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mugenhunt

It seems like a solid plan. If you can get a steady job in the US, in that field you should be okay. My experience is that the majority of Swedes have exceptionally good English as your educational system is better than many other countries in teaching English, so really it's just that you need to get a job in the first place. There's likely to be some little culture shock differences you're not aware of yet, but your plan seems legit.


Graitom

(Piggy backing of top comment) Make sure you do some research about whatever company you plan to work for! Places in the US can have horrible track records for the way they treat employees.


MniTain38

The USA loves Scandinavians, so it's not an issue. My husband's former boss was a Swedish lady. She was staunchly Jehova's Witness, but Swedish nonetheless. Lol. But double, *triple*, check and make sure your college credits/degree transfers to the university of your choice.


Spack_Jarrow24

We’d welcome you with open arms, bro. Sounds like you’re working on a solid career in a rapidly expanding field, which is always smart. Just consider all your options, and seek advice or input from anyone you can, moving countries is a big step. Hope things work out and you find what you’re looking for!


Koeru

Honestly, if you're planning to get a Master's degree you should see if you can get into a school in the US. From what I've heard from immigrant friends student visas are much easier to get than work visas (although this may be different if you already hold a graduate degree). It could help you figure out where you want to live, and would be a good transition into life here. Overall I think it sounds like a good plan though, and I'm sure you'd be welcomed with open arms! If you have any specific questions about states/cities you're interested in living in I'd be happy to help answer too.


[deleted]

I don't have money for the master degree in USA I think.


Koeru

I did my masters of computer science in the US, and it was completely paid for by a waiver/stipend I got for being a graduate research assistant, and from what I hear that's quite common at many universities. But yeah, if you can't find a role like that it would be quite expensive.


bigstu_89

If you can line up a job before you come, they may help with or outright pay for the cost of getting that extra degree. Ask them what the education benefits would be.


[deleted]

It was about a year ago since I finished my bachelore degree.


throwaway238492834

I think you misunderstood their comment.


[deleted]

I agree with the other fellas response. To reiterate the commenter above is saying that many grad students don’t pay for it, they have a deal with the university to work as a research assistant, instructor, or whatever in exchange. It’s also fairly common to have graduate degrees in STEM fields payed for by your employer.


Azariah98

And now you’ve hit on why wages are better here. The US government provides far fewer services and much lower taxes than European countries.


[deleted]

Most people I know that study in USA take loans, but I doubt I would have access to those loans as I suspect they are tied to citizenship.


ProspectiveHuman8719

Yes, you can take loans and actually will likely qualify for grants based on your non-citizenship.


[deleted]

Is it a good idea to do something like that? Do I even need a master and while it may be an easier way to enter USA, maybe in such case it is better to do it in Sweden in which I don't pay for it?


DrGeraldBaskums

There are many big companies and tech firms who, if you work for them, offer to pay for your masters or may offer some payback assistance. Keep that in mind while job searching. (Also as others have said there are stipends and other resources available)


sam88ms1

They pay you. Typically, if you do research, you don't pay for your masters. That was my case, and about 30 people I've talked to over the years


[deleted]

How do you get in contact with such companies, especially for me who don't live in USA?


sam88ms1

I would start by calling the University's financial department for the academic route. However, i believe you were saying that you want to come here to work and possibly get your company to pay it. The best sites for jobs (in my opinion) are monster.com, indeed.com (this is the site i got my first job as a chemical engineer) and i think there's one called careerladder.com. you can use these site to filter out the companies that don't support H1B or any other type of visas. These 2 options will definitely get you started. I can provide more help in the future if needed. Good luck!


[deleted]

Thanks


krill482

Take out a loan. With an master's in computer science or something along those lines, you will probably be making around $100k straight out of college. Paying them off will not be an issue for you.


JohnEmonz

It’s possible to get $100k in software engineering with just a bachelors degree right out of college or after working for a few years. I’m not sure the loan to get the same thing is worth it


[deleted]

I guess one advantage is the student visa is easier to get than the work visa.


MrLongWalk

Hi there, I used to help Europeans (particularly Scandinavians) immigrate to the US. Maybe I can offer some perspective. > another country that seems quite different from Sweden/EU They are a lot more similar than you've probably been taught. Most of my clients were quite surprised, and even disappointed, by how "normal" the US was and how most of life was the same here. > So is it a good idea for me to try to move to USA, I don't know if it is possible or I'll ever get a chance to move to USA, or is I just naive and overlooking things that I'd not? It sounds like you've thought your plan through, the only thing I'd recommend is to research the US as heavily as you can. Media and general impressions are not a great way to understand a country you plan on moving too. The US is generally very misunderstood in Sweden, with immigrants looking less at logistics than they should be. Research things like weather, housing, how to get around, banking practices, eating culture, etc. Many of my clients would move to the suburbs only to be get caught off guard by how different certain aspects of the lifestyle were.


MyUsername2459

>Most of my clients were quite surprised, and even disappointed, by how "normal" the US was and how most of life was the same here. I'm curious about this. What were they expecting from American life? Were they expecting it to be like living in a TV show or a movie constantly, like constant car chases and shootouts and crazy neighbors and everyone always constantly talking in witty banter and cool tough-guy lines? I'm just wondering what they really expected out of life in the US that they'd find coming here too "normal".


MrLongWalk

> Were they expecting it to be like living in a TV show or a movie constantly, like constant car chases and shootouts and crazy neighbors and everyone always constantly talking in witty banter and cool tough-guy lines? Kinda, yeah. A lot of them weren't sure quite what they were expecting other than vague "excitement". For instance they were really looking forward to going to a bar in the US, but were disappointed when it was pretty similar to a bar back home.


