Remote work in
Sweden.

Working remotely in Sweden can prove to be a difficult endeavor in some respects.

Remote working in Sweden is nothing new; before the 2020 pandemic, approximately 60% of jobs in Sweden already had an element of remote work. This, along with the generous leave policy, shows an emphasis on work-life balance that many remote workers would appreciate. The Swedish approach to work-life balance can be best characterized by the Swedish word lagom, which literally translates to “just the right amount”.

There are, however, things that are not perfect about remote work in Sweden- mostly related to the accomodation. Apartments in Sweden are difficult to find, particularly long-term rental contracts and especially for non-Swedes. Many recommend to just buy an apartment or a home in Sweden if you plan to live there long-term.

Another consideration is the size of apartments. Many are considered extremely small, with an average living space of ~35sqm in cities like Stockholm.

The issue of accomodation has a ‘flip-side’, however: there has been a marked increase in coworking spaces in recent years to meet the demand of remote workers who don’t want to work from their bed, couch, or kitchen table. This, also, has its drawbacks with the prices still high (as much as €400 per month for hot desks in some spaces) as supply races to meet demand.

Overall, Sweden is a good place to work remotely. If you’re not a local Swedish person, you should be aware of the many challenges you could face in getting set up in Sweden, but once those challenges are overcome, working remotely in Sweden can be a worthwhile and rewarding lifestyle, thanks to the balanced approach Swedes generally take to work-life balance.