If you are wondering how to start or bring over a business of your own -  especially when you are living in a new country -  we will guide you through all the essential points for starting your journey as an entrepreneur in Sweden.

** If you would like further help, don't miss signing up as a NewinSweden.com member **

Let’s start then:
Sweden is a wonderful place to start a business because of the very easy and straightforward processes. A person can start business in Sweden as soon as they have a resident permit and have Swedish personal number.

Do the market research:
When starting a new business, the first point is market research. Work out how many other similar businesses are out there, what exactly you going to offer and how you are going to separate yourself from your competitors.

Networking and advice:
One of the keys to success in business is in making your network work for you, regardless of what country you’re in. Besides friends, colleagues and relatives you might have in Sweden, how and where do you find people with ideas similar to yours or who might be potential customers?

You could contact your local branch of the Swedish Jobs and Society Foundation (Nyföretagarcentrum), who provide advice to new businesses and hold regular events around the country as well as Business Sweden that can help you connect with other companies.
 
Another way to find advisors and build your network is through a website called verksamt.se – set up by three Swedish authorities (the Companies Registration Office, the Tax Agency and the Agency for Economic and Regional Growth); they have a page to help you find advisors depending on which region you are living in.
 
Swedes are very much an online breed, so as you get to know more people, use social networking tools like LinkedIn and Facebook, Twitter to help you keep track of your new contacts and watch your networks grow.

Get permission for your business:
Certain types of businesses in Sweden require a permit to operate. Verksamt.se has a handy list of the various trades, professions and businesses that require permits, as well as contact details for the bodies that issue them. After checking about permit, you can move to registering your business.

Different type of business:
There are several forms of business enterprises you can choose to register in Sweden:
(1) sole trader,
(2) starting a limited company,
(3) a trading partnership or an economic association.

If you haven't run a business before, starting off as a sole trader might be a good option for you.

As a sole trader, you run your business. No starting capital is required when you register as a sole trader, which makes this form of business attractive.

As a sole trader, you can just register for tax with the Swedish Tax Agency. All the other business types need to be registered at the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket) before you can get started. 

Make a plan:
If you need anyone else to be involved in your business, a good business plan is essential. It is also  agreat way to get your ideas down on paper (or screen!) so you can refer back to it later on. It doesn’t have to be long or complex: a simple statement of what you plan to do and how you plan to do it is perfect.

Financing your business:
There are several private and state-owned financing agencies that help businesses with capital and advice. An option is to use your savings to finance your first few months or you might build up your business slowly alongside a full- or part-time job and of course, you can also apply to your bank for a business loan. As most businesses are not profitable in the beginning, they will require you to put up some sort of security.

Get yourself organised!
Most entrepreneurs focus on working as hard as possible on the sales side to begin with so make sure you find enough time for the administration side of your business too.

Review your progress each month and keep on top of payments, espeically for things like tax.

For specific help with your business amd all the information about moving and living in Sweden, join NewinSweden.com!

This year has been a tough year for a lot of people. Many jobs in Sweden have been directly or indirectly affected by the coronavirus crisis. A lot of people lost their jobs and finding new job became harder.
 
If you are planning to work here, you don't want to waste time job-hunting in the wrong way.

Many jobs here are filled through network or referrals. People want to know who you are before they interview you.

One of the major reasons that networking is such an effective way to get a job is that there is something of a hidden job market out there. Some estimate that as much as 80% percent of new jobs are never listed but are instead filled internally or via networking.

Expanding your network: Ask amongst your own network - you might know professional mentors and recruitment agents, they mostly have wide connections with companies.

Seek and join professional groups online (Facebook and LinkedIn or an unemployment programme) to expand your job search and network. During this downtime, it’s the perfect opportunity to make new connections and revive old ones. 
 
Mentorship Programmes: A mentor programme is an answer to several different aspects of job-hunting, from personal support to tapping into the programme’s own network, which are often large.
 
Apprenticeships: They are a great way of handling the handover between generations and of working in an efficient and cost-conscious way while developing competence in the role.  
 
Get a Mentor or Coach: Mentors and coaches are usually individuals who have some experience in their fields and can give advice to help you advance in your career. Mentors and coaches can offer unique perspectives and have often been through similar experiences that they can share to help push you closer towards your goals. Mentors or coaches can be within your networks; a former manager, teacher, or a co-worker can all be people to consider to help mentor you.

Recruitment Agencies: Such as Undutchables Recruitment Agency the international business recruitment pioneer helps both starters and executive candidates, fluent in languages, advance their careers in Sweden and the Netherlands. If you want to further your career in Sweden, Undutchables can help you find the perfect match. Below you can find the link to the Recruitment Agency: https://undutchables.se/

Learning new skills is one of the best ways to become more successful in your career. Whether you are looking for a new career opportunity or would like to move into a more senior role, upgrading your skills can increase your chances of reaching your career goals.
 
Professional development training: This kind of training can range from short (a few hours or a couple of days) to longer training that may be ongoing. Professional development training can be specific to your industry or may focus on the development of soft skills, such as communication, leadership, or working with others.
 
The benefits of upgrading your skills include: Increased self-confidence, Improved marketability and competitiveness, Greater resourcefulness, Better career opportunities
 
A great place to start is to look at current job postings to assess the specific job tasks and qualifications that are required of the kind of jobs you want. Also, expand your search to include roles you may not yet be qualified for but you could pursue with additional training. This involves exploring the possibilities and keeping an open mind. Look for the most available opportunities.