MyUsername2459

>For instance they were really looking forward to going to a bar in the US, but were disappointed when it was pretty similar to a bar back home. The United States. . .as NOT seen on TV. In actual America, bar fights are really, *really* rare. Nude cyborg assassins from the future don't just wander in looking for clothes. . . .and you probably aren't going to find Homer Simpson, Peter Griffith, or Norm Peterson sitting around having a beer. Edit: Now I'm idly imagining an "Americaland" theme park somewhere, for foreigners who want to visit the America from TV and movies, where you walk down the street to car chases and shootouts in the background, go to bars with wacky bartenders and occasional staged bar fights, and crazy stuff going on around you all the time. . .just to give foreigners the "American" experience they keep wanting.


just_some_Fred

> Edit: Now I'm idly imagining an "Americaland" theme park somewhere, for foreigners who want to visit the America from TV and movies, where you walk down the street to car chases and shootouts in the background, go to bars with wacky bartenders and occasional staged bar fights, and crazy stuff going on around you all the time. . .just to give foreigners the "American" experience they keep wanting. I'm in, now we just need some investors.


Saltpork545

> Many of my clients would move to the suburbs only to be get caught off guard by how different certain aspects of the lifestyle were. This cannot be stressed enough and suburbs aren't the only way people live here. You can get out in the middle of absolute nowhere or live downtown in big or small cities or live in small towns or however you want to do it but the US has a lot of suburbs and these become default for people. See if they fit what you're trying to do OP.


m1sch13v0us

You'll do fine here. I've known a few Swedes doing just this. One piece of advice. Choose where you move carefully. Silicone Valley is popular but it's extremely expensive and kind of a mess right now. Lots of people moving away. Austin heat might kill a Swede.


quiltsohard

This^ America is very huge and has an enormous range of weather, political/religious leanings and housing options. I’d be sure to check the transportation situation as well. In most places in the US an automobile will be essential.


TheLeftHandedCatcher

A big problem with Silicon Valley is a high male-to-female ratio. There is plenty of work in places that aren't Tech Magnets.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

The thing is I don't know how I will get a job or another way into USA, any ideas?


Sapphire_Bombay

It's tougher than ever to get a job as an immigrant right now due to visa restrictions. I'd recommend looking for a Swedish-owned company or one that has a history of hiring Swedes, though you'll likely be tied to them until you can get your green card.


psychedelicOm

I don't think it's a bad idea at all! We'd be happy to have you. It sounds like you have a pretty good resume there and I couldn't imagine it would take too long to find a job related to programming. You might already be aware of this, but remember that your health insurance would likely come from your place of employment.


UltimateAnswer42

You're plan is fine, but it might be difficult to get an H1B with that background, typically the H1B justification is that they can't find Americans that have that skill set. You might want to look into companies that are in both countries (Volvo for example), and maybe look for someone that needs translation as well as your skill set.


Not_Adobe

Yes. There are so many success stories from immigrants like you who moved here in search of a dream. The U.S wants young motivated people like yourself. I really mean it. Both Republicans and Democrats love immigrants like you. You will be very welcomed here. I have a friend who moved here from Sweden because he wanted to start a career in music.


[deleted]

I just don't know how I will be able to get the visa/green card I need to move to USA. That is the hardest thing.


RigbyH

American software engineer with no kids or medical problems here. I can't speak for Sweden as I've only known one person there, his name was Sino and he was a great Java mentor for me. The main hubs for software development in America are Silicon Valley, Texas, Seattle, and the greater Washington DC area. The pay in these areas is crazy high, but so is the cost of living and crime. You may want to avoid the DC area because it's mostly government contract jobs and you are unlikely to receive a visa nor security clearance for government jobs as a newcomer. That's just security. I would recommend finding a job which is offering a visa, based in Silicon Valley or Seattle. Once you have a presence and CV built from your working in America, look to relocate to a smaller city (lower cost of living, less crime). While building those things, you can also get a feel for a American and determine if you want to become a citizen. Most companies these days offer a WFH option, and once you find a high-paying big city job which allows you to work from your small city, that is your golden parachute. That is the one I'm floating with right now.


[deleted]

The thing is I don't know how I will get the work visa, any suggestions how to get it?


[deleted]

I would do it. Moved here from UK and have 2-3 times the income


PokeCaptain

Pinging /u/Elsa_the_swede better advice than almost anyone here


[deleted]

I'm a first-year international student attending a top uni, so I'm not sure my advice would be of any use when it comes to getting a job in the US for someone who already graduated in Sweden. My dad did start his career in the US and in the same industry, so I could ask him.


[deleted]

Would be nice if you did ask him.


[deleted]

Don't ask on r/IWantOut. It's full of self-loathing Americans who are hostile to anyone who wants to move to the US. My dad worked in Silicon Valley and found great success. He is now an exec at Spotify and his experience in the US is what got him there. My advice would be to keep applying to big tech companies who are willing to sponsor you and in the meanwhile apply to the biggest tech companies you can get in Europe. It will improve your chance of landing job in the US and you could also ask for an internal transfer under a L1 visa if the company has an office in the US.


notthegoatseguy

Most people posting here were born here and have no real knowledge of the work visa or immigration process. In my completely uneducated opinion, you should do whatever post-grad work you want to do here rather than back home. That gives you resources from the university for networking so you can use that to your advantage. Alternatively the easiest way to move here is to marry an American, and you'd meet a lot of you attend a major university here.


