How to Get a Swedish Work Visa (10 Steps)

You’re ready to work in Sweden, but you may need official permission before you can start your job. For most citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA, this means applying for a Swedish work permit. Whatever your work situation may be, you need something easy to follow and understand to get you to Sweden with minimum complications.

You are right where you need to be. Below is a set of easy-to-follow steps that will provide you with the basic information you need to apply for a work permit in Sweden. In most cases, your Swedish employer starts the application online, and you complete your part after receiving a link from the Swedish Migration Agency.

Steps to Apply for a Swedish Work Visa

Below are the step-by-step procedures you need to follow to apply for permission to work in Sweden.

Step 1. Possess Offer of Employment

For a standard employee work permit, you must have a valid passport and an employment contract signed by both you and your employer. Your salary and working conditions must be at least on par with Swedish collective agreements or common practice in your profession or industry. Your employment must also meet Sweden’s maintenance requirement.

Your employer must normally advertise the vacancy in Sweden, the EU/EEA, and Switzerland for at least 10 days before offering you the job. This requirement applies to new recruitment, but some categories of employment may follow different rules.

At the time of writing, the standard maintenance requirement is SEK 29,680 per month. From June 1, 2026, new work permit rules will apply in Sweden, including a salary requirement of at least 90% of the median salary in Sweden for many first-time work permit applicants who receive a decision on or after that date. Always check the latest Swedish Migration Agency guidance before applying.

Step 2. Apply for Your Visa with Your Local Swedish Embassy or Consulate

In most cases, your employer starts the work permit application by submitting information about the employment to the Swedish Migration Agency’s e-service. After your employer has completed their part, you receive an email link to continue your part of the application, attach the required documents, and pay the application fee.

During the application, you may need to choose which Swedish embassy or consulate-general you will visit to present your passport. Not all Swedish embassies and consulates-general handle migration cases, so check the Swedish Migration Agency’s instructions for the country where you live.

If you cannot apply through the e-service, your employer must complete the required employment information form and send it to you. You then submit the application and supporting documents at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in the country where you live.

Step 3. Provide Your Passport

You must attach clear copies of your passport to your application. The Swedish Migration Agency cannot grant you a permit for longer than your passport is valid.

Before a decision is made, you may need to present your passport digitally or at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general. If you are granted a permit for more than three months, you will also need to provide fingerprints and have your photograph taken for a residence permit card, unless this has already been done.

Step 4. Prepare Two Recent Photographs

You usually do not need to prepare separate printed photographs for a standard online work permit application. If you need a residence permit card, your photograph and fingerprints are normally taken during the passport check process or after you arrive in Sweden, depending on your situation and the instructions you receive from the Swedish Migration Agency.

Step 5. Present Your Work Documentation

You must attach your employment contract, signed by both you and your employer. The contract should clearly show information such as your role, workplace, form of employment, start date or employment period, salary, working hours, and other employment terms.

Your employer also provides employment information to the Swedish Migration Agency, including details such as the occupation, work responsibilities, salary, scope of employment, insurance, and advertisement information when required.

Step 6. Verify Proof of Residence

Hotel reservations or proof of lodging are not listed as standard documents for a regular employee work permit application. However, if family members apply together with you, you may need to show that your income is enough to cover housing costs and living expenses for yourself and your family. You should also be prepared to provide any additional documents requested by the Swedish Migration Agency.

Step 7. Present Proof of Financial Stability

For a standard employee work permit, Sweden does not generally require six months of bank statements from the applicant. Instead, your employment must meet the required salary and employment conditions. If family members apply with you, the Swedish Migration Agency may assess whether your income can support both you and your family.

Step 8. Prepare Travel Paperwork

Flight reservations and return tickets are not listed as standard supporting documents for a regular employee work permit application. It is usually best not to purchase nonrefundable travel tickets until you have received a decision and know what entry or residence permit card requirements apply to you.

Step 9. Provide Insurance Requirements

Your employer must have taken out health insurance, life insurance, occupational injury insurance, and occupational pension insurance for you by the time your employment begins. From June 1, 2026, applicants who will stay in Sweden for a maximum of one year must also show that they have, or have applied for, comprehensive health insurance.

Step 10. Keep Your Paid Receipts

You must pay the application fee when you apply through the e-service. The current fee for an employee work permit application is SEK 2,200. Fees for accompanying family members are SEK 1,500 for an adult and SEK 750 for a child. Citizens of Japan do not pay an application fee. Keep your payment confirmation and any other official records related to your application.

Documents Needed for a Swedish Work Visa

Once you have established that you need a work permit, you generally need the following:

• A valid passport
• Clear copies of the required passport pages
• An employment contract signed by you and your employer
• Certified translations, if any documents are not in Swedish or English, together with copies of the original documents
• A power of attorney, if someone else is applying for you
• If you will work as a personal assistant, a copy of the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s decision on assistance allowance
• If family members apply with you, copies of their passports and documents showing your relationship
• If family members apply with you, documents showing that you meet the maintenance requirement for your family
• If children apply with you, documents such as birth certificates, custody documents, consent from the other legal guardian when required, and adoption documents if applicable
• Any additional documents requested by the Swedish Migration Agency

FAQs: Work Visa Applications for Sweden

We hope that this article on how to get a work visa in Sweden was helpful! If you are interested in studying in Europe, make sure to check out Available Programs in Europe for International Students.