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For many international hires, housing is the hardest part of moving to Sweden, harder than the permit. It also blocks other steps: you need an address to register, and you need to be registered for almost everything else.
Why the queue doesn't help newcomers
Many rental apartments in Stockholm are given out by queue time. Through Bostadsförmedlingen, Stockholm's housing queue, the average queue time for an ordinary rental was about 9 years in 2025, and 21 years in the inner city. Join the queue anyway, as the time adds up, but plan to live somewhere else first.
What newcomers often do
- Corporate or serviced apartment for the first months, sometimes paid by the employer.
- Second-hand contract (andrahand): renting from someone who holds the first-hand contract or owns the apartment.
- New-build rentals, where queue times are often shorter.
How second-hand contracts work
- Subletting a rental needs the landlord's consent or the rent tribunal's (hyresnämnden) permission, which needs a valid reason and is usually given for up to a year at a time.
- A tenant who sublets without permission risks losing the apartment, which could leave you with nowhere to live. Ask whether the sublet has been approved.
- Get a written contract with the rent, the period, the notice period and what's included (electricity, internet, furniture).
- The rent for a sublet can't be higher than a reasonable rent.
How to spot a rental scam
The Police warn that rental scams happen all year round. Their advice:
- Never pay in advance before you have seen the apartment and the contract is signed.
- Be careful if the landlord is abroad or can't meet you, but still wants money in advance.
- Don't pay through anonymous payment services.
- Check that the apartment exists, and bring a friend or relative to the viewing.
Check who you're dealing with: ask the landlord for ID, confirm with the property owner that they are allowed to sublet, and get a written contract.
How employers can help
- Pay for, or arrange, the first months in temporary housing, so the employee can register at a real address straight away.
- Give a signed employment certificate (anställningsintyg) and a contact person landlords can call.
- Use a relocation provider for viewings, especially for families.
- Remind the employee to report every move to Skatteverket within a week, and to update their address with HR.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the housing queue in Stockholm?
In 2025 the average queue time for an ordinary rental through Bostadsförmedlingen was about 9 years, and 21 years for the inner city. Queues for new builds are often shorter.
Can I register (folkbokföring) at a sublet address?
You register at the address where you live, giving the full address and the name of the person you're staying with. Your name must be on the door or mailbox, and Skatteverket cannot register c/o addresses.
Is it legal to rent an apartment second-hand in Sweden?
Yes, with the landlord's consent or permission from the rent tribunal. A tenant who sublets without permission risks losing the apartment.
Moving for work? How Settio helps
Settio helps employers and immigration and relocation agencies run the whole move in one place, so the person moving can focus on settling in:
- Before the move: one plan for the permit and the move, with every step and deadline. A partner and children get their own steps in the same household.
- After arrival: the employee portal shows the newcomer their next steps on their phone, in their language, from registering after arrival to help for settling in.
- When the permit runs out: permit monitoring flags the extension in good time.
HR teams and agencies can start for free. Moving yourself? Try our free tools for life in Sweden.
More in our guide toRelocating to Sweden
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