Relocating to a new country for work is a decision that can stem from either a long-pursued dream or an irrefutable opportunity. For Nhung Nguyen, a Front-end Developer at Qbrick, the journey to Sweden was not something she had actively planned; rather, it was an unexpected opportunity that came through a friend’s recommendation at a crucial moment in her career when she was seeking new challenges to expand her skill set.
Although she had never considered living and working abroad before, she took a leap of faith, updated her CV, engaged with Comstream, the intermediary recruitment company, and ultimately secured a role in Sweden. That was a bold move for Nguyen, who had never been outside her country, and in December 2021, she embarked on a transformative experience filled with professional and personal growth.
Adjusting to life in Sweden was not all rainbows and unicorns. From enduring winter darkness to navigating public services, Nguyen faced some challenges along the way. Simple aspects of daily life, such as making appointments for public services, were initially unfamiliar to her. Additionally, she faced some issues with bureaucracy, leading to an extended waiting period for her work permit renewal. However, throughout these challenges, she has enthusiastically embraced her new life: “In Sweden, they stay true to the definition of work-life balance.”
Nguyen’s dedication and adaptability have not gone unnoticed. Qbrick’s CTO, Niklas Hagelroth, emphasizes how well she has integrated into the team: “We are happy to have Nhung in our team. It has turned out very well with her in all aspects. She is a great developer and a valuable member of our team. The support from Comstream throughout the process, from finding the right candidate to handling all the practicalities, has also been invaluable.”
In the interview below, Nhung Nguyen shares how she’s built an exciting new life for herself in Sweden, learning and evolving every step of the way.
TechTalents Insights: How was your decision to apply for a role in Sweden? When you learned about the position, were you considering relocating to another country?
Nhung Nguyen: The opportunity came to me by chance. I was working at the Vietnam branch of a German software company. After nearly 4 years working there, I thought I needed a new challenge to grow my skill set. However, at that time, it was just a thought, an intention; I had not updated my CV or looked for opportunities anywhere. At that time, a friend of mine, who was already working in Stockholm, contacted me about a job opportunity in Sweden. I had never considered living and working abroad, but it cost nothing to try. So, I read the job requirements, updated my CV, and through my friend, I had a meeting with Comstream to talk about the job. And luckily, I seized the opportunity.
TechTalents Insights: What were the most significant challenges during your relocation? For example, were there any challenges in finding housing or navigating public services?
Nhung Nguyen: I had never been abroad before until I came to Sweden. Everything was so new to me, from the culture to the people and the daily life. However, I already had the experience of being far from home; my hometown is a small town in a province of the North Central Coast, so I had to move to a big city in Vietnam to pursue higher education. I lived far from my hometown for ten years in Vietnam.
Coming from a country where I don’t need to make an appointment for any public service, I was surprised that I had to make an appointment for every service here in Sweden, either public service or bank service.
It took me nearly two months to get all the necessary documents, such as the ID card, bank account, BankID enabled on my phone, etc. Luckily, I didn’t experience the struggle of finding a place to rent when I had just arrived here. Comstream helped me find a studio I really liked, and I stayed there for over 2 years.
TechTalents Insights: You faced some issues when extending the permit. How was that?
Nhung Nguyen: I applied for an extension in June 2022 and then had to wait; in July 2023, I was shocked when they denied it because of a detail about advertising of my position. So, one month later, we appealed, and I started waiting again.
It took quite some time, and I left Sweden in May 2024 to spend a few months in Vietnam, prepared for the possibility that my appeal might be denied. Two days after traveling to Vietnam, I received the notification that my appeal had been accepted — which didn’t mean that the extension had been granted, just that the Swedish Migration Agency would process my application again… In July 2024, I requested them to conclude the case; after one month, the extension was finally granted. I was still in Vietnam, so I went to the Embassy there for the biometry and then waited for the work permit card to be sent from Sweden to Vietnam; this final stage took a couple of months. In October 2024, more than 2 years after my first application for the extension, I was back in Sweden. It was quite a long journey.
