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If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU and wish to work in Sweden, in most cases you need a work permit. You must have been offered a job before you can obtain a work permit. Your work permit must have been granted before you leave for Sweden. If your job is for less than three months, you may also need a visa.
If you are moving to Sweden to work, you can visit Flytta – a digital service with a guide that provides support for your move to Sweden and information about how Swedish society works.
The quickest and easiest way to apply for a work permit is to do so online. Applications over the internet go directly to the Swedish Migration Agency and are given priority.
Swedish Migration Agency web application
If you cannot or do not wish to apply online, you are to present your application documents in person at the Swedish Embassy.
Read in the menu below about which rules apply, which documents are required and how you make your application.
If you are interested in working in Sweden, you can also find comprehensive information at the website Working in Sweden.
There are several different kinds of work permits, e.g. for artists, au pairs, berry pickers, visiting researchers, athletes and coaches. For details, read the information on the Swedish Migration Agency website The website also describes what exemptions apply in the case of certain occupational groups working in Sweden for a limited period.
As an EU citizen, you are entitled to work in Sweden without a work permit.
Special rules apply if you have a residence permit and long-term resident status in another EU country.
Read more about the rules for EU/EEA citizens and long-term residents of an EU country on the Swedish Migration Agency website.
If you are granted a permit for more than three months, you are issued with a residence permit card. The card is proof that you possess a residence permit.
If you need a visa to enter Sweden
If you need a visa to enter Sweden, the card is ordered automatically if you have already been photographed and fingerprinted. If you have not been photographed and fingerprinted, you should visit the embassy. It can take up to four weeks for the residence permit card to be made and delivered to the embassy.
If you do not need a visa to enter Sweden
If you have been granted a residence permit and do not require a visa, you travel to Sweden and arrange for the card there. Bring a copy of the decision to show at the border. Contact the Swedish Migration Agency to have your photograph and fingerprints taken. When your residence permit card is ready it will be sent to your address in Sweden.