Generally, citizens from countries outside the EU must apply for a work permit to work in Sweden.
There are a few exceptions to the rule. Citizens of Argentina, Australia, Chile, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea and Uruguay aged 18–30 can also apply for a working holiday visa for up to one year.
For employment that lasts less than three months, citizens of certain countries must have both a work permit and a visa. Also note that employees in certain fields may be exempt from work permit regulations.
You must also hold a valid passport in your home country.
If you are a non-EU citizen eligible to receive a work permit, your spouse/common law spouse/registered partner and children up to age 21 (as well as children over 21 who are financially dependent on you) have the right to join you in Sweden. They must apply for residence permits, either as part of your application or separately.
You can apply to extend your permit before your current permit expires. You can continue working until you get the decision if you had a permit to work for six months. For extending your work permit the conditions of the work permit should have been the same throughout the working period i.e salary equals 13000 SEK per month before taxes. You should also have health insurance, life insurance, occupational injury insurance, and occupational pension insurance for the entire period. You need to show the job satisfies the requirement and conditions of a work permit.
You can apply for extension 4 months before your permit expires. If you change the conditions of your employment or change your workplace in the first 24 months of your work permit, your permit will not be valid and you will have to apply for a new work permit.
You can change your workplace or employer after working 24 months without changing the line of profession.
If you have been working in same profession and working conditions as when you you applied for the first time for 4 years in last 7 years you can get permanent residence permit.
Residence permit for your family members
Your family members can also get the residence permit for the same duration as you. you will have to show that you can support them.
We inform and coordinate the above with you and with the applicant. We will help you through the whole process with our one window solution. We can even further assist you with settling in Sweden and relocating.
The employment can begin as soon as the person arrives in Sweden.
Swedish Work Permit 2026: Salary Threshold, Requirements and Extensions
Sweden’s work permit system changed materially in 2026, and the change that matters most is not the one most employers have noticed. The salary requirement rose, but the harder deadline is the end of the transitional rule for extensions on 2 December 2026.
The 2026 salary requirement
From 1 June 2026 the maintenance requirement for a work permit is 90 per cent of the median salary, which is SEK 34,470 per month before tax. A reduced level of 75 per cent of the median, SEK 28,725 per month, applies to certain groups. The figure is tied to the published median salary, so it moves when the median moves. Always confirm the figure in force on the date of application rather than the date of the offer letter.
Until 2 December 2026 a transitional rule allows some extension applications to be assessed against 80 per cent of the median rather than 90. After that date the transitional rule ends. If you employ permit holders whose extensions fall due near or after that date, the salary review needs to happen now, not when the application is filed.
What else the Migration Agency examines
- Terms of employment at least equal to those set by Swedish collective agreements or customary in the occupation
- Health, life, employment and pension insurance from the first day of employment
- The position advertised in the EU/EEA and Switzerland for at least ten days before the offer
- A genuine, funded position with an employer able to pay the stated salary
- A valid passport covering the requested permit period
Salary alone does not carry an application. The most common refusals we see involve insurance that started late, an advertisement that cannot be evidenced, or terms that fall below the collective agreement in a way the employer did not notice.
Extensions and the path to permanent residence
Extension applications should be submitted before the current permit expires; filing in time preserves the right to keep working while the application is pending. Retroactive review of previous permit periods is normal, so a shortfall in an earlier period can surface years later. Time on a work permit can count toward permanent residence, which has its own separate requirements. See permanent residence.
Family members
Spouse, cohabiting partner and children under 21 can normally apply at the same time as the main applicant, and the accompanying family members receive the right to work. Filing together avoids the split timelines that separate families for months. See family reunification.
Alternatives worth checking first
For highly qualified roles, the EU Blue Card carries a higher salary requirement but stronger mobility rights across the EU. For transfers within an international group, the ICT permit avoids the advertising requirement entirely, provided the employee has at least three months of prior unbroken employment in the group. Choosing the wrong instrument is a common and expensive error. See all services.
If the application is refused
Read the decision before reacting. A refusal based on a documentary gap is often best addressed by reconsideration under Section 37 of the Administrative Procedure Act, Forvaltningslagen (2017:900). A refusal based on a legal error or an assessment made without individual examination belongs before the Migration Court. The deadlines are short and they run separately. See appeal cases.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for a Swedish work permit in 2026?
SEK 34,470 per month before tax, being 90 per cent of the median salary, from 1 June 2026. A reduced level of SEK 28,725 applies to certain groups.
Do EU citizens need a work permit in Sweden?
No. EU and EEA citizens may work in Sweden immediately on arrival. See EU and EEA permits.
Can I change employer on a work permit?
Changing employer generally requires a new application, and the rules differ depending on how long you have held the permit. Do not start with a new employer before confirming your position.
How long does a work permit take?
Processing times vary widely by occupation and by whether the employer is certified. The Migration Agency publishes current times per category; we confirm the applicable figure at the time of filing rather than quoting an average.
Source: Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Last reviewed 26 August 2026. General information, not individual legal advice. The salary requirement is tied to the median salary and changes; confirm the figure in force before applying.
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