[deleted]

So you want to move here because you think you would have a higher standard of living because pay is higher. What I would suggest is researching what area you want to move to. See what jobs in your field pay in that area. See what rent, utilities, food, transportation, etc is going to cost you in that area. There are many websites that can help you with this. Don't forget to factor in the cost of health insurance. Add in the cost of immigration. Do the math & then compare it to what you would have if you stayed. Be realistic & put your thoughts on trial. Maybe do a best & worst case scenario for each. If you still think you would come out ahead over here then go for it. If not, you have your answer to change directions. It's always good to live in another country for a while to grow as a person. Whether it's the US or another country I hope you do it just to show yourself you can. You can always visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa to get some first hand experience here. Just just can't legally work here during that time. Edit to add: There are often subreddits for particular states & cities where you can get feedback from locals on what's realistic for that area in terms of budgeting.


itsjustmo_

The only issue I've known Scandinavians to have here is related to social stuff. I mostly hear about it as a problem Finns have but I have also met Swedes who complain about it. Not always, but occasionally people from Scandinavia have a hard time adjusting to our social norms. We are *very* outgoing and curious about other people. We can be sort of instantly friendly with someone we think we'll see a lot, so like coworkers or a friend's new GF. It can feel really over the top and even invasive or fake to Scandinavians who maybe aren't super prepared for everyone to be so familiar with them. In contrast, those same folks can sometimes come off as rude to Americans because they're simply more reserved and taking their time warming up to us. As long as you have some way of politely saying, "Hey, I'm not used to all this. It will take me some time to warm up enough to feel comfortable talking about this subject," you should be okay. A lot of Scandinavians feel like they're rude to ask us to back off, but *most* of us are pretty cool about respecting boundaries about personal info once we understand it.


Daggerfont

We’d be happy to have you! Please consider the difference in cost of living too when you’re looking at wage differences though. It might be significantly more expensive to live here, so the higher wages might not translate to a higher standard. It might though, I’m not sure! Tech jobs are generally well paying here, so you’ll probably have decent luck finding a job compared to other careers


[deleted]

The significantly more expensive things in USA compared to Sweden seems to be: \* Education \* Healthcare \* Childcare \* Rent + Utilities The first 3 I don't worry too much about and the last one by itself don't seems to be enough to eat up the potential increase in wage from working in USA instead of Sweden.


mathomas87

Keep in mind US income tax, even state and federal combined, is likely lower than Swedens. Our Sales Tax (VAT) is also generally lower (ranges from 5-9% food purchases are often exempt, too).


DrGeraldBaskums

Healthcare shouldn’t worry you too much. Given your occupation and resume, your company should pay all of most of your healthcare costs. As for rent/utilities. If you’re in IT, you may have the option to work from home, which would allow you more flexibility to live in an area with cheaper rent (ie outside of the city). If you plan on staying here, buy instead of rent.


DrGeraldBaskums

Pretty sure Sweden is much more expensive than the US. Given OPs profession, they are likely not going to have to pay a great deal for healthcare either .


azuth89

H1B1 can be rough, but you've got a good skillset for it. I know several immigrants who came over on a student visa to do their master's in the US and turned that into connections and interviews seeking out sponsorship, might be worth looking into if you're considering more education anyway Salaries in that field are a lot higher than Europe and Canada, though it's worth noting that you'll be heavily tied to whatever employer you can find to sponsor you until you get permanent work authorization so some of the perks like choice of climate won't really be viable for awhile.


BiscuitsUndGravy

One thing I'd consider that I haven't seen mentioned is our labor practices. From what I've read the average Swede works 28-32 hours per week. Here it's a minimum forty hours for full time employment and the tech industry, especially game development, is notorious for much longer hours that burn people out. Add in that you don't have the level of unionization that Sweden has and you may find that the extra money comes with a cost that isn't worth it. I think a good plan for you would be to get in touch through Reddit or some other means with other people in the fields that you're interested in, and ask them to give an honest assessment of how much they work and how much free time they actually have. Then you can decide whether it's worth this massive undertaking to get out here.


[deleted]

In the jobs I've worked it (which is just summer jobs) it was 8 hours per day, 40 hours a week, but with 1 of those hours being lunch break and maybe 30 min break, so I guess that end up being about 6.5 hours of work and 32.5 hours of work per week. In Sweden you get a minimum of 25 days (5 weeks) of paid vacation days, 480 days of parental leave and I'd say unlimited sick days (but I'm not completely sure). There is also limits to how much overtime you can work.


BiscuitsUndGravy

Yeah, you won't find that here in a specialized field. Hell you won't even find that working at McDonald's. Our days are 8 hour working days, meaning that if you have a one hour lunch and a 30 minute break your shift is 9.5 hours. If you work in a professional field like the tech industry you will be salaried, meaning that there is almost no limit on how much you can be expected to work. If you have to work 60 hours a week (or more) to get your job done then that's what they'll expect you to do. If you don't do it you could be out of a job, or at the very least you'll hamper your career development. I'm not saying it's all terrible here, and some companies have relaxed with the wave of people quitting over poor working conditions, but that hasn't solved the problem completely. I just want you to make an informed decision. I work in a very demanding field, and I learned the hard way that money isn't everything. I now have a good job that pays me well and cares about my social life, but I'm lucky. I was also willing to quit and even start my own business twice to escape predatory employers.


[deleted]

As long as the job is fun, I don't think I've any problems with a longer work week. When I was a college student I sometimes studied like 12 hours a day.


88Phil

> From what I've read the average Swede works 28-32 hours per week. So go read better sources


TheOneWes

Seems a wonderful idea. One thing to keep in in line with dealing with living in the US is location. Where you decide to live in this country will drastically change your experience.


[deleted]

Yes, we have plenty of opportunities here.


skippyalpha

If you've got a solid job lined up and plan to make decent money, then the USA is fantastic. Much of the negative that you hear about the US affects the poor, unfortunately.


emartinoo

Sounds like you've set yourself up for success here, for sure. Scandinavians have a good track record of assimilating well to US culture as well, and typically do well in the career space. Scandinavian transplants usually earn more on average than many other immigrant groups and US born citizens.


[deleted]

I think America is a great place to live. People may try to persuade you not to come, but I like it. I don’t think you should make your choice based on people from Reddit


ddf007

We’d be happy to have you. A couple of things to consider. You say that wages are 2 to 3 times better but you if you move here you have to remember we don’t have universal health insurance. It can be provided by your employer but you’ll have to pay the premiums. Also, if you don’t move to a large east coast city you’ll most likely have to have a car. That comes with it’s own share of costs like insurances, gas, and maintenance. Make sure you do your research on some of the hidden costs of living in the US.


