Overview
- Courtney El Refai, 32, moved to Sweden in December 2024 and continues working as a per-diem NICU nurse in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- She clusters roughly 10 shifts into about 10-day U.S. stays every few weeks, meeting a requirement of at least four eight-hour shifts per four-week period.
- El Refai says she earns premium pay of more than $100 an hour without employer health benefits, and a single work stint can cover several months of bills in Sweden.
- She reports typical commute costs of about $450 for round-trip flights and $50-per-night room rentals, keeping scrubs and a car in California to simplify logistics.
- She cites jet lag, a nine-hour time difference, and feeling between two homes as trade-offs, as her TikTok and Instagram posts draw widespread coverage from multiple outlets.