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ESSENTIAL SWEDEN

Essential Sweden: Property, unemployment benefits and language tests

In this week's essential Sweden, we look at tips for buying and selling a property in Sweden, who qualifies for unemployment benefits, as well as how you can find out if your Swedish will be good enough for citizenship.

Essential Sweden: Property, unemployment benefits and language tests
It's a good idea to be prepared for extra costs when buying a house in Sweden. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

Just like elsewhere, buying a house in Sweden often brings with it extra costs, which you may not have budgeted for. Here’s what you should be prepared to pay on top of the asking price.

If you’ve spent any time at all on Swedish property sites, you’ve no doubt realised that a large number of property ads look like something out of a furniture catalogue. Here are the secrets to achieving that look when selling your apartment, without having to fork out thousands of kronor for a stylist.

Unemployment is expected to rise this year, so it might be a good idea to know the rules for unemployment benefits just in case you’re unlucky enough to lose your job.

Public transport can be complicated, especially when all the screens and announcements are in another language. Find out the essential vocab below so that next time you understand why your train is delayed.

After you’ve got a basic knowledge of Swedish, you might be interested in exploring more of the country’s dialects so you can figure out which part of Sweden people come from. Try this guide from our archive – with audio examples – and find out if you can tell Gothenburg from Gotland.

You may soon need to take a language test for permanent residency or citizenship, as proposals to introduce tests work their way through parliament. But how good will your Swedish actually need to be?

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SWEDISH CITIZENSHIP

Cost of Swedish passports set to rise by 25 percent

The cost of getting a Swedish passport is set to be hiked by 25 percent on May 1st.

Cost of Swedish passports set to rise by 25 percent

The price will be raised from 400 kronor to 500 kronor.

According to a government press release, the higher fee is necessary to “maintain the level of service” and ensure that the police authority’s revenue from the fees covers the cost, as passport operations are funded by fees.

So in other words, if you’re about to get or renew your Swedish passport, get it done now if you can. You often have to wait weeks for an appointment, but it’s sometimes possible to get a last-minute slot if people cancel their appointments.

PASSPORTS, TAXES AND SWIFTIES:

In Stockholm, for example, when The Local looked on Monday, there were still a few open slots in Norrtälje before May 1st, but nowhere else in the region. In Skåne, there was one available in Trelleborg, and in Västra Götaland there were slots available in Åmål, Stenungsund and Skövde on April 29th and 30th, but none closer to Gothenburg.

The higher fee will apply for all appointments on or after May 1st, even if you booked them before that date.

EXPLAINED:

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