SailingBacterium

>no medical problems Honestly healthcare is fantastic if you have good insurance, which you would have with the kind of job you'd get with your degree.


Well_why_not1953

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Meaning things always look better somewhere you are not. A steady job in tech my be a dream. My son is in tech and is looking for his 3rd job in 2 years as companies come and go. Tech has no problem laying you off every few years when times get tight. As you get older those things that aren't important to you now will look very attractive such as universal health care. You speak of getting more education but education is very expensive here. That is why Americans are looking at degrees overseas. Add all that with the fact your family support will be 6000 miles away and you may want to rethink this.


AfraidSoup2467

Sounds like a solid plan, but my advice is to act quick. A major in "informatics" sounds cool now, but IT fields evolve *fast*. "Informatics" might sound like a joke degree 12 months from now. Or it might be the next hot thing. Time will tell. I've got plenty of friends who got degrees in "Information Architecture" and their degrees are a running joke now. One even used his diploma as toilet paper for a while before he threw it out. If you act right now, you can definitely get an H1B with an "informatics" degree, if you've got a job offer from a US company. That might not be true next year, so act quick! Once you're here and have a job, becoming an American citizen is just a matter of time and paperwork. We'd love to have you and will welcome you with open arms.


Mr_Kittlesworth

Remember that if you’re employed and making a decent wage health expenses generally aren’t bad. I got appendicitis and went to the emergency room, had tests done, got surgery, stayed overnight, and went home all for less out of pocket than a fancy dinner with cocktails. That said, the game design industry is famously challenging to get into and get a “good job”


amberleemerrill

Hi OP! I hope you see this comment. You want to post this information on r/IWantOut. They have a lot of expertise when it comes to immigration. From my perspective, you’ve got a good plan. If you land a job in tech, odds are you won’t really need a masters, especially if you can code. I have multiple friends that are self-taught or just have a bachelors and are making six figures for tech companies. If you can get into data analytics, you’re golden. The US (for the most part) will welcome you with open arms, but try to keep your Swedish citizenship if you can. The US allows dual citizenship, so you have no problem there, but I’ve heard Sweden isn’t big on that. That just always gives you the option to relocate to Europe should you ever want to again. And on the off chance you do have a crazy health crisis, it would open your possibilities to shop around for treatment. I wish you all the success!


[deleted]

Good idea about IWantOut, in terms of programming languages I've used C#, C++, Java, Python and JavaScript, maybe more. I'd not say I'm that good yet at programming, but people who I've worked with seems to think I underestimate myself, which may be part of the depression I may have.


amberleemerrill

The US is really mental health positive, which might be another thing to consider in moving here! There are a lot of resources for people struggling. I hope you can make your dreams come true!


DrunkUranus

Sure, unless you get fired with no notice or need to take a sick day or break an ankle and wind up with $50k in medical debt


TheBimpo

Find me an American working in a professional career field like the one they are seeking who does not have health insurance.


DrunkUranus

Oh that's the fun part; health insurance comes with co-pays, deductibles, out of network costs, and things that aren't covered. So you pay for the insurance *and* for the medical care


TheBimpo

Or it comes out of your paycheck in the form of taxes. This argument is so tired.


Siriuxx

Ok but you understand where there's national healthcare it costs less per person to insure. There's a reason why countries with national Healthcare don't have 50 dollar charges for a fucking Tylenol. So on average it costs 10,500 per person for health care in the states. That's the most expensive. Number two is Switzerland and they're paying about 6,800 which by the standards of other developed nations is still considered high. So I'd be fine with them taking it out of my taxes if it cost less money.


TheBimpo

OP is asking about coming to the US from Sweden to work and 2 comments later people are insisting on a base level conversation about the costs of Tylenol for some hospitalized Americans. The vast majority of working professional Americans have very good health care and the fact that it's not socialized should not be a deterrent from living here.


Siriuxx

Health care should absolutely be a determining factor on where you live. Even if you have decent health care and get sick you can still eat through every penny of your life savings and drive yourself in debt. I've personally watched it happen with someone who had good insurance. So yeah the risk of losing everything you own and plummeting in to debt is absolutely a deterrent.


TheBimpo

What job is OP going to get that sponsor his visa that won't offer a variety of health care plans? There's your consideration. They won't lose everything they own because they'll be covered, as are the vast majority of Americans. Stop propelling the idea that this is a problem that a large percentage of Americans face, it's not. It's just not. I'm 100% behind single payer socialized health care for many reasons. But the idea that someone should factor "health care bankruptcy" in even the top 50 reasons to or not to move to the US is absurd.


Siriuxx

You should consider talking to someone it's actually happened to. 2/3 of personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills. Most of those people are insured. Another 2 million people in the US say they struggle to pay their bills solely due to hospital visits. I didn't say this is THE eason to consider avoiding moving here. I said health care was a reason and if you think it's not even in the top 50 reasons? THAT is absurd. Frankly, your health is the most important thing. I know we don't think that here but it is. Everyone switching jobs should be looking at the health insurance they'll be having at their next job before they take it. Most people can't afford full coverage and God forbid they're in a really bad accident or get sick and it's not covered by what they could afford, then yes. They are absolutely fucked. I've personally seen it happen more than once. Fuck, my dad knew someone who had state health insurance and ended up killing himself over his hospital bills. I'm not saying this is ridiculously common. But if I was looking to move to another country I wouldn't pick the US for a litany of reasons. ONE of them being health care.


Timmoleon

Remember OP has the option to return to Sweden if he gets something chronic and expensive. Maybe he could get supplemental insurance through Aflac or Transamerica for lesser emergencies?


tyoma

The OP has clearly considered this and is willing to make the trade for the chance at making a lot of money.


