopted. This number is high by international standards and is perhaps Sweden’s most famous argument when it comes to being a child-friendly system.

Offering paid parental leave is one way to enable parents to combine work with family life. Having a child doesn’t mean the end of a career, merely a pause. And it’s not just about equality – on a national level it’s also about economy, about maximising the potential of the workforce and, by extension, increasing the country’s growth.

Gender equality on the agenda

Walk around any Swedish city or town and you’re likely to find fathers pushing prams and sharing coffee with each other while feeding their babies in cafés and parks. Yes, Sweden is home both to ‘latte mums’ and ‘latte dads’. Here, as one journalist put it, men can have it all.

In Sweden’s efforts to achieve gender equality, each parent is entitled to 240 of the 480 days of paid parental leave. Each parent has 90 days reserved exclusively for him or her. Should one of the parents decide not to take them, they can’t be transferred to the partner. Today, men in Sweden take nearly 30 per cent of all paid parental leave – a figure the government hopes to improve.

Fully tax-funded schooling from the age of 6

Most children in Sweden go to preschool/nursery school (förskola). Parents often choose to go back to work when their child is around 18 months, so that’s usually when children start preschool. There is a maximum fee, which is usually about the same level as the monthly child allowance of SEK 1,250 (2019).

Residents of Sweden don’t have to worry about saving money for their child’s education: School for children aged 6 to 19 – from preschool class to upper secondary school/sixth form/high school – is fully tax-funded, most often including lunches.

The tax-funded education continues into university for students from the EU, but fees apply to students from outside the EU/EEA.

Staying home with sick children

If you work in Sweden and need to take days off to care for a sick child, there is compensation through the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, which is available for children under 12 years. Children aged 12–15 require a doctor’s certificate.

Source www.sweden.se

Even though Sweden is the third largest country in Western Europe, travelling within Sweden makes it feel as if you are in one of the smaller countries in Europe. The infrastructure and roads are highly developed making travelling both time efficient and safe.

All roads are public and free of charge. There is an extensive, fast and reliable train network with cheap and environmentally friendly transportation within the country. Other European capitals are easily reached by low cost air carriers or by train.

Public transportation
Swedes uses their public transportation frequently. There are various types of coupons according to each city's bus, metro or tram system. These are usually bought in kiosks or information centers.

Safety first
Sweden is on its way to reaching zero road deaths per year. It’s an incredible feat, coming from a peak in road deaths in the 1970s. In 1997, Sweden implemented a “Vision Zero” plan in hopes of eradicating all road deaths and injuries, and it has already cut the deaths by half since 2000. In 2012, just one child under seven years old was killed on a road, compared with 58 in 1970.
Sweden has rebuilt roads to prioritize safety over speed and other considerations. This includes the creation of ”2 + 1″ roads, three-lane streets consisting of two lanes in one direction and one lane in the other; the extra lane alternates between directions to allow for passing. That design saved roughly 145 lives during the first 10 years of Vision Zero, according to the Economist.
Sweden has also created 12,600 safer pedestrian crossings with features such as bridges, flashing lights, and speed bumps. That’s estimated to have halved pedestrian deaths over the past five years. The country has lowered speed limits in urban, crowded areas and built barriers to protect bikers from incoming traffic. A crackdown on drunk driving has also helped.

Sources www.visitsweden.com; www.qz.com 

Ramunė,a nurse and Tadas, an oncology doctor from Lithuania, in Sweden since 2020

Vi är väldigt glada över att vi har fått en möjlighet att lära oss svenska med Paragona. Vi är mycket nöjda både med kvaliteten på själva kursen och med hela teamet som arbetar där. Att lära sig ett helt nytt språk har verkligen inte varit lätt, men det är verkligen möjligt om du har ett mål och strävar efter det. Paragona team hjälpte oss att nå detta mål. Om du funderar på att kolla dina karriärmöjligheter i Sverige och lära dig svenska välj Paragona!

We are very happy that we have had an opportunity to learn Swedish with Paragona. We are very satisfied both with the quality of the course itself and with the whole team who work there. Learning a whole new language has certainly not been easy, but it is really possible if you have a goal and strive for it. The Paragona team helped us reach this goal. If you are thinking of checking out your career opportunities in Sweden and learning Swedish, choose Paragona!

