Originally Posted by
DiegoFrogs
Expensive as hell! I live in Sweden, and I've been to Denmark a bunch of times, and both seem to be very outdoor/nature oriented. They seem to make a big point of soaking up as much sun as they can when they get it. They'll sit outside on a cold, sunny day eating ice cream or drinking cold beer.
For what it's worth, I was 31 when I moved here. An advanced technical degree is helpful for finding employment (as it is everywhere). More important for me was actually the industrial experience that I had in my industry. As it was, my employer had to convince the government that there was nobody in Sweden that could do my job, and then that there was nobody within the European Union that could do it either. Suffice to say, the process was lengthy even after I accepted my job offer.
Most foreigners I know either came here as refugees or because of a girl...
Actually, a PhD is an automatic residence permit, without the needs-based requirement in Sweden. FWIW, I don't find Sweden that expensive. Just cut back and it's OK. Stockholm/Copenhagen aren't so bad if you live within your means.
The easiest country to understand if you'd gain residence within is Denmark. Once you have a Danish visa, it's good for all of Schengen.
Just take the test here:
New to Denmark - The Greencard scheme
They're quite open about it. I lived with my gf for 18 months in Germany (registered at the same address) ... so I got an automatic co-habitating partner residence permit.