How to apply for a work permit in Sweden

From December 15, 2008 new regulations regarding the influx of labour to Sweden have come into force, which means that there are some changes concerning work permit. According to the new regulations a work permit can be granted even if there is not a shortage of labour in a specific field. New is also that it is the employer who decides who to employ and not the National Labour Market Board (AMS) as before.

More information on the new regulations can be found on the web site of the Swedish Migration Board.

Your application for work permit shall be made electronically directly to the Migration Board