Domagoj, a radiologist from Croatia, in Sweden since 2019

It is not easy when you are almost 50 years old to decide to move to a new country, but it is not really the most difficult. The most difficult thing, and you also panic, is the thought that you need to learn a language that is completely new and unknown. But fortunately, Paragona offers several opportunities and tries to meet each student's needs.
Of course the course was intense and required a lot of work and commitment but all the teachers were fantastic and supportive! I am really grateful to all the teachers for their patience. They have done a fantastic job in a very short time, I think.
In addition to teachers, the entire Paragona team is fantastic and they literally help with everything (documents, flow, accommodation and everything else). In summary, my experience with Paragona is wonderful and can only recommend them to anyone considering moving and working abroad!

MARCO L., a psychiatrist from Italy, in Sweden since 2020

My experience with Paragona has been fantastic for me. I decided to move to Sweden with my wife (and colleague) during my residency period in Italy. When we finished the residency period in November 2019, we moved directly to Paragona Campus in Poland. The campus facilities are new and well equipped, the apartments are comfortable and it is possible to reach Warsaw in 20-30 minutes. The course was very intensive and effective. In fact, I learned the new language in a few months. Every teacher is very nice and competent! Paragona staff supported us with all administrative issues also after we moved to Sweden. Furthermore, Paragona staff was remarkably supportive to help us during the COVID-crisis (we moved to Sweden in March 2020). They did everything that was possible (and even more!) to help us during a such an extraordinarily difficult period. I’m very, very happy that I chose Paragona to move to Sweden because of their experience, professionalism and humanity. It was a pleasure to learn the language with them and I always remember my period in the Campus with joy.

GIUSEPPE GUERRIERO, an Italian psychiatrist recruited by Paragona to Sahlgrenska University (SU) Hospital in 2014

What has taking your career to Sweden and SU meant for you?

It has been very rewarding and has given me the  opportunity I always wanted: to work in a highly specialized and stimulating environment where I develop professionally and continuously advance my medical career.

At SU, do you have the opportunity to  sub-specialize and obtain specialist competence or pursue research in parallel with your clinical work?

Yes, and it was precisely that which got me to move to Sweden – and all my expectations have been met! At SU I have been able to increase my knowledge and competence continuously, and in line with my needs and wishes, thanks to the possibility of exploring different areas within my specialty and participating on national/international courses and in conferences. At the moment for example, I am training part time alongside my , ordinary clinical work with the aim of starting a   completely new unit at the clinic – very exciting!

Some of my working hours are also devoted to research. My goal is to obtain a PhD within a few years.

Have you had a difficulty adapting to a new management and organizational culture?

I don’t deny that the cultural differences between my native country, Italy, and Sweden are striking, which is reflected in a different but well-functioning organization. If that on the one hand can make you a little confused to begin with, it can on the other hand facilitate adapting to the new work environment a lot. In Sweden the concept of hierarchy is not so salient, decisions are most frequently made collectively. This allows you to participate all the time, and to have the chance to influence as well as understand what is going on around you. 

Did you receive enough support during your  introduction period?

I had plenty of time during my introduction period to get to know the clinic from the ground up. I had the support of a supervisor I could turn to for answers to all the questions that inevitably came up during this phase. I also had regular meetings with my manager, who is always available to offer me support in my concerns, help out with any problems and also provide important feedback about my progress. I was given enough introduction time to get into the work gradually, without stress, and then to be able to work independently.

Do you feel your Swedish language skills are sufficient when meeting patients?

I have never had any particular problems communicating with patients. Swedes are used to interacting with foreign doctors and usually have no problems with that. They understand our Swedish beginners’ mistakes and make an effort to have a working and effective communication anyway!

What would be your advice to other doctors thinking about taking their careers to Sweden?

If you are thinking of doing that, it is almost certainly because something may be missing in your professional life. I feel that Sweden, and in particular SU, offer everything you could ask for as a doctor: a pleasant and stimulating work environment, great opportunities for professional development, as well as a good wage development. And in addition to that, Sweden is a very beautiful country with wonderful nature and a society centred around the individual. It is easy to be in charge of your life and plan a future here; I have never regretted moving here.

