These institutions need fixing, but it never seems to be a priority and most definitely not in the current political climate. :o(
And you are correct, it isn't perfect, but I think those stories happen everywhere. I'm still happy to be dealing with these bureaucratic monsters as opposed to the american immigration monsters.
You are most definitely correct on the current political climate. If anything, they have made things more difficult for folks. Initial immigration hasn't been so bad, but they did increase the requirements for permanent residency so that I have to prove I'm self-supporting, work for 12 months, be in school for a year, (even though my spouse has to prove he makes enough to support me each year) or be here a long time - I think they said 8-10 years. Again, though, not impossible by any means. It just made me wait longer for citizenship.
My understanding that Scandinavian countries are very expensive for every day living expenses.
(As a single healthy educated adult male, its too late to enjoy the free child care, education, health care, etc)
But they are expensive. A single bus ride (paid in cash) is as much or more as a latte. Norway is a bit more expensive - to the point there is a (free!) bus that goes between here (Trondheim) and just over the border in Sweden so people can shop cheaply. The amount I spend on groceries and a bit of spending money would more than pay rent and my food (but not all of utilities) in Indiana. I also eat well (mostly vegetarian save for some fish at least once a week). If you go far enough north, you get taxed less, though, to encourage people to live up north. I'm not sure living expenses are cheaper, though.
On the other hand, wages are different. You might make less as a programmer but more when working in retail. And I can definitely plan my expenses better.
I've used this tool in the past, and found it good to get a rough, general estimate: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/comparison/stockho...?
I'm an immigrant here in Norway. The immigration process has been pretty straightforward. Much better than the crap I read about the US system. I'll add that I'm american, and have had to go through the entire process.
Folks from the EU have it fairly easy - basically, so long as you have a job, you can stay. Simply tell the government you are here (there might be another step or two, but it is simple). Like a lot of places, you just have to go through the right channels and have a reason to be here.
A lot of the folks I know are immigrants as well, from different places in the world.