Work Visa for Sweden

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA, you will in most cases need a work permit to work in Sweden. This applies whether you are employed in Sweden or abroad, are hired out by a temporary agency to a Swedish business, or are transferred within a corporate group. EU/EEA citizens with right of residence do not need a residence permit, and Swiss citizens follow separate rules.

 If you already hold certain Swedish residence permits (for example, protection, research, family, or a student permit for first- or second-cycle studies), you already have the right to work and do not need to apply again. People in some professions can work without a work permit for short stays (often up to 90 days), though a visa to travel may still be required.

This page covers the standard work permit for employees—that is, when you have found employment in Sweden and meet the stated requirements. It does not list a menu of separate categories beyond employees (such as intra-company transfers or seasonal work) and does not provide eligibility summaries for any other specific schemes. Where pages differ, we follow the main application page. Information not available on official sources.

Your employer starts the application in the online e-service by entering your basic details (name, date of birth, citizenship, email). When the employer has finished their part, you receive an email link to complete your own section, check that the stated terms match what you agreed, and attach your documents. Only when you submit your part is the application registered. If you cannot use the e-service, there are application forms; in that case, you submit your application at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in your country of residence. Not all missions handle migration cases, so you must choose the correct mission when you indicate where you will present your passport.

Before a decision can be made, you must present your passport and provide fingerprints and a photograph. In some cases, the Agency may invite you to a digital passport check via an app; if so and you are granted a permit, you will give fingerprints and be photographed at a Swedish Migration Agency service centre after arrival. If you are not offered a digital check, you present your passport (and in some cases attend an interview) at the embassy/consulate you selected.

To be granted a work permit, all requirements must be met and you cannot combine two jobs to satisfy them. You must have a valid passport and an employment contract signed by both you and your employer. Your salary/wages and other working conditions must be at least on par with Swedish collective agreements or common practice in your profession/industry, and your employer must have taken out health, life, industrial injuries, and occupational pension insurance for you by the time you start work.

Your employment must enable you to make a good living. This means a monthly salary/wages of at least 80% of the Statistics Sweden median salary applicable when you submitted your application. The page also states a concrete figure: SEK 29,680 per month as the threshold that corresponds to 80% of the current median. Your pay must still align with collective agreements or common practice, so in some roles the required pay may be higher than the 80% floor.

You must attach correctly made copies of your passport (you can never be granted a permit beyond your passport’s validity) and your employment contract (signed by both parties). If you are applying as a personal assistant, you also attach the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s decision on assistance allowance for the person you will work for. All submitted documents should be in Swedish or English; if translated, the translation should be certified, and you must also include a copy in the original language.

If your family applies with you, attach correctly made passport copies for each family member, relationship documents (for example, marriage certificates or proof of cohabitation), and documents showing that you meet the maintenance requirement for the family. For children, include a birth record, any sole custody decision (or death certificate), and the other guardian’s consent for the child to move to Sweden with an ID copy if there is joint custody. Power-of-attorney rules apply if you act for adult family members.

Information not available on official sources

For you, the good living requirement applies: your monthly salary/wages must be at least 80% of the current median salary, which the page displays as SEK 29,680 at present, and it must also be in line with collective agreements/common practice. The entry lists income types that do not count toward satisfying family maintenance (for example, income from a family member, some benefits, grants/scholarships, subsidised employment, or undeclared work).

If your family applies together with you, you must be able to financially support them. The Agency first looks at taxed income from the employment you are applying for; if insufficient, income from business activities or assets can be counted. Housing costs are included; if you have not arranged housing yet, the Agency assumes a standard housing cost for a family of your size in the town/city where your Swedish workplace is located.

Your employer must have taken out the following by the time you start your job: health insurance, life insurance, industrial injuries insurance, and occupational pension insurance. The page does not state any applicant-purchased medical insurance or medical examination requirements for the work-permit application itself. Information not available on official sources regarding medical exams or vaccinations.

If you have a work permit tied to a specific employer and get a new job with another employer, you must submit a new application. The same applies if your current employer changes company identity number or gets new owners, or if you change profession/work duties or your working conditions change in other ways—your old permit is then no longer valid. If you apply before your current permit expires, you may start working for the new employer before receiving the decision.

Spouses, registered or cohabiting partners, and children under 21 may apply to accompany you. They can apply at the same time as you, or later with a separate application. If granted residence permits, adult family members and children who turn at least 16 in the current year are permitted to work. If your family applies together with you, you must meet the maintenance requirement to financially support them.

The Agency cannot give an exact waiting time because it depends on completeness, any requests for more information, and checks with other authorities. The page shows recent statistics: for highly qualified workers, 75% of complete applications were decided within 1 month and incomplete ones within 3 months; for other employments, 75% of complete applications were decided within 5 months and incomplete ones within 11 months. These statistics are based on cases decided in the last 12 months and may change.

The application fee is Employees: SEK 2,200. For accompanying family members, Adult family members: SEK 1,500 and Children: SEK 750. Citizens of Japan do not pay an application fee. No refund is given if the application is rejected. If you apply on paper through an embassy/consulate, you generally pay when you submit your application there; the page notes that an earlier bank-giro option is closed.

If you completed a digital passport check and are granted a work permit, you will give fingerprints and a photo at a Swedish Migration Agency service centre in Sweden for production of your residence permit card (for permits over three months). If you were not offered a digital check, you normally present your passport and give biometrics at the embassy/consulate before a decision; if you require an entry visa, biometrics may be taken during the same visit. After a positive decision, you have the right to live and work in Sweden for as long as the permit is valid.

Your employment must offer terms and conditions at least on par with Swedish collective agreements or common practice in your profession/industry. The page does not specify other working-time limits, leave entitlements, or probation rules for permit holders. Information not available on official sources.

You can be granted a work permit for up to two years at a time but not longer than your employment contract or your passport validity; the permit can be extended. The page does not provide details on total maximum stay across extensions or on routes to permanent residence; for those topics, this page does not offer guidance. Information not available on official sources.

Coordinate with your employer so they start your case in the e-service with the correct email for you, and ensure your contract is signed by both parties. Submit a complete application with documents in Swedish or English, and certified translations where applicable; include the original-language copies as well. When you select the embassy/consulate to present your passport, verify that it handles migration cases and book any required appointment early.

Check that your salary meets both the good-living threshold (currently SEK 29,680/month as 80% of median) and the relevant collective agreement/common practice for your role. Confirm that your employer has arranged the required insurances effective from your start date. If you plan to change employer or role, submit the new application before your current permit expires so you can start the new job while awaiting the decision.

This guide was written by Modoante using original research and information gathered from official education and immigration resources. Always verify deadlines and requirements on the official university or government portal before submitting your applications/documents.

Visit Migrationsverket : the Swedish Migration Agency

https://www.migrationsverket.se/en/you-want-to-apply/work/employee-or-self-employed/employees.html

This guide summarises official information as accessed on 3 October 2025. Immigration rules change; always check the official website before applying. This is not legal advice.