A qualifying Swedish job, compliant pay and insurance are required. The June 2026 salary rules have specific exceptions and renewal transitions; family support is also assessed at extension from October.
Route overview
Employer-led employment permit
Typical timeline / duration: Up to two years, no longer than the contract or passport validity; extension requires continued compliance.
Important notes
The employee and employer must sign the contract, with pay and other conditions meeting the collective agreement or customary industry level. Multiple jobs cannot be combined to satisfy the permit requirements.
For covered new recruitment, the employer must advertise in Sweden/EU/EEA/Switzerland for at least ten days before signing the agreement, allow the relevant union to comment, and initiate the application; the employee then completes and submits their part.
The 90%-of-median salary rule applies from 1 June 2026, including first-time decisions from that date. The median at application controls the amount: the current table for applications from 16 June 2026 gives SEK 34,470/month. Industry pay may require more.
Specified occupation/status exemptions use a 75%-of-median floor, currently SEK 28,725/month, rather than removing the pay test. The current exemption list and collective/customary conditions must both be satisfied.
An employer must arrange health, life, occupational-injury and pension cover by the job's start. For employment of at most one year, comprehensive health insurance must also be held or applied for, covering treatment, hospital care, emergency dental care and medical repatriation.
First applications are normally made from outside Sweden. Passport, employment and applicable family documents need original-language copies and certified Swedish/English translations; passport and residence-card checks follow the agency's instructions.
For current permits granted before 1 June 2026, renewal applications filed from 1 June through 1 December 2026 retain the previous 80%-of-median maintenance test. From 2 December, the new salary rule applies, subject to its specific exemptions; the filing date and grant history matter.
From 1 October 2026, accompanying-family maintenance is assessed at renewal as well as initial application. The dated notice allows eligible family income to be considered, but excludes subsidised employment and unemployment benefits; budget for housing and the whole household.
The current route page still shows older family-income exclusions and 2025 household figures. The 1 October notice is linked separately; those older figures are not published here as a current universal family budget.
Since 1 June 2026, the ordinary work-permit route excludes forest berry picking and personal-assistant occupations specified by the rules; a seasonal-work category has its own conditions.
A permit does not authorise unrestricted job changes. The employer/profession limits on the decision determine whether a new application is needed; qualifying changes must be filed before expiry.
Preparation checklist
Confirm the actual duties, eligible occupation and the salary rule or documented exemption for your filing date.
Have the employer complete covered recruitment, the contract, union consultation and required insurance.
Follow the employer's application link and submit your complete identity, employment and any family evidence.
Complete the requested passport check and residence-card procedure before travelling to start work.
Retain wage, insurance and family-support records; check renewal transitions and any job-change application before expiry.