Hi all,

New member here - but hoping I will use this site a lot as I am moving to Sweden next month!
I'm doing so to be with my Swedish partner; it will be good to have someone who knows the country BUT only NZ'ers would know what they miss most from NZ (and you can't get over there).Any tips or advice on what to bring or advice on ANYTHING related would be appreciated. I have a residence Visa, hoping to find work in Malmö or Lund in the I.T. field.

Thanks in advance!

Learn Swedish as fast as you can....this country is full and loveimmigrants who got carried away with the dream of life in Sweden as painted by their birds, only to end up scratching around begging for a few hours cleaning dishes.

But all that aside, I still love it here despite being arbetslös. Still learning Swedish, still looking for work, and at least summer is on the way.

I tried learning Swedish at the free classes (SFI) but found them not up to scratch. I have heard that it varies from city to city. I ended up paying to go to a decent school in Stockholm and found I learnt a lot more in half the time. So something to consider.

Personally I would bring salt n vinegar chips, crunchy bars and marmite. And I miss the Monteiths summer ale.

All the best and good luck.

Wow, thanks for your honesty!! I have a degree in computer science and a bit of experience behind me - I have heard the I.T. sector in Sweden (especially in Southern) is strong so I am hoping for the best! What field are you searching for work in? Interesting what you say about the language classes - in what way are they "not up to scratch"?

Last but not least, you can't beat that Monteiths - the summer ale with a zest of citric. Awesome.

just wrote a heap for you and went to post it and i lost it...gutted

here is a smaller version

go to skattverket and register to get a personal number
you will need this to get payed

get a bank account: pays to go to your wife´s/girlfiend´s person bank as i have seen and heard of people been turned away

after getting a bank account apply at the same bank you open a account and apply for a ID card this will come in handy when picking up all the presents your family send you from home (passport is only accepted halve the times unless you throw your toys out of the cot)

what to bring:same things that yug yug mentioned plus milo,burger rings, all things that resemble nz that will go into your suit case:cheer:

networking is a good thing and you have made the first step here, I have meet a F.O.B (fresh of the boat) kiwi thats in the IT industry and it only took two weeks to get a job so i am guessing you will not have to much of a problemB)

apart from that you will be coming over at the right time been summer and all and there will be some testing time where maybe you might want to get on the next plane home and some days where you will be happy to call sweden home
all i can suggest is stick it out as it has its rewards

good luck