AMAT CALSINA FERRER, a Spanish psychiatrist recruited to Gothenburg in 2014 

What has taking your career to Sweden and SU meant for you?

For me it has been a step forward in my career as I have been given opportunities to explore a new culture and way of working. SU has offered me the opportunity to develop together with competent and pleasant colleagues.

At SU, do you have the opportunity to subspecialize and obtain specialist competence or pursue research in parallel with your clinical work?

I feel that there are good opportunities to develop at SU through sub-specialization or research. For me it’s important to be able to combine my clinical work in an inpatient ward in a research position, and the plan is that I am soon going to start with research one day per week together with other colleagues. Managers and the management in general provide strong support and have a clear interest in ensuring there are good  conditions for research.

Have you had a difficulty adapting to a new management and organizational culture?

It has been easy to adapt to the management culture since we work in a similar way in Spain. What I have come across that is different is the equality between the different professions.

Did you receive enough support during your introduction period?

When you arrive in a new country you need all the support you can get, and I feel that I did. You feel like your brain is in overdrive at first, as there is so much to learn all at once (a new language,  a new computer system, new colleagues, a new home...). I think it’s important, despite all the support, to remind yourself that you can’t learn everything right away, and to try to give yourself time.

Do you feel your Swedish language skills are sufficient when meeting patients?

Learning Swedish has gone relatively well – it was a lot quicker than what I thought before I moved  here. At the beginning I took part in a programme that consisted of a few months’ introduction (the PLUS programme*), which helped me to  improve and to feel comfortable with the language and the work in Swedish healthcare. Of course I made some hilarious misinterpretations in the beginning, but you have to be generous with that. It’s always been important to me not to be afraid  to ask colleagues if I don’t understand a sentence or a word, and to let them correct me. After just over 3 years I am still learning new words all the time.

What would be your advice to other doctors thinking about taking their careers to Sweden? 

The most important thing for me is that you have decided to see a different way of working, and to learn new or different working methods. This is a process that takes time, and it’s important to use the time to be able to get used to the new system and society, while at the same time working hard on the language. Personally I feel that there are so many advantages to it that I’m happy to recommend the adventure.

MALGORZATA KUZIMSKA, a Polish psychiatrist recruited to Sahlgrenska University Hospital in 2014  

What has taking your career to Sweden and SU meant for you?

 It was a big step. I was prepared for the move to Sweden through one of my Polish medical colleagues who had told me about their work in Stockholm and about the development opportunities available for doctors in Sweden. It all sounded interesting, and encouraged me to look into it further. My wish was to work in a friendly and permissive work environment, to have more time for my family and my patients, and to have opportunities to learn new things and improve my knowledge both as a psychiatrist and a human being. I was also attracted by the social and financial conditions that my family (my husband and son) would be able to benefit from. I took my husband to the interview with me and the people we met were friendly and curious. It was thanks to this that we made the decision to come to Sweden.

 At SU, do you have the opportunity to subspecialize and obtain specialist competence or pursue research in parallel with your clinical work?

My workplace is an outpatient unit that belongs to The clinic for Affective Disorders at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, where I have had the opportunity to develop in my professional role as a doctor as I am part of the sub-specialized neuropsychiatric team. I am one of eight members on our team, and I am very happy with them as well as with the workplace as a whole. People here help each other. There are many courses and training programmes to participate in, and every person is able to find something that suits them. Additionally, there are great opportunities to do research, supervision and, assessments.

Have you had a difficulty adapting to a new management and organizational culture?

It takes time to adapt to a life change like this, but it is absolutely possible given all the support you get. Sweden has a completely different style of management. You have a more trusting relationship with your manager, you get to talk about difficulties as well as successes, disadvantages as well as advantages of the work. A doctor is allowed to say ‘I don’t know, I need to read more about this’ – and patients, and even my manager, actually appreciate it. I’d say it’s more of a partnership here. The organizational culture is something you learn as you go, and it isn’t that difficult if you’re open and willing to learn new things.

Did you receive enough support during your introduction period?

We received a lot of help from SU. I attended a Swedish course up to the C1 level, and my husband and son could come too, and the courses were adapted to their needs. We were given a help in finding a home and with our move from Poland to Sweden.

Do you feel your Swedish language skills are sufficient when meeting patients?

