Sweden
Sweden's work permit route. Since June 2026 the salary requirement is a percentage of the national median salary rather than a fixed figure, so it moves with the median; the page also covers the employer's insurance obligations, the collective-agreement benchmark, and the two-year maximum permit.
How the system works
Step 1: Understand that Sweden's salary requirement floats
Since June 2026 Sweden no longer uses a fixed amount: the salary must be at least 90 per cent of the median salary in Sweden at the time of the application. The threshold therefore moves with the median, and the moment that counts is when you apply. As of 16 June 2026 the median is SEK 38,300, which puts the minimum at SEK 34,470 a month. Certain exempted professions and applicants face 75 per cent of the median instead, currently SEK 28,725.
Step 2: Check the terms against Swedish collective agreements
Salary and other working conditions must be at least on par with Swedish collective agreements, or with common practice in your profession or industry. This is a separate test from the threshold amount: a salary above SEK 34,470 still fails if the surrounding conditions fall below what is normal in that industry.
Step 3: Confirm the employer has all four insurances in place
By the time you start your job, your employer must have taken out health insurance, life insurance, industrial injuries insurance, and occupational pension insurance for you. All four are required, and the deadline is the start of employment rather than something to arrange afterwards.
Step 4: Note the two ceilings on the permit's length
A work permit is granted for a maximum of two years, and never for longer than the term of the employment contract. A separate ceiling applies on top: a permit is never granted for longer than the passport is valid. A short remaining passport validity is a common and entirely avoidable reason for a shorter permit.
Key requirements and figures
Figures change. Each row shows the period it applies to and the source it came from.
| Requirement | Current value | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary requirement | At least 90 per cent of the median salary in Sweden at the time of the application | from 1 June 2026 | migrationsverket.se/salary-requirements-for-a-work-permit · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Current median and resulting minimum | Median salary SEK 38,300, giving a minimum of SEK 34,470 per month | from 16 June 2026 | migrationsverket.se/salary-requirements-for-a-work-permit · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Salary requirement for exempted groups | 75 per cent of the median, currently SEK 28,725 | from 16 June 2026 | migrationsverket.se/salary-requirements-for-a-work-permit · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Transitional rule for extensions | Between 1 June and 1 December 2026, existing permit holders extending a permit do not need to meet the new salary requirement and instead meet the previous maintenance requirement; the page does not state a figure for that transitional standard | 1 June to 1 December 2026 | migrationsverket.se/salary-requirements-for-a-work-permit · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Employer insurance obligation | By the start of employment the employer must have health, life, industrial injuries, and occupational pension insurance in place | 2026 | migrationsverket.se/employees · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Conditions benchmark | Salary and other working conditions must be at least on par with Swedish collective agreements or common practice in the profession or industry | 2026 | migrationsverket.se/employees · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Permit length | A maximum of two years, and not longer than the term of the employment contract | 2026 | migrationsverket.se/employees · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Passport validity ceiling | A permit is never granted for longer than the passport is valid | 2026 | migrationsverket.se/employees · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
What commonly blocks an application
These are frequent reasons a route is closed. Absence of a listed problem is not an eligibility decision.
Planning against a fixed figure. Sweden's threshold is a percentage of the national median salary, so it moves with the median and is fixed at the moment you apply.
Clearing the salary while the wider conditions fall below the industry's collective agreement. The amount and the benchmark are two separate requirements.
The employer missing any of the four insurances at the start of employment. Health, life, industrial injuries, and occupational pension cover are all required.
A passport whose remaining validity is shorter than the intended permit, which shortens the permit accordingly.
Assuming the rules are the same either side of June 2026. The new salary requirement applies from 1 June 2026, with a separate six-month transitional arrangement for extensions.
Reviewed programs
- Sweden EU Blue Card — Sweden's EU Blue Card is for people offered highly qualified employment in Sweden. It requires higher education corresponding to at least 180 credits or at least five years of relevant professional experience, an employment contract of at least six months, comprehensive health insurance for the whole stay, and a salary of at least 1.25 times the average Swedish salary. The Migration Agency sets that threshold annually: since 15 July 2026 it is SEK 53,625 per month. The card entitles the holder to work only for the employer and within the profession stated in the application.
- Sweden work permit for employees — Sweden's work permit salary requirement became a percentage of the national median in June 2026 and floats with it; the employer's four insurances and the collective-agreement benchmark are two further separate tests.
Official sources
- Work permit or residence permit to work in SwedenSwedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · Reviewed 2026-09-03
- Salary requirements for a work permitSwedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · Reviewed 2026-09-06
- Apply for a work permit in SwedenSwedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · Reviewed 2026-09-06
This page provides general educational information, not personalized immigration or legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the responsible government authority before acting.