Live & work

Moving to Skåne

Considering a relocation to Sweden’s southernmost region? Here are some key steps to be aware of and resources to guide you through the process.

Becoming a legal resident

If you want to live and work in Skåne, or anywhere else in Sweden, there are three chronological steps you need to take before you are considered legit!

A woman playing with a dog at a basketball court

1. Residence permit

All non-EU/EEA citizens are legally required to obtain a residence permit before they move to Sweden. Even if you already have a job offer or family in Skåne, you have to apply for and receive your residence permit from Migrationsverket (Sweden’s Migration Agency) before you can live and work here. EU/EEA citizens, however, have the right to work, study, or live in Sweden without a residence permit.

Get a residence permit

2. Register with tax authority

Once you are in Sweden (either with a residence permit or as an EU/EEA citizen), you will need to register with Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency). This not only puts you in the system for tax collection, but it assigns you a personnummer (Swedish personal identity number), which you need in Sweden to identify yourself when communicating with Swedish government authorities, open a bank account, or work legally.

Obtain 'personnummer'

3. Get Swedish identity card

Once you have obtained your Swedish personal identity number, you can then get your identitetskort (Swedish ID card) from the Swedish Tax Agency. An ID card will be your primary form of identification in Sweden and is necessary for everything from banking and medical appointments to filling out paperwork, picking up packages at the post office or even showing that you are over 20-years-old if buying a beer!

Get your ID card

Finding a job

If you are looking for work in Skåne, there are plenty of resources available to help in your job hunt. Along with common methods of looking for work, like reaching out to your network of contacts or discovering potential employers on LinkedIn, there are several government-funded agencies and private organisations that can assist you in finding a job in Sweden.

A few examples are:

Arbetsförmedlingen (Swedish Public Employment Agency), which offers advice and access to the largest job board in the country.
The EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme, a platform to help EU citizens match with employers all across the EU (including Sweden).
New to Sweden, a non-profit that offers free courses to help newcomers to Sweden navigate the job market.
Greater Copenhagen Region Careers, the employment section of a cross-national regional promotional effort that includes Skåne, featuring advice, CV templates, a job portal, and more.

Finding a place to live

When you’re moving to another country, figuring out housing can be a bit tricky. Like anywhere else, Sweden has its own peculiarities and quirks to navigate when looking for accommodation. Subleasing an apartment, for example, is quite common and referred to as “andra hand” (“second-hand”). Thankfully, there are a number of websites, services, property agents, and others that can help you find a place to live in Skåne.

Some useful resources to start any search for a home in Skåne include:

Accommodations breakdown (with useful links) by International Citizen Hub Lund
Housing resources at the Newbie Guide to Sweden
“Looking to rent in Sweden? Here are 13 websites that can help” by The Local.se

Learning the language

All newly-arrived residents of Sweden are eligible for free Swedish language classes. Almost everyone in the country speaks English, but learning the language enhances the experience of living and working in Sweden and Skåne. You can sign up for free Swedish courses arranged by the government programme Swedish for Immigrants (SFI). Your employer may also offer to send you to private Swedish classes (so don’t forget to ask).

Learning Swedish in Sweden

Resources and organisations to help you move to Skåne

Living in Skåne

There is something for everyone in the southernmost part of Sweden – but it’s how it all comes together that makes Skåne so appealing.

Life in Skåne

Having a career in Skåne

Our region is home to different types of industries and economic opportunities. The way we work is also enticing to many people. There are a few things to know, however, before you start updating that CV.

Work in Skåne