Text: Lisa Wallström/Marczak & Utterström Translation: Sophie Miskiw

When Jyoti Wakchaure Kadukar moved from India to Sweden, it took several years before she grasped the Swedish security system. Now, she uses Instagram and YouTube to help new Swedes understand how unemployment insurance works.

Moving to a new country and getting to grips with how everything works is challenging. Jyoti, who originally comes from India, can attest to that. Entering the Swedish labour market – and grasping all the terms and regulations – was more difficult than she had anticipated.

“I feel like you have to figure out a lot on your own. No one really informs you of how things work. That’s part of why immigrants take so long to integrate,” she says.

It wasn’t until nearly eight years in Sweden that Jyoti felt she understood all the social security systems available.

Jyoti moved from Bangalore, India, to Sweden in 2016 with her husband. At the time, she left a demanding job as a marketing manager at a large company.

“The work pace was intense. I had both budget and staff responsibilities and was constantly working. Bangalore is a huge city, and the commute to work was long,” she explains

Her husband, a software engineer, also worked long hours with a tight schedule. 

Despite having a beautiful home, family close by, and successful careers, they longed for a more balanced work and family life – and decided to move to Sweden.

They settled in Gothenburg, where Jyoti’s husband quickly landed a job as an engineer at Volvo. However, despite holding a degree in marketing and having experience in sales and project management, Jyoti hasn’t found it as easy to secure a permanent position. 

“I’ve had several temporary jobs, some of which were stimulating and rewarding, but I’ve also had a few bad experiences,” she shares.

I get so much feedback from others who are new here and lack access to information, so I feel like I’m making a difference.

Some colleagues suggested she join the unemployment insurance fund (a-kassa) to have an income in case her contract wasn’t renewed.

“My husband also heard about a-kassa from his coworkers at Volvo, so I decided to join,” she says.

To help other newcomers, Jyoti now runs the Instagram account @jyotiinsweden and the YouTube channel Sparkle witty Jyoti, where she shares her experience and provides information about life in Sweden.

“I get so much feedback from others who are new here and lack access to information, so I feel like I’m making a difference,” she says. 

 

Name: Jyoti Wakchaure Kadukar 

Age: 40

Location: Gothenburg

Family: Husband and seven-year-old daughter

Occupation: Works in sales and marketing. Also runs the Instagram account @jyotiinsweden and the Youtube-channel “Sparkle with Jyoti”.