Hi guys, Lilo here! I'm from Philippines. I'm working as a call center agent in my country. I just graduated college last March, 2014 and after 2 months of applying for a job, I luckily got hired. My salary is just enough for myself however I am obliged as a daughter to help my retired father and little brother on their everyday lives as well so basically, I have this plan of living in Sweden as my latino-swedish boyfriend suggested me to work in Sweden for better salary and ofcourse, for better life. Upon reading some posts here, It's hard to find jobs especially if you don't speak swedish. My boyfriend and his mother are encouraging me to move to Sweden in 3 months. I admit, I'd like to move to another country but at the same, I have this 2nd thought, what will happen if I can't find a job while I'm in Sweden. I'm a positive thinker but the fact that everything will be new for me like new place, environment, society and culture gives me that feeling I need to start from the basic for a new journey by myself away from my family.
I hope someone can give me some heads up or some set of expectations before I move to Sweden. Thanks a lot. 
I'm from Philippines
Hello!
As much as I love pinay's...the west "richer" countries is hard for filipinos to move to in general. And Sweden is no exception as we do not have many lower paid jobs that foreigners do work with...except for example cleaning and babysitting.
Yes work is hard to find in Sweden...and if you're not lucky I'm pretty sure you won't find work for many years upon arrival...but its all about personal connections... (someone knows someone that can hire u or something like that)
Here is my real life example:
I have a 26yo filipina gf and she's a certified midwife in Philippines. But as Swedish jobs require that you know the language you will have to count in 1-3 years of language studying before.....
As the filipino education doesn't mean sh*t in Sweden, you will need to study for about 5 more years in order to become a nurse...after that you need to study about 2-3 years I think for becoming a midwife.
This because in Sweden the only way to become a midwife is to advance through nurse profession.
Sweden love statistics ...it takes on average about 7 years for a foreigner to get a job in Sweden from arrival.
You said you work in a call centers? Sweden usually have a bit smaller organizations that require more from the individual than Philippines (USA inspired call centers)....and thus, isn't that easy to find at all, so I wouldn't count on it.
What kind of call center is it? Technical?
To add on, do not rely on being able to provide for your family if you are moving here...and I would advise against promises from your bf about helping...as it isnt really his responsibility and you (your family actually) shouldn't depend on him.
Now this might be a reality check for you....yes but don't be too negative also....
I suggest perhaps finding an au pair family to "work" for in Sweden as a way to get into Sweden. Now this is hard...but a way to come in to Sweden, study the language and getting a little bit paid at the same time (about 3000-4000 SEK a month)
Now on the other hand...if you manage to establish in Sweden you can help your family more easily than ever....!
I suggest you to read up a bit on destphil forum (google it), there is a english speaking forum there even though its not big.
Hi Corniz,
Thank you so much Corniz for the reply. I really appreciate it. Well, as you mentioned, It's not easy to live in Sweden for Filipinos like me. I do agreed with you and I also do believe that there's no easy way to anything in the world. First of all, I was invited by my boyfriend and his family that I should move to Sweden with them as soon as possible because they think I could live better with them and as well as I could help my family here in Philippines. By the way, as I continue reading your post, you mentioned that I shouldn't think about coming in Sweden just to support my family and be dependent on my boyfriend. You are right about that. In fact, I am also thinking about helping him with regard to money. Since he wanted me to live with him, Of course, I'd be dependent on him because I need to study and learn about the language AT FIRST. I'm a Filipina and your girlfriend is Filipina too, right? So somehow you already have an idea of the way we think about life and future. Here in Philippines, we think about supporting our family first before ourselves and the fact that my boyfriend's family offered me to move to Sweden, Of course, I answered YES because it's an opportunity for me to be with my boyfriend and to find my luck in other country as well.
He's planning to support my family for a while but it doesn't mean that I'd be dependent on him forever. Like me, I doesn't like being dependent on someone else if I could just support myself. That's the reason why I have to learn Swedish language for me to help him after that because as you said, me and my family are not responsibility of him. I didn't ask him to support my family though, it's his own decision to help me while I'm in Sweden with him and it doesn't mean that I will just sit down and watch him do everything for us and for my family in Philippines. :-)
I really do appreciate the things that you shared but like I've said, I'm not just going to other country to have a better life. Whatever work is available for me, I have to deal with it. If it's gonna take a while for me to work then I need to be strong enough to face it and still stick to what my boyfriend and I planned. If your girlfriend is a certified midwife and had a hard time finding a job in Sweden, then I just need to do my best in any way that I can just to help him. He's an artist, I'm an artist so I think we could work together have income and sustain our lives and to support my family too.
Thanks for the concern corniz. I hope you have a better life with your girlfriend right now.
Best regards,
Lilo
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