Regardless of how you apply, your work permit must have been granted before you leave for Sweden.

The employer initiates the application

Your employer in Sweden initiates the work permit application by completing an offer of employment. Your employer needs information about your name, date of birth, citizenship, education and your email address, which the Swedish Migration Agency will use to communicate with you throughout the application period.

When your employer has completed an offer of employment you will receive an email with information about how to apply for a work permit.

The above information does not apply to the following occupations, which are subject to special rules: performer, au pair, berry picker, visiting researcher, athlete or trainer and trainees. Read more on the Swedish Migration Agency's website.

Applying online

1. Prepare your documentation Check which documents and personal data you need. The Swedish Migration Agency gives priority to applications that are completed in full, and you get a decision sooner.

Read more under ‘Required documents’ and on the Swedish Migration Agency website: Instructions on the Swedish Migration Agency website

2. Applying

When your employer has completed an offer of employment you will receive an email with information about how to apply for a work permit.

Yuo can read more on How to apply for a work permit on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency. 

3. Waiting for a decision When the Swedish Migration Agency has reached its decision, you will be informed of this by email. The actual decision will be given to you when you visit the embassy. Bring your passport when collecting your decision. Your employer or contractor will be informed of the decision by post.

4. Acquiring a residence permit card If you are granted a permit for more than three months, you will be issued with a residence permit card. If you already have been photographed and fingerprinted the card should reach the embassy within 4 weeks after the decision was taken.

If you need a visa to enter Sweden Visit the embassy to be photographed and fingerprinted for the card. You can do so either while waiting for a decision or after you have been granted a work permit. You can do this during our reception times - Contact for visa and migration matters - Sweden Abroad. Bring the same passport with you as the one you used when applying for a work permit.

You can find the embassy’s address under our website for Contact.

It can take up to four weeks for the residence permit card to be prepared and delivered to the embassy. You should contact the embassy to make sure it has arrived before you come to pick it up. You must bring your passport with you.

If you do not require a visa to enter Sweden If you are granted a permit for more than three months and do not need a visa, you travel to Sweden and arrange for the card there. Contact the Swedish Migration Agency for photographing and fingerprinting.

Applying on a paper form

If you cannot or do not want to apply online, you apply on a paper form that you submit to the embassy.

1. Prepare the documentation Check which documents and personal data you need. The Swedish Migration Agency gives priority to applications that are completed in full, and you get a decision sooner.

Read more under ‘Required documents’ and on the Swedish Migration Agency's website.

2. Pay the application fee The fee should be paid upon your appointment at the embassy.

Read more on our webpage regarding Fees.

3. Present an application at the embassy In order to present your application you must book an appointment, you can do so on our webpage Book an Appointment. Bring the completed application form with you, together with all the required documents and a receipt for the fee payment.

The embassy sends your documents to the Migration Agency in Sweden.

4. Wait for a decision The Swedish Migration Agency informs the embassy of its decision. At the same time, your employer or contractor will be informed of the decision.

5. Arrange for a residence permit card If you are granted a permit for more than three months, you will receive a residence permit card. You arrange for the card in the same way as described above under ‘Applying online’.