What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Uppsala

Relocating to Uppsala

About the City

Located almost directly north of Stockholm and west of Helsinki, Uppsala has a reputation for being a good place to move to thanks to its relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. Stockholm is only a 40-minute journey away, but Uppsala has everything a person needs to settle down in a new home city.

Uppsala’s position as an educational center makes it a particularly appealing place to move to for academics. The city is also small enough to cycle and walk around. Most Swedish people speak good English but languages such as Kurdish, Arabic, Persian, Finnish, and Armenian are also spoken by expats who have moved to Uppsala. Around 20% of Uppsala’s population consists of either expatriates or first-generation Swedes.

Climate in Uppsala

Uppsala’s location makes it a cold place to spend the winter, but the city’s position on the 59th parallel north, as well as the Gulf Stream, means it is not as freezing as many other cities located in the north.

The city benefits from 18 hours of visible sunshine a day during the summer, but the winter months can be very dark with around only six hours of light each day. Winter lasts from late November to the middle of March. The summer months begin in May and last until around the end of September. Summers are warmer in Uppsala than in much of Sweden and Scandinavia.

Snowfall typically occurs between November and March but it is not completely unheard of for Uppsala to experience snow even in October and April. During the winter, temperatures commonly drop to around -15°C.

Visas for Sweden

Sweden’s visa rules depend on an individual’s country of citizenship, but the nation has a deserved reputation for being welcoming to and inclusive of new people.

Citizens of EU countries have the right to work in Sweden without a permit and bringing members of their family is also acceptable if an individual has right of residence in Sweden.

For expats who are citizens of non-EEA countries, a work permit must be applied for to work in Sweden. An official offer of employment from a Swedish employer is usually required in order to secure the work permit. Work permits are not issued to individuals who want to move to Sweden from outside the EU and then look for employment in cities such as Uppsala.

Expatriates from Australia, Canada, New Zealand or South Korea also have the chance to apply for a one-year working holiday in Sweden.  For more information on visas for Sweden, have a look at our guide on Moving to Sweden.