Moving to Sweden can give Ukrainians free housing and access to education, but the first year of adaptation involves a number of difficulties. Ukrainian woman Asiyat Dorokhova told why obtaining a personal number is delayed, whether it is difficult to find a job and how long one has to wait for medical care. For those considering work in Sweden without knowledge of the language, her experience will help to better understand the everyday side of moving.
Personal number in Sweden affects daily life and payments
According to Dorokhova, a personal number is issued only after a year of stay in the country. Without it, it is harder to rent housing, use certain services and get discounts in stores.
“Without a personal number, you cannot quickly and easily rent housing. And many other things are also impossible. You cannot even get discounts in stores without it,” the Ukrainian woman explained.
After receiving the number, state assistance also increases. According to Dorokhova, an adult can receive almost 500 euros per month, and the state continues to pay for the apartment if the person does not work. At the same time, in her assessment, the initial assistance is not enough for a comfortable life without additional savings.
Before moving, it is important to think through expenses for the first months: food, transportation, communications, medicines and paperwork. This is especially relevant if the job search drags on or some services turn out to be unavailable without a personal number.
Free housing and education come with waiting for a doctor's appointment in Sweden
Among the advantages of life in Sweden, Dorokhova names the provision of housing: first temporary, and later, according to her, a person may be relocated to an apartment. In addition, there are inexpensive stores in the country, including at churches. They sell food products whose expiration date is about to pass, so prices for them can be significantly lower.
“From the very beginning you receive free housing. First it is temporary, then it is an apartment. And you live in it for free,” the Ukrainian woman said.
At the same time, getting medical care can be difficult. Sometimes you have to wait weeks or even months for a doctor's appointment, and for tests they may ask for a considerable sum. At the same time, the blogger said that she paid about 30 euros for one serious operation. This is her personal case, and not a fixed cost of treatment for all patients.
Another advantage the Ukrainian woman mentioned is the opportunity to learn Swedish for free and then enter university. For study, according to her, knowledge of Swedish and English is needed, as well as a document of secondary education. Age is not an obstacle in this case.
What to consider before moving to Sweden in 2026
Dorokhova's story shows that state support does not remove language and everyday barriers. Before moving, it is worth finding out which documents will be needed, what assistance one can count on, and how much time the job search, housing registration and access to medical services may take. It is also useful to have a financial reserve for the first months, until the situation with work and payments becomes clearer.
Separately, it is worth checking the conditions of assistance for voluntary return. This program is not available to all Ukrainians: the right to payment depends on status and other requirements. Therefore, before moving or deciding to return, it is important to check one's situation against the current rules.