TechTalents Insights: How does the work culture in Sweden compare to your previous experiences?
Nhung Nguyen: I worked in Vietnam for two companies; one was Vietnamese, and the other was German. The big difference between Vietnamese and Swedish work cultures is the work-life balance; here in Sweden, you have time for your private matters, for your friends, family, your boyfriend or girlfriend, and during vacation, you completely disconnect from work because no colleague will contact you, not even if there’s an urgent matter. So, in Sweden, they stay true to the very definition of work-life balance. In Vietnam, it’s not like there’s no work-life balance, but the boundaries between work and life are not as clear as in Sweden.
Maybe because the IT industry is relatively new in Vietnam, IT workers are young, and the country as a whole has lots of young people — you know, when the population pyramid has a big base. In Vietnam, I was one of the oldest employees in my company’s tech team [laughs]. In Sweden, I am one of the youngest people in the company, and I am 32 now. The way young people work and socialize is different from the way experienced people work and socialize.
So, another difference is that in Vietnam, we were not just colleagues; we were also friends after working hours, talking about everything, maybe because when people are so young, we are more open; we’re not at this moment when you go back to your family after work. In Sweden, your colleagues are not necessarily your friends. Many people who relocate to Sweden find it hard to make friends here. Maybe I’m a bit introverted, but in Vietnam, it was not hard for me to make friends at all; here, it’s more difficult. I’m lucky to have many Vietnamese friends here, some of whom I already knew from Vietnam. I don’t know what I would be without them!
TechTalents Insights: What do you enjoy most about your current role?
Nhung Nguyen: It’s all the technical things I can study and learn. There’s no boring, dull working day at all. That was why I wanted to change jobs; I wanted something more challenging.
TechTalents Insights: The English proficiency of Swedes is among the highest globally. However, are there any moments, either at work or outside work, when speaking Swedish is necessary?
Nhung Nguyen: Sometimes I wish I could speak Swedish, yes. When you live in a foreign country and speak the local language, making friends becomes much easier. I am trying to learn the language. I am making some efforts, but not so successful yet. It’s not going so well [laughs].
TechTalents Insights: You relocated to Sweden in December 2021. How was your first winter there?
Nhung Nguyen: Vietnam is a tropical country and very humid, so it’s very different, of course. I had never seen snow before. During my first winter here, the temperature was around -10, even -20 degrees Celsius. Luckily, my Vietnamese friend here had some experience with the Swedish winter and told me beforehand how to prepare and shared all the tips to avoid freezing.
TechTalents Insights: What do you enjoy most about living in Sweden?
Nhung Nguyen: I think it’s how the weather magically changes from winter to spring, and the endless days in summer. Everything goes dark and grey in winter, and nothing can be more depressing. But when spring comes, the sky is suddenly blue; there are flowers and green everywhere, and it all happens within a few weeks! In the summer, lovely sunshine is everywhere, and I have more time to stroll around the city, till 11 in the evening.
Also, being in Sweden allows me to travel and visit a lot of European countries. I have already visited a few and have plans to visit more in the near future.
TechTalents Insights: What would you recommend to European companies considering relocating a non-European candidate?
Nhung Nguyen: European companies should know about the immigration laws and how to process them smoothly. They have an essential role in making the process easier for non-European workers.
TechTalents Insights: What would you recommend to a software developer considering a move to Sweden?
Nhung Nguyen: Learn about the culture, the people, and the immigration law beforehand, and prepare yourself for any possibilities, positive and negative.
TechTalents Insights: From your perspective, how do Swedish and, more broadly, European companies benefit from hiring non-Europeans?
Nhung Nguyen: From my experience, hiring non-Europeans brings new work cultures into a company. These diverse cultures can contribute positive aspects that can be adapted and integrated into the local work culture. And most non-European workers are younger, which makes the work environment more dynamic.
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