In this week’s episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, we hear from the Umeå-based Canadian writer. Mandy Pipher about what it's been like moving to Umeå in northern Sweden.

Mandy wrote recently in an article for The Local about the ignorance and prejudices people from Norrland often face about a region that makes up more than half of Sweden’s surface area.

We wanted to catch up with her to find out more about why she moved to Umeå and what kind of reactions she has had when telling people about her move to northern Sweden.

She also talks about the complicated history underpinning many southerners' preconceived notions about a part of the country she describes as 'magical' in many respects.

Tune in to this week's episode for the full interview with Mandy Pipher.

READ ALSO:

• Why northern Swedes feel ignored and underappreciated
• Five reasons why Sweden is not the Canada of Europe

Sweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers.

Sign up to Membership+ 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.

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In this week's episode we talk about why northern Sweden doesn’t get the recognition it deserves from southerners, and we prepare for the annual Lucia festivities by getting to know some of the most common songs that are sung to mark the day.

For membership+ subscribers we find out why Swedish publishers have reported Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the police.

Finally we examine how new Swedish migration rules could affect foreign residents in 2026.

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

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

• Why northern Swedes feel ignored and underappreciated

• Things you should NEVER say to a Swede on Lucia day
• The historical dark side of Sweden's Lucia tradition

• Swedish media body reports Mark Zuckerberg to police over scam ads

The link we mention for reporting scam ads isn't live yet. We'll add it here once it's up.

• How new Swedish migration rules could affect foreign residents in 2026

• Why does the Swedish right love to bash SVT?

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+

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• For new members: Get Membership+

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

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Can our panelists pass the vocabulary section of högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam?

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and James Savage.

Do you know what a nässeldjur is? None of our panelists did. Tune in to see how you fare in our multiple-choice quiz.

Already a Membership+ subscriber? Make sure to activate Sweden in Focus Extra via the podcast tab on your account page.

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

Sweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers.

Sign up to Membership+ 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+

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

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In this week's episode we talk about Sweden’s immigrant deportation centres and why reports of miserable conditions there should concern everyone in Sweden.

We also discuss the two-decades old murder in a religious sect of a pastor’s wife in a case that gripped Sweden for months at the time.

With 2026 nearly upon us, we hear some of The Local’s readers’ predictions for what next will bring.

Finally, a Sweden Democrat youth leader argued at the weekend that Islam has no place in Sweden. Is this kind of extreme comment a harbinger of what’s to come if the far-right party gets its first ever ministerial appointments after next year’s election?

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

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Here's the Black Friday deal mentioned in the introduction.

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And here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• Swedish migration detention centres slammed for causing 'unnecessary suffering'
• Why the state of Sweden's detention centres matters for all of us
• 'Poor training at Swedish deportation centres risks improper treatment'
• Swedish migration detention centre 'a prison in every way'

• ARCHIVE: Why a Swedish town notorious for murder is back in the spotlight

• TELL US: What are your predictions for life in Sweden in 2026?

• Leader of Sweden Democrat youth group: 'Islam has no place in Sweden'
• Sweden Democrat youth wing leader calls for US-style 'ICE' police force

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

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In this week’s episode we hear a conversation our Nordic editor Richard Orange had recently with Sasan Kazemian, an Iranian doctor who quit his job and left Sweden for Iran in September after he was refused a work permit extension.

We’ve spoken to him previously for the podcast and wanted to catch up again to find out about his application to return to Sweden on a Blue Card visa.

But any hopes he had of coming back to his girlfriend and apartment in Huddinge have been put on hold after the Migration Agency deemed him a “threat to public order”.

Having spent lots of time and money learning Swedish and getting his Swedish medical qualifications, Kazemian is determined to return. But how likely is it that he’ll win his appeal?

Tune in to this week's episode for the full story.

READ ALSO:

• 'Threat to public order': Doctor's Swedish work permit application rejected again
• 'It's a brain drain': Doctor ordered to leave Sweden over mix-up with Migration Agency

Sweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers.

Sign up to Membership+ 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+

In this week's episode we talk about strategies for coping with the long Swedish winter now that temperatures have taken a serious nosedive.

In politics, with several parties teetering on the brink of the parliamentary threshold, we examine what happens to their votes if they don’t quite make it.

For Membership+ subscribers, we discuss new figures from the Migration Agency confirming a major slowdown in citizenship and work permit approvals.

Finally, we look at what readers of The Local are telling us about items they miss from home and how they manage to get their hands on them in Sweden.

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

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Here's the Black Friday deal mentioned in the introduction.

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And here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• 'My heart jumps with joy!' How foreigners feel about the Swedish winter
• What you need to know about winter tyres in Sweden

• The strange power of Sweden's four-percent minnows

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

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In this week’s episode deputy editor Becky Waterton chats with Tom Simpson, a New Zealander who missed the kind of savoury pies that were commonplace in his homeland so much that he set up his own bakery and set to work creating NZ pies, which can now be found in supermarkets all over Sweden.

So what's in his pies, and what advice he would give to anyone considering setting up their own business in Sweden?

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

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In this week's episode we talk about a new map that shows just how successfully we immigrants are managing to take control of Sweden.

We also put faces to the names of some of Sweden’s most popular brands.

For Membership+ subscribers we uncork the results of a reader survey about the Swedish sense of humour.

We also get into why it will no longer be possible to drop in for a visit to your local Migration Agency contact centre.

Finally, we examine why language tests for citizenship applicants might not see the light of day for another three years.

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

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

• Sweden Democrats MEP publishes controversial 'immigration map'
• OPINION: Our immigrant takeover of Sweden is progressing nicely

• Gorbys, Kalles and Billys: The faces behind Sweden’s favourite brand names

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+

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

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