Moving to Sweden from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Syria to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Syria to Sweden, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Syria to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
2,515 ↓ 35% vs 2022

people moved from Syria to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Sweden?

Top countries of origin for Sweden's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Syria and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
SE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
SE
2.1

Sweden performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
SE
$7,770
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
SE
71.5

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
SE
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
SE
3.6t

Syria generally does better on environment, though Sweden leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
SE
40.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
SE
3.6%

Sweden performs significantly better than Syria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
SE
7.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
SE
$64,200

Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
SE
82.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
SE
2.3

Sweden performs significantly better than Syria across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Stockholm
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 69°/56°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 43°/36°F (6°/2°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Stockholm
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria and Sweden. To live, work, or study long-term in Sweden, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sweden's immigration authority.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Required
Syria passport holders need a visa to enter Sweden.
Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sweden passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Syria.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sweden?

With 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sweden can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Syria and Sweden.

Is Sweden safe for expats?

Sweden performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Syria?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Sweden?

The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY SE
Population 21,563,800 10,483,647
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Swedish Krona (SEK)
Languages Arabic Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +46
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112