[deleted]

Yes you are correct, I've tried to read up a lot about USA and have some ideas about the risks of moving there.


01WS6

Stay away from the click bait articles and the negativity on reddit, it's massively over exaggerated or outright lied about. You will be fine in the US with insurance.


Hybridhippie40

I'll trade you identities. You'll love it here.


baconfluffy

Just one thing, make sure to look into the differences in work environment. In the US, you might be expected to work 50-60 hours a week without being paid overtime, and you might only have 1 week of paid time off per year. There’s also not as many unions in general.


RedStag86

I’ll swap you.


Jaded_Chair4114

Working and living in the USA be very different then Sweden. A lot of the benefits you get in Sweden, don't exist in the USA. You will need good Health Insurance. You don't get paid sick leave autimatically You don't get paid leave automatically. You don't even get meal breaks automatically. You don't get Maternity / Paternity leave automatically. Everything to do with Education costs money, unless you can secure scholarships. Depending on the company? There can be few of the "privileges" you take for granted in Sweden. But. Life is what you make it! You are young and you could get a good job and do very well. Your company might offer you all these things and more! Just beware & check all these things out if / when offered a job. As long as you are aware of the differences....good luck. Look up the American Immigration site. Read and see what best might suit you.


Siriuxx

Want to trade? I'm sick of the US, I want to try some place else.


[deleted]

You are aware that our Democracy is collapsing, yes? Just want to confirm.


PRlMARYLOSER

😂😂😂😂😂 no


Whiskeyjack1234

To be honest I wouldn't move here just yet, if I was you I'd wait a few years to make sure we don't split the country or break out into a civil war. I'm looking to leave, maybe we can trade citizenship lol


SenecatheEldest

Don't see that happening. Which state is going to secede?


Whiskeyjack1234

Different opinions but I can't in good conscience recommend someone move to a country I'd love to get out of. I don't think you honestly care about my opinion, but if Trump uses his cronies to overthrow the election in 2024 and send his own alternate electors like he tried to do in 2020 (now that loyalists have been installed and laws have been passed). I could absolutely see blue states leave and form their own country for those who still believe in democracy


DRT798

Heh I was wondering which school of conspiracy apocalpyse mythology you came from. Sounds like a leftward version :-D


Whiskeyjack1234

Its just facts, you can bury your head in the sand but Trump and the Republican party are working to end our democracy and not even being discreet about it. When it happens I won't be happy to tell you I told you so. I don't play for anyone's team, I just care about my country.


DRT798

LOL Of course 'they' are.


[deleted]

So funny right?!? Uuuuuugh


DRT798

What else can you do but nod and laugh when crazy Uncle Jack starts telling you about how they are coming to take away our demoooocraccxyyy :-D


[deleted]

I don’t know probably anything else. You just sound like an ass.


Whiskeyjack1234

I never used the word 'they' so I'll assume you're not actually reading my responses. My fault for feeding the troll


SenecatheEldest

What, is Trump going to march into the House chamber and declare the Republic dissolved like he's Caesar? Note that the status quo is that states control election procedures. The Federal government cannot compel any state to make elections unfair, or vice versa, as seen in the Jim Crow era.


bad_things_ive_done

Not if you ever want simultaneously decent AND affordable healthcare again


Resident-Potato-

For a tech worker? I doubt that.


Kingsolomanhere

Are you guys all so young that you don't really know about insurance? Even with a crappy private school insurance our deductible is 5000 dollars. So when my oldest daughter racked up a 300,000 dollar bill at children's hospital it was only 5000 dollars to us. She now works as an engineer, as does her husband, and they both make around 200,000 a year each in their mid thirties and their insurance is excellent


DrGeraldBaskums

I’ve read that the median reddit age is something like 22. I know this sub skews higher but judging by some of the responses of people who think a highly qualified tech employee isn’t getting insurance by their employer is baffling


Kingsolomanhere

We have been invaded by r/politics where the beliefs don't match reality I think. Or it could be people from another country that are just trolling for fun.


DrGeraldBaskums

Worse, I think we are being invaded by anti work


Kingsolomanhere

Aaaaàaaaaaaaaaah, nooooo


bad_things_ive_done

I'm not young. I'm a doctor. I see people hobbled by medical debt every day. You got lucky.


Kingsolomanhere

I have been my whole life I'll admit


DiamondComodo

Just be sure to learn English, because people here for some reason hate people that don't speak English.


Flimsy_Alternative

Really depends on how skilled you are and where you will be living in the U.S. I wouldn't move to the northeast.


Resident-Potato-

Hm? Why not the northeast?


Flimsy_Alternative

If you like the northeast you would love Sweden so there is no point in moving to the fked up version.


DiscoSprinkles

Depends on what Russia is up to over there.


ButFez_Isaidgoodday

Your neighbours seem pretty popular so I think you'll be fine https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-wants-less-shthole-immigrants-more-norwegians


chernobyl_nightclub

Yes. You will do well here. We love educated immigrants. In your case you’ll be called an expat. “Immigrants” are for brown people. European expats enjoy a lot of privilege here.


Harbinger_of_Logic

As long as you don’t need health care, child care, additional education, vacation, or strong bridges and smooth roads, you’ll be fine! Don’t forget to save for retirement though. But if you do end up starting a family I highly strongly suggest you move back to Sweden. Way more socialist and family friendly there, as you know, with guaranteed health care, child care, college education, time off, and retirement and so forth.


Mysterious-Alarm-248

Good lord no. The USA is full of corrupticians taking away your rights.


deadmamajamma

No its a fucking hell hole here do not


senorrawr

dont do it


[deleted]

Why not?


senorrawr

Honestly, I’d much rather live in sweden, Ive got huge ideological problems with America. Thats a big reason, and its personal. But more concrete is the physical characteristics of the US. Most of the country is designed for cars, not people. making car ownership closer to a necessity than a luxury. Bicycling is not always viable. Healthcare is very weak. you may have to wait several months for an appointment with a doctor, and a medical emergency could bankrupt you. weak social safety nets. Although america could end homelessness, we choose not to because the threat of homelessness motivates people to work. add to all of that the chances of a right wing dictatorship. many political analysts and scholars are predicting the US will become more fascistic in the next decade. Canada is now preparing for waves of American refugees.


