Mirjam, a Nurse from the Netherlands Working in Sweden

Mirjam is a nurse from the Netherlands, specialized in pediatrics. She moved to Sweden with her husband and children and during the past six months she has been working at the Uppsala University Hospital.

Why Sweden

“The main reason why we moved to Sweden is that we really love the nature here. In the Netherlands, it’s more expensive to buy a house in the middle of nature. Our life is much more relaxed here, and we have a better work-life balance. Besides being more family friendly, Sweden is also a beautiful country.”

The process with MediCarrera

“I met a person from MediCarrera at a conference near Utrecht. We planned to move to Sweden anyway and I was looking for a job. It was challenging for me to find a job abroad, I didn’t know where to start. MediCarrera really helped me, and I had a very positive feeling about them. My husband already had a job, so we took care of all the other arrangements such as housing.”

The study tour

“I was already familiar with the city where MediCarrera found a job for me, so it was very convenient. I went on a study tour and visited the hospital. My first impressions were very positive! The people there knew exactly what I do, what my experience was and where I worked before.”

Working conditions

“The work-life balance is really good in Sweden. Family is very high on their priority list. They even tell you: “Don’t work too late because you have to go home to your family.” They never tell you that in the Netherlands. The work I do is pretty much the same as at my previous job, but teamwork is much better in Sweden. I have more time per patient because there are fewer patients per nurse. One nurse has 4 patients a day whereas in Holland you can have up to 8 patients a day. It is still busy here and there’s always something to do but the balance is better. I also think I’m very much part of the team at the hospital. My colleagues really accepted me.”

“I’ve asked my children whether they wanted to go back to the Netherlands or stay in Sweden and they immediately said they wanted to stay.”

4. Family life

“Family life is a priority in Sweden; they think it’s important to spend enough time with your children. There are also a lot of benefits for families. For example, I can take time off for when my children start going to school and bring them myself as they have to get used to the new school and the new language. You don’t just have children here, you can actually spend time with them and work. Especially for women, it’s much easier. In the Netherlands, you have to fight for time with your children, while in Sweden it’s a priority. We are more relaxed here, there is less stress. We have much more space and a very nice garden where the children can play. I’ve asked my children whether they wanted to go back to the Netherlands or stay in Sweden and they immediately said they wanted to stay. The other side of the coin is that it’s a bit harder to get something done here. For example, the workers who were building our house were so relaxed that it took longer than we expected. But that’s just something you get used to.”

5. Mirjam’s advice

In“If you’re thinking about relocating to Sweden, just go for it. Nature, the working conditions, and the work-life balance are really great. If you live in the countryside, where we bought a house, it’s a bit more difficult to get to know the locals, but that’s something you have to invest time and effort in.” If you’re interested in becoming a part of the Scandinavian public healthcare register here.

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