Episodios

  • Why is Sweden deporting young adult children of permanent residents?
    Aug 16 2025

    In this week's episode we talk about the resurrection of Northvolt and what new ownership will mean for the bankrupt battery maker.

    We also ask if the government is likely to do anything to stop the trend of young adults being deported while their working parents are allowed to stay in Sweden.

    Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and James Savage.

    Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

    Northvolt
    • KEY POINTS: What do we know about the rescue of Swedish battery company Northvolt?
    • Lyten agrees to buy bankrupt Swedish battery company Northvolt
    Immigration
    • Will Sweden’s government act to stop ‘teen deportations’?
    • Why is Sweden's 2021 migration law leading to 'teen deportations'?
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    18 m
  • Why Sweden’s right-wing parties are bickering over call to freeze trade with Israel
    Aug 9 2025

    In this week's episode we talk about Sweden’s return to day-to-day life as the summer holidays wind down. In politics we discuss divisions on the right on how to deal with Israel, and we dig into reactions to news that the Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson uses Chat GPT to test out new ideas.

    Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelist Richard Orange.

    Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

    Swedish traditions
    • Eight phrases to get back in the groove like a Swede after the summer holidays
    Weather
    • MAP: The places in northern Sweden that set new heat records in July
    • Tourists seeking 'coolcations' in Norway and Sweden hit by heatwaves instead
    Politics
    • Politics in Sweden: Swedish right divided over relations with Israel
    • Christian Democrat leader slammed for claiming Israel 'doing the world a favour'
    Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts

    Sign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

    Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

    • For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
    • For new members: Get Membership+

    Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.

    Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    15 m
  • Why are Sweden and Denmark going different ways on work permits
    Aug 2 2025

    In this week's episode we bring in The Local's Denmark editor, Michael Barrett, to talk about why Denmark is liberating its work permit rules at the same time as Sweden is tightening up. And we assess Sweden’s big political experiment: a centre-right government backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats. Three years on, how has it been working?

    Host Richard Orange is joined this week by The Local's publisher James Savage and Denmark editor Michael Barrett.

    Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:


    Work Permits
    • Denmark to ease work permit rules for 16 non-EU countries
    • Sweden raises work permit salary threshold to almost 30,000 kronor
    Politics
    • Can Kristersson convince voters to give him another term?


    Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts

    Sign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

    Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

    • For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
    • For new members: Get Membership+
    • Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.

    Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    33 m
  • Work permit salary thresholds: Does exempted job list mean anything?
    Jul 30 2025

    This week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers features an interview with Hanna Geurtsen, the Migration Agency official responsible for overseeing a new list of jobs which could be exempted from a future salary threshold for work permits. She tells us how and why the list was put together, what it consists of, and what practical impact, if any, it is likely to have.


    Membership+ subscribers can listen to the interview in the latest episode of Sweden in Focus Extra.


    Read also:


    • Swedish Migration Agency rates just two jobs as 'high risk' for work permits
    • REVEALED: The 152 jobs that could be excused minimum salary for a Swedish work permit


    Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    18 m
  • Why Swedes stay home in summer (and it's not for the rain)
    Jul 26 2025

    In this week's episode we talk about 'cloudburst-like rain' and what to do if your house is flooded, we talk about why Swedes tend to stay home in the summer, and we talk about what it's like to have a baby in Sweden.


    Floods

    How can you protect your Swedish home against downpours?

    Swedish summer

    'On a sunny day, it can't be beat': The best things about spending summer in Sweden

    Having babies

    How to use Swedish parental leave to spend four months with your baby back home

    What you need to know about giving birth in Sweden


    Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts

    Sign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

    Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

    • For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
    • For new members: Get Membership+

    Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.

    Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    23 m
  • Is your Swedish good enough for university? – Quiz 11
    Jul 23 2025

    It’s time again to learn some Swedish as our panelists try their hand at the tricky vocabulary section of Högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam.

    Host Paul O’Mahony in Stockholm is joined this week from Malmö by The Local's Becky Waterton and Richard Orange.

    READ ALSO:

    • SWEDISH TEST: Can you pass the vocab part of Sweden's version of the SAT?
    • What you need to know about applying to university in Sweden
    • The seven stages of learning Swedish every foreigner goes through


    Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    11 m
  • Can Sweden's migration minister survive scandal of son's extremist links?
    Jul 19 2025

    In this week's episode we talk about revelations that the son of Johan Forssell, Sweden's migration minister, has been active in far-right extremist groups and how the scandal is affecting the government.

    We also discuss what's behind a recent spate of redundancies in Sweden's games sector, an industry that employs a disproportionately high number of foreign workers.

    Politics
    • Swedish minister vows to stay on despite son's links to white supremacist groups
    • INTERVIEW: Probe into minister's relative has revealed 'threat to Swedish security'
    Working in Sweden
    • 'Awesome people get pushed away': What's happening in the Swedish gaming industry?
    • The seven bizarre traditions that make up Swedish Midsummer
    Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts

    Sign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

    Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

    • For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
    • For new members: Get Membership+

    Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.

    Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    17 m
  • Is your Swedish good enough for university? – Quiz 10
    Jul 12 2025

    In this week's episode we once again bring you a Swedish language quiz as The Local's journalists answer multiple choice questions from the vocabulary section of Högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam.

    Host Paul O’Mahony is joined for the quiz by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange.

    READ ALSO:

    • SWEDISH TEST: Can you pass the vocab part of Sweden's version of the SAT?
    • What you need to know about applying to university in Sweden
    • The seven stages of learning Swedish every foreigner goes through


    Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    15 m