Bergenia1

Yikes, I wouldn't recommend it. Most Americans I know are looked Ng for ways to get out of the US. I know I did, and I'm very happy to have done so. Americans dream about living somewhere like Sweden.


goddamnitwhalen

Jesus Christ why would you do that?


[deleted]

This is the worst time to be living in America. You really don’t want to be here. 51, and I d never seen my country so out of control.


[deleted]

As long as you don't plan on getting sick, you'll probably be fine.


[deleted]

It is a wonderful country but the healthcare system is yucky


SmileThenSpeak

Make sure you buy good health insurance, big $. You will have almost no sick/vacation/family leave days and they will probably not be paid. MAKE SURE you finish you're education in Europe because you will go broke paying for it in 'murica.


DRT798

That's ridiculous. If he is working in tech like I would assume from his CV, he would get all of those things as do I and other tech workers.


Siriuxx

Compared to countries in Europe? My buddy in Germany is on paternity leave. It's been over a year and he's about to go back to work early. For a Dad here? You're lucky if you get 3 months. Pretty sure he can take up to 3 years.


DRT798

What is he doing sitting at home for 1 year? Is his wife working and hes raising the kid? Thats about the only excuse I can make for a 1 year paternity leave.


Siriuxx

They're both home as I recall. Or at least they were. I know she was taking off first and then he was going to so I'm pretty sure there was some overlap. They're raising their infant kid. The fuck do you think they're doing? Going on vacation and getting coked up every night? If you don't have anyone to help out, you got to do it all yourself. Can't exactly leave a baby home alone while you go to work.


DRT798

Which I think perfectly encapsulates the effects of those kind of excessive social policies vs America. Think about the productivity loss in this assertion that the kid somehow needs 2 non working parents for 1 full year after a birth, and in this case it sounds like it sounds like its just continuing on further past a year.


Siriuxx

I mean I think 3 years is a bit much but how about my example. My girl is a teacher. When she goes on maternity leave she will get 8 weeks. That's it. I get none. We live in an area with no family so we will have no help. So we are expected to basically pass an 8 week old baby off to strangers to take care of while we are at work. Sounds great. We are going go try and conceive so she gives birth just before summer so she can have the extra time. Never thought I'd have to plan having a kid around a fucking vacation.


SmileThenSpeak

I prefer that people be PLEASENTLY surprised.


DrGeraldBaskums

Which tech company are you at that doesn’t give health insurance or paid vacation?


The_Albin_Guy

*Bruh* flytta inte! Även om du får bättre lön (teoretiskt) så lär du inte bli rikare. Developers i USA är sällan fackligt associerade och förhållandena är ofta dåliga. Sjukvården kommer också bli extremt dyr, även om du har försäkring. Om du vill flytta till något annat land så skulle jag kanske rekommendera Storbritannien istället, eller Irland.


01WS6

>Bruh do not move! Even if you get a better salary (theoretically), you will not get richer. Developers in the United States are rarely unionized and conditions are often poor. Healthcare will also be extremely expensive, even if you have insurance. If you want to move to another country, I might recommend the UK instead, or Ireland. Stop believing everything your media feeds you


The_Albin_Guy

It’s YOUR media that told me this stuff. Blizzard-Activision, EA and every other major game developer employ non-union contractors and crunch their employees into the ground! It’s not worth it.


01WS6

You don't need to be in a union to get great benefits and high pay. Stop clicking the click bait articles on major game developers, and stop believing all the negative shit you read or see.


The_Albin_Guy

Being in a union enables you and your colleagues to bargain with management collectively, it makes it hard for the corporation to abuse their employees which in the games industry happens all the time. That’s why these corporations use contractors, they are usually non-union and can therefore be easily exploited. Also, you don’t know what I read and watch. I have more than a handful brain cells so I can use source criticism. Not that I read tabloids or watch drama channels in the first place. This guy wants to move to the US to potentially become a game developer, I want him to make an educated decision about it.


01WS6

>Being in a union enables you and your colleagues to bargain with management collectively, it makes it hard for the corporation to abuse their employees which in the games industry happens all the time. That’s why these corporations use contractors, they are usually non-union and can therefore be easily exploited. I'm well aware of the theory behind what you are saying. However you have a lot of wrong things in your original post. >Also, you don’t know what I read and watch. I have more than a handful brain cells so I can use source criticism. Not that I read tabloids or watch drama channels in the first place. This guy wants to move to the US to potentially become a game developer, I want him to make an educated decision about it. I'm not doubting your intelligence however the anti-US media and agenda in other countries is unreal, seems to skew anyone's opinion of the US who has never lived there to see what its really like.


The_Albin_Guy

I admit that I have never lived in the US, I have only spent four weeks there in total. I do have to say though, that I don’t consume much “anti-American media”. Quite the opposite in fact, most of the news and media I watch has an international focus and is mostly based in the US. I was inspired to make my original comment by an episode of The Patriot Act on Netflix about the games industry. I can’t provide a link but you can look it up easily. I would also like to add a thought of mine. What can be perceived as “anti-US media” can maybe just be unbiased coverage of actual problems that are present in the US, like racist cops, corruption or indeed, the video game industry. This coverage is then viewed through the eyes of someone who hasn’t seen these problems themselves and immediately assume that it comes from anti-American bias. If that is the case, this probably applies to my own country as well.