Most importantly, keep yourself positive and motivated. Good luck!

Finding a job in Sweden can be harder than you might expect. Understanding how to find a professional job will save you hours and hours of wasted energy.

Our workshops in February 2020 cover everything you need to know about finding a professional job here and the detail of exactly how to apply. They are held in Danderyd (north side of Stockholm).

This two-hour workshop is designed to give practical tips and information about how to find a professional job in Sweden. The programme includes:

• Myths about jobs in Sweden.
• Making a self-inventory
• Defining the job market - type of company, role, geographical and branch perspective.
• Your network. 
• Setting your career goal
• The job-hunting process in Sweden – ring – follow up. Fit EVERY C.V. to the company’s specific needs.
• The meeting – recruitment companies, C.V. network, spontaneous applications
• Salaries, benefits, idiosyncrasies
• First day in the office
• Questions and Answers

If you are planning to work here and don't want to waste time job-hunting in the wrong way, don't miss this workshop!

Learn all about C.V.s, LinkedIn and application letters from a Swedish perspective.

The goal is to give useful tips when applying for jobs and the programme includes:

• What to look for in the advertisement and how to ensure you fit the profile
• Application letters - what to think about and what are the usual mistakes.
• C.V.s - layout, content, types of C.V.s  
• LinkedIn - what do think about in your LinkedIn and how can you use it to apply for jobs.
• Questions and Answers
  

Sometimes a helping hand can make all the difference. If you are looking for a boost for your career, to refresh your skills and increase your confidence, keep reading.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Stockholm has a mentoring programme running each year that provides support and a mentor to professionals working in Sweden. This year they even have a separate stream for executives who have 15 or more years of work experience.

The 2019-2020 program starts in mid-November. Seats are limited and applications due October 15th.

The programme is designed for ambitious professionals who are looking for an edge, to advance with new approaches to solving issues at work, to meet people who challenge them and those who think differently.

It provides three key things:

1. a great mentor,
2. a thriving community and
3. eight workshops that are well-rounded and give practical tips for your personal and professional lives.
   

Results from the program:

• You’ll have a deeper understanding of team dynamics and collaborative leadership
• A broader network of like-minded, aspiring people 
• You’ll have sharpened your personal brand and heightened your profile
• You’ll know yourself a little better, after listening and discussing case studies with others
• Advancement.  Many of the mentees advance to the next level of their careers while in the program.
  
  

Though language learning is mentioned, many expats told us that they perceived they were excluded from job opportunities not for lack of language ability because they were foreign – on the surface, clear discrimination – but when we dug down deep, we could see another cause, one you can read about in our guide to the State of Expat Life in Sweden 2018!

“Sometimes all the planning in the world won't prepare you for it, but as long as you know where your nearest coffee house is everything falls into place!”

We at New in Sweden (NiDS) worked with news and analysis provider Mundus International and Swedish language tuition provider Swedish for Professionals to uncover the details of expat life in Sweden. We have quizzed expats that are here, the HR staff that organised their move and the Relocation Agents that supported them during the process. We dug deep to find out the full story about emigrating here and hope that new arrivals can then make much more informed decisions about their move to Sweden.

Our guide to the state of expat life in Sweden is out now. It covers the main challenges expats are experiencing right now and the reasons for them, the support that is and isn’t provided at a personal level and what help is out there. We have a separate report that looks at what expats told us in comparison with other surveys, the political environment and what needs to change for expat life to improve. Get your copies of both here. 

Recent developments have caused much attention in regards to the Swedish model and the possibility of living and working in Sweden. If you're a citizen of EU, you're in luck. You can essentially travel to Sweden and start looking for a job. However, those of you who are on the outside of the EU have to keep a few things in mind:

This might not seem like a big deal. As long as someone says you've a job waiting, you're in the clear... right? Well, the situation is unfortunately a bit more complicated. Before jumping to the next step of actually obtaining a work permit, you should make sure that your employer is registered as such. If this is not the case, your supposed employer doesn't even have ability to pay you a formal salary. This could jeopardise your ability to receive a permit and also cause you to put a lot of energy into something that will turn out fruitless.
 
Luckily, this is easy to check. Just visit one of these websites:
 
www.Ratsit.se
www.Merinfo.se

Look up your potential employer and, with a little help from Google Translate, make sure that the company is active and formally registered as an employer.
 
Also, make sure to save all correspondence you have had with your potential employer and a copy of the job advertisement. Wait, job advertisement? Yes. In order for your employment to be considered valid when applying for a permit, your employer must have had the position advertised so as to have been available in EU/EEA countries and Switzerland.

When it's time to apply, you should gather all relevant information such as your correspondence with your employer, a copy of the job advertisement and your passport. Bring everything to the immigration office, Migrationsverket.
 
If possible, apply on-line.
 
This will guarantee that your application is dealt with as soon as possible. The wait can be excruciating and there's unfortunately no way to speed it up. You just have accept the due course and try to enjoy yourself while waiting!

Once you have a valid work permit, you will also receive a residence permit card. This enables you to obtain a personal identity number. This number is your key to being a part of the formal society. It enables you to open a bank account, pay taxes and deal with all administrative issues.
 
You should, as soon as possible, register yourself at the tax office (which also handles anything to do with the population of Sweden, including personal numbers) - Skatteverket. Do not delay this is step – it is probably the single most important one! Pretty much everything in Sweden revolves around a personal identity number, and not having one will act as a barrier between you and an easy life!