<figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f97d4b5ca383fe7cf0c6?format=jpeg" height="1349" width="1799" alt="Woman, man, and kid on beach near Kattegat Se"><figcaption>Our American family has loved building a life in Sweden, but we're not sure if we'll be able to stay.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><ul class="summary-list"><li>After my husband got a job in Sweden, our American family relocated and put down roots here.</li><li>When my husband's game studio closed a few years later, we saw just how fragile those roots were.</li><li>Now we're fighting to stay in the country we've made our home, while preparing to say goodbye.</li></ul><p>I've never had a problem with commitment.</p><p>I got married at 18, and our relationship is still going strong 23 years later. Ten years ago, I started my own business and never looked back.</p><p>When something feels right, I don't waste time keeping my options open. I go all in. So when my husband, Jarrod, got a video-game development <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-work-life-balance-american-expat-happiness-burnout-2023-5">job in Sweden</a> in 2022, we committed.</p><p>We bought a home, enrolled our son in school, registered my business, and started learning the language. We made friends, shopped local, and got Swedish driver's licenses.</p><p>Unfortunately, none of that matters much when your visa is tied to an employer.</p><h2 id="da94b492-cb87-4632-bb86-f964e086a49a" data-toc-id="da94b492-cb87-4632-bb86-f964e086a49a">At first, moving to Sweden felt like a smart plan — and we adapted well </h2><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f9674b5ca383fe7cf0c2?format=jpeg" height="2856" width="4284" alt="Man and woman smiling in yard"><figcaption>Our move to Sweden wasn't an impulsive decision.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><p>To be clear, uprooting our lives to <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-live-near-husbands-family-bad-idea-uk-relocation-2026-10">live in another country</a> wasn't a willy-nilly decision.</p><p>Before agreeing to the job and the move, we visited Skövde in person and met with several founding members of Jarrod's prospective studio. It seemed as well-managed and stable as any game studio can be, and Jarrod was excited to jump into the role as art director.</p><p>Plus, there were several other video-game studios in town. Video games can be a fickle business, and this meant there could be other local employment opportunities if something went sideways.</p><p>We also checked out the schools and the housing market. We ended up buying a great home on Billingen Mountain.</p><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f96694c155f6acb2df3b?format=jpeg" height="3468" width="4624" alt="Living room with yellow and gray couches, view of trees and snow from windowe"><figcaption>We bought a home with enough space for our whole family.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><p>It's big enough for two home offices, a playroom, and a guest room for our American family and friends — but with a small yard, so the maintenance isn't overwhelming.</p><p>The yard even has an apple tree with a swing that's the perfect size for our son, and he stops to play on it every day when he gets home from school.</p><p>As much as we missed our friends and family back in the US, we spent the next few years settling into a lovely <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-sweden-for-work-benefits-great-for-parents-2025-3">life in Sweden</a>. </p><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f9674b5ca383fe7cf0c3?format=jpeg" height="2268" width="3025" alt="Kid on swing below apple tree with car in distance"><figcaption>Our son loves swinging each day when he gets home from school.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><p>We continued practicing the language and building community — and got very accustomed to the <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paying-50000-for-childcare-working-mom-2026-7">affordable childcare</a> and accessible healthcare.</p><p>We adapted to the seasons and local quirks, too. I created a sunset coffee routine to survive the winter when the sun sets shortly after 3 p.m. And I bought blackout curtains for when the sun sets after 10 p.m. in the summer.</p><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f966f5f059691404a9c8?format=jpeg" height="3468" width="4624" alt="Woman and child building snowman in backyard in Sweden"><figcaption>Soon, we learned how to enjoy Sweden in every season.