My Swedish gets better every day – my patients understand me and I understand them. Patients tend to be used to foreign doctors, and therefore prepared for our foreign accents. They ask questions if they need to, and so do I.

What would be your advice to other doctors thinking about taking their careers to Sweden?

If you want to come to Sweden you need to be patient with the language, the social codes, the organizational culture and the administration. It is important to understand the multicultural society, that there are so many different nationalities – which is significant for your work (transcultural psychiatry). My experience tells me that it’s important to be curious about new things and people. It pays to be open, honest, punctual and humble. The social context plays a big role in society and in work. Through work and personal hobbies you can build a good life here, with both Swedish and international friends.

Sweden is widely known for its welfare state. Health care in Sweden is largely tax-funded.

All Swedes have equal access to healthcare services. Sweden's health care system is organized and managed on three levels: national, regional and local, which is why the responsibility for health and medical care in Sweden is shared by the central government, county supervisors and municipalities. The system is informally divided into 7 sections: "Close-to-home care" (primary care clinics, maternity care clinics, out-patient psychiatric clinics, etc.), emergency care, elective care, in-patient care, out-patient care, specialist care, and dental care.

Compared with other countries at a similar development level, the system performs well, with a high level of medical success in relation to investment. Sweden spends approximately 11,93% of GDP on health care.

Largely tax-funded healthcare

The majority of Sweden’s healthcare is funded through taxes. From the age of 20, a visit to the doctor will cost you between SEK 100 and 300, depending on where you live, while a specialist consultation costs a maximum of SEK 400. If you incur SEK 1,100 in fees in one year (a 12-month period, not necessarily a calendar year), a high-cost protection (högkostnadsskydd) scheme provides free care for the remainder of that year.

Before the age of 20, healthcare is essentially free of charge in Sweden, although it depends slightly on the county. Almost all dental care is free of charge until the day you turn 24.

Sweden’s municipalities are respons¬ible for care for the elderly in the home or in special accommodation. Their duties also include care for people with physical dis-abilities or psychological disorders and providing support and services for people released from hospital care as well as for school healthcare.

Specialist care within 90 days

Waiting times for pre-planned care, such as cataract or hip-replacement surgery, have long been a cause of dissatisfaction. As a result, Sweden introduced a healthcare guarantee in 2005.

This means all patients should be in contact with a local health centre the same day they seek help, and should get a medical assessment within three days. After an initial examination, no patient should have to wait more than 90 days to see a specialist, and no more than 90 days for an operation or treatment, once it has been determined what care is needed. If the waiting time is exceeded, patients are offered care elsewhere with no extra costs, including travel.

Statistics from January 2020 indicated that about 88 per cent of the patients see a specialist within 90 days and 82 per cent receive treatment or are operated on within a further 90 days.

Source www.sweden.se

Daycare centres

Parents who work or study may apply for their child/children if they are 12 months or older to be taken in at a local authority daycare centre ("förskola") or a family day nursery ("familjedaghem"), in which a person is employed by the local authority to take care of the children in their own home.

Charges are on a sliding scale based on the parents' income, but the maximum charge is at present SEK 1,313/month for a child aged 0-3. By law, all municipalities in Sweden are required to offer daycare for all children within the municipality.

The school system

School is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 16. There are nine grades in all, and at the lower levels there is normally one class teacher for all subjects, whereas at the upper level there are normally different teachers for different subjects. The school year runs for forty weeks starting in mid-august and has two semesters and a ten-week summer holiday.

Education and all teaching materials are provided free of charge and free school meals are served.

The school system in Sweden consists of:

• Preschool Class  ("förskola") for children up to 6 years of age. Preschool is offered to all children in Sweden
• Compulsory Comprehensive School  ("grundskola") for children 7-16 years of age, grades 1-9
• Children between 6 and 13 are also offered out-of-school care before and after school hours.
• Upper Secondary School  ("gymnasium"), grades 10-12, is not compulsory; however, it is a prerequisite if a student wants to study at the university level

Also, higher education is free of charge and courses at the universities are available in many languages.

Immigrant children in the Swedish school system have the right to receive instruction in Swedish as a foreign language as well as separate instruction in their mother tongue if that language is spoken daily in their home.