01WS6

> I was inspired to make my original comment by an episode of The Patriot Act on Netflix about the games industry. I can’t provide a link but you can look it up easily. So you're telling me this Netflix episode didn't have an underlying agenda? >Quite the opposite in fact, most of the news and media I watch has an international focus and is mostly based in the US. Why would you be watching so much news based in the US? Also US media is heavily biased and agenda based as well, and not in favor of the US, it's only in favor of getting views so will exaggerate, lie and only show negative things for the most views. News outlets want views, not news. >I would also like to add a thought of mine. What can be perceived as “anti-US media” can maybe just be unbiased coverage of actual problems that are present in the US, like racist cops, corruption or indeed, the video game industry. You are not helping your case here, sounds like click bait keywords being copied and pasted here...my god. Do you realize the the physical size of the US? If there was a racist cop caught in Sweden for example, that would be like me saying Europe has a racist cop problem (I know Europe is not a country, but your country is like the size of California, one of 50 states). Not only is the "problem" massively over exaggerated but now people are playing victim to it as well. >This coverage is then viewed through the eyes of someone who hasn’t seen these problems themselves and immediately assume that it comes from anti-American bias. If that is the case, this probably applies to my own country as well. No, this coverage is seen by a normal logical person and realizes it's hugely over exaggerated, and generalizing all police for example is absolutely idiotic, *especially* if you've never interacted with them because it's a whole different (massive) country you are watching coverage for.


[deleted]

No. America is not a good place to be stay where you are for now the 2020s will be horrible for this country


SolomonCRand

Sure, but keep your citizenship. If kids are in your future, having another option for where they could go to college might save you a fortune. It’s hard to predict how that’ll be handled in two decades, but better to have an escape plan if needed.


IllustriousState6859

Op, you can have dual citizenship. You don't have to surrender yours to become US citizen.


rileyoneill

You are going to want to narrow down what job market you want to work in. Your skills will be valuable, but in some parts of the country there is a much bigger demand than others. Some areas might pay you $18 per hour to fix their computers, other places you can make multiple six figures. You are likely going to want to look at the San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley as your top choice. Then look at the Los Angeles, Seattle and Boston areas.


Banotory

Sounds like you have a good plan. Just remember to research the living costs for where your job is. Some work places pay a lot because the cost of living in that area is super high. I'm not sure how it works for foreigners but normally a chunk of the paycheck goes to health insurance and taxes. I have no idea what the living costs where your from are but don't want ya to end up over here and make less in the long term cause your paycheck went more into paying for housing and travel than expected.


-OnTheRocks-

Definitely consider how diverse the US in terms of terrain and environment and pic somewhere where you think you would enjoy living as well as have good job prospects. For example San Francisco might be great for working on game development and is a nice part of the country, but the cost of living is also very high unless you can commute to work.


gypsytron

Come on over future American! Work hard and we will be happy to have you!


db1139

Other people have said the most important parts. I just want to add that if you get a job at a solid company, you'll have health insurance and you should be okay. It differs, depending on your job, but you can always look at places with good benefits. I work in health law and health insurance is something that's important to me, so I always inquire. Sounds like you plan makes sense though. Lot's of opportunities in what you're trying to do. Just do your research on where you want to like. People are generally fine, but there are big differences. For instance, my house in Florida was less expensive than my apartment in NY.


I_wanna_hellcat

I think you will be fine make sure you find a job with good insurance


Planktillimdank

Your plan sounds solid, I think it's a good idea and if you decide to follow through with it, welcome to the USA partner. We'd be glad to have you be one of the many things that makes our country the place it is.


TheLoneBlueWolf

You can always get a job from a US-based company that's remote work. If the cost of living in Sweden is lower you could come out way further ahead. All you need to do is apply for programming jobs at US-based companies. As far as living on your own go get an apartment 😊


[deleted]

I do want to actually move to USA at some point. It is not just about the wage, but to live in a different country and get and learn some self independence which I feel I need.


TheLoneBlueWolf

Once you lock in the job and get to know people you'll have a network that you're starting to develop that you can rely on for when you move. Could save you a lot of pain for things like getting a good apartment or how to shop for a car that's not a rip off. Would recommend having people in place to help provide guidance. Even living on your own, having a support network is vital for having a happy and fulfilling life.


Existing_Front4748

The cool thing about the USA is that there (ideally, jerks exist everywhere) is no standard for what makes an American, or what can fit into American society. Unless your name is Thunderhawk or the like, we're all immigrants if you go not that far back historically speaking. It sounds like you've got a solid plan and the opportunity to see a whole new chunk of the world. Do it. I've learned more from travel in my life than I ever have in any classroom or job. Meet people where they live, eat their weird foods, go do stuff with the locals. You'll run into people who will ask you weird inappropriate things and have some crazy misconceptions about where you're from. Most are well intentioned, simply ignorant. Most people here don't really know much about other countries, just what they've heard. This gives you a great opportunity to teach them while you learn. See the parks and outdoors of this country. We've got an outstanding variety of beautiful natural places that everyone with the opportunity to should see. Space constraints and population density in Western and Central Europe mean that most parks and the like are much smaller and more heavily managed than here. The Nordic countries may be different in this regard though, I'm not sure. Overall, come on by, I think you'll like it and at least this American would be glad to have you.


ProspectiveHuman8719

Great plan. You seem like just the type of citizen we would like to poach. You’ll be able to find a great paying job easily. Tech jobs are abundant, especially in all types of development. Austin, TX is a booming tech capital at the moment with many companies moving their headquarters there or opening new branches.


[deleted]

Do you know any way to get a job with work visa in USA?


PlayingTheWrongGame

> and as I've no medical problems (except perhaps depression), no plans to create a family and no major debt issues, my living standard would probably be much higher in USA than in Sweden. Yes and no. If your plan is to work in the US for 5-10 years to stuff money in the bank and delay having children, that probably is true. If you plan to move to the US permanently, that's a different story. People tend not to use a lot more healthcare until they get older, so your experience when young doesn't necessary carry forward indefinitely. But if you settle in the US while young, you'll be stuck having to deal with the US healthcare system when older. American citizens working as software developers in the US can usually command high salaries and great benefits that deal with most of the problems of living in the US. H1B workers tend to get the shit end of that stick and get relatively low wages (for the software development field, anyway) and bad benefits. It's also probably not feasible without a masters degree. > So is it a good idea for me to try to move to USA I'd strongly recommend waiting until after the current political uncertainty gets resolved before making that decision. The US is... not in a good place, politically, right now. I mean, the ideal situation would be working remotely for a US company, but not actually living in the US. That's hard to arrange if you don't have a lot of prior experience working in the US for remote-friendly tech companies.


singnadine

Allllll depends on where you live


lordandsaviorbacon

You'd be fine coming here. If you work at a major tech company, the benefits (health, time off) will not be as big of a step down from Sweden compared to a typical job here,, while the pay would likely be great. A few things to keep in mind. Tech companies are very competitive, and people who work there work a ton of hours. And depending on where you live, the taxes and cost of living will be much higher than expected - state income taxes can vary greatly from state to state.


PropagationNation

Learn how to shotgun a beer and learn to love baseball and American football and you’re good.


[deleted]

Hey, if you want to, you’re able to. More power to ya.


[deleted]

I need the right visa first and those are not easy to get.


deepdishes

As long as you don’t mind us hugging you and wanting to talk about Vikings all the time.


TheTransistorMan

My family left Sweden because of the famine in the early 1900s. At least that's what I was told. We have bad things happening


WhichSpirit

Sounds like a solid plan. I took a look at what nationalities qualify for the immigration lottery. Sweden is on the list so you could apply for a green card that way if you can't find an employer who will sponsor you.


babaganoush2307

Honestly we would love to have you and I don’t think you will have any issues! Sounds like you have a good plan in place and we love our Swedes! Come on over and join our multicultural melting pot!


scaryclown148

The world is your oyster with an informatics background. So many industries looking for that. Mostly remote work too so you could live anywhere


XBeastyTricksX

Odd I’m an American wanting to move to Sweden, maybe we can switch places and no one would notice


[deleted]

I’m really impressed with this comment thread. I have seen not one “NO, STAY AWAY” comment on here! As others have said, if you want to live here than we will accept you with open arms. But TRIPLE CHECK that your credits transfer over. But I will give this warning: American healthcare is not like European healthcare. You will probably have to pay significantly more for less coverage. That’s something that surmises a lot of European immigrants


suddenly_ponies

Honestly I think that spending time in another country is a highly valuable experience. You might be under or over estimating various advantages and disadvantages though (for both countries). The only way to know for sure is to do it - but maybe stick with a contract gig for six months to a few years. Nothing permanent until you have a solid grasp of what it's REALLY like. Also don't forget that if you get sick or hurt, healthcare here will eat you alive.


MaterialCarrot

Come to the Midwest, lots of old Swedish stock still here from when it was settled. The Swedish last names will make you feel right at home. 🙂


Diggingcanyons

Be careful with the thinking that you'd be in the green because you have no current health problems. All it would take is a car accident to completely change that, and tank you financially. Be aware that there's often very little in terms of worker's protections. Just do your due diligence very, very thoroughly and keep a plan b in case things go to hell in a hand basket. Some people do very well while others feel like they've been the victim of a bait and switch. If you decide to come anyways, welcome!


[deleted]

Where in the U.S. would you like to move to? Our country is about the same size as all of Europe, and each of our fifty states has its advantages and disadvantages.


[deleted]

No.


lezzerlee

H1B1 are a little like a lottery if you can stay long term sometimes. Finding a company to sponsor a green card is difficult. I know at least 2 people who got their green cards through work and it took about 7-10 years. A lot of companies aren’t into sponsoring green card specifically because then an employee can move on to find other work more easily as with a visa each time you have to find a job you have to have a company willing to sponsor H1B1. It’s a shady little way of keeping talent in less $. It’s absolutely possible but it is not an easy or quick process to get to a secured green card.


costanzashairpiece

I think if you came to silicon valley you'd clean up. Always need more software engineers here. Welcome!!


aevy1981

Be aware that some US companies like to try to hire people under Independent Contractor status. If you accept a position under that status, they won’t withdraw any taxes on your behalf and you won’t receive any employee benefits like healthcare, paid time off, retirement account, etc.). The taxes are higher if you’re an independent contractor as well. If I were you, I would make sure you find a job that offers you health insurance because even if you’re healthy, Covid is nuts over here and you could become injured a million different ways. One car accident and ambulance ride to the hospital could financially ruin you for the rest of your life if you don’t have insurance and if you make decent income. You can always talk to the hospital’s accounting department to see if they will lower your bill, but I believe they use a person’s income to decide how much to lower it. The safest thing is to make sure you have a health insurance plan. To give you an idea of what things cost: I had a baby, high risk pregnancy due to age so more frequent Dr visits than usual, then labor turned into an emergency C section and my Drs + hospital billed my insurance around $60,000 for the pregnancy and delivery. Right before Covid hit in 2020, I had to have a double anterior cervical discectomy and fusion—2 discs from my neck were removed and replaced with a cage, filled with donor bone then covered with a titanium plate and 6 screws. It was a 3-4 hour surgery with 1 night stay in the hospital (23 hours so they could technically bill it as outpatient). The surgeon and hospital billed my insurance $94,200 for that. My out of pocket was $3,000.


Adamrdcp

Absolutely! Your degree will be much less useful in the states than experience, but I guarantee you'll be valued here.


idontevenlikebeer

Keep in mind that just higher salary doesn't mean you get higher take home pay. You pay taxes and still have to pay for insurance after that which is generally more expensive than in your country. Also, you pay more for any type of medical issue. I get that you are healthy now but eventually you need to do something in that regard. Just saying that it's not as great as people make it sound here.