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><p>Sweden truly became our home; a place we could imagine living in for the long haul. </p><h2 id="4bee579b-9484-416a-a132-0d7cbb902d5d" data-toc-id="4bee579b-9484-416a-a132-0d7cbb902d5d"><strong>My husband's job loss reminded us that the life we had here was built on fragile ground</strong></h2><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f96694c155f6acb2df3aformat=jpeg" height="1547" width="2751" alt="Man holding child's hand along water in Lysekil"><figcaption>After a few years, the future of the life we had built in Sweden felt uncertain.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><p>A few years later, when Jarrod's studio closed with little warning, we were reminded that our life here was contingent on that job.</p><p>As Americans here on a <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/h-1b-winners-losers-companies-industries-applicants-policies-2026-10">work visa</a>, even homeownership doesn't grant us the right to stay in Sweden. And with his particular permit, Jarrod was given three months to find a comparable position or leave the country.</p><p>Unfortunately, the economy has shifted since we created our contingency plan. A large percentage of local game studios had closed, and none of the remaining ones had art-director positions available.</p><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f96794c155f6acb2df3c?format=jpeg" height="1842" width="3275" alt="Woman hugging kid near water with boats in background in Grundsund"><figcaption>We love the life we've built in Sweden but aren't sure if we'll be able to keep it.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><p>So, Jarrod's job search extended to surrounding cities, like Gothenburg and Stockholm. </p><p>Unfortunately, finding another position in an already struggling industry has proven harder than we'd anticipated. Plus, <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-foreign-worker-restrictions-h1b-visa-foreign-talent-recruitment-2025-9">hiring a non-citizen</a> feels like a big ask because of the bureaucratic red tape and costs that can come with it. </p><p>Thankfully, my business earns enough to cover our expenses. So even before Jarrod's job search began, I contacted the Swedish Migration Agency office to let them know we are self-sufficient.</p><p>Meanwhile, Jarrod began working with several former colleagues to launch a new game studio, creating their own employment opportunities in an industry where jobs were disappearing.</p><p>However, until the studio can pay him a salary, that work doesn't qualify as employment for immigration purposes. Ultimately, the agency has asked us to leave, and we have formally appealed that decision.</p><p>I began wondering if it was naive of me to think we could <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-move-to-sweden-2017-2">build a life in Sweden</a> — maybe even entitled.</p><p>We'd come here legally, paid taxes, learned the language, and bought a property. It was frustrating to feel like all of the ways we've integrated into the country over the past years didn't seem to matter.</p><h2 id="9c57e347-6bc5-479c-9e8e-0893efc87d4b" data-toc-id="9c57e347-6bc5-479c-9e8e-0893efc87d4b">We're fighting to stay, but preparing to leave</h2><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae9f967f5f059691404a9c9?format=jpeg" height="2268" width="4032" alt="Woman and young boy at windmills in Fiskebackskil"><figcaption>Even if we can't stay in Sweden, I don't regret committing to a life here.<p class="copyright">Courtesy of Michelle Clardie</p></figcaption></figure><p>For now, I'm continuing to <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sabbatical-upaid-best-career-move-launched-startup-raised-millions-2022-3">run my business in Sweden</a>; my husband is trying to build his; and we're working through the appeal process with the help of our local attorney to see if we can remain here.</p><p>Each time I check the mail, I hold my breath. Best-case scenario: I get notified that our visa has been renewed for two more years. Worst-case scenario: I find a notice of denial and a legal demand that we leave by a certain date. Most likely scenario: our Telia phone bill.</p><p>Despite everything, I don't think the lesson here is to live with reservations moving forward. Committing less wouldn't have made the last four years any better. </p><p>I don't know whether we'll get to stay in this country — but I do know that when our son gets home from school tomorrow, he's going to stop for a swing under our apple tree.</p><p>And even if our time here ends up being temporary, buying a home and <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-move-to-sweden-2016-2">assimilating to life in Sweden</a> has been an unforgettable adventure for all of us.</p><div class="read-original">Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-family-moved-to-sweden-for-job-not-going-well-2026-11">Business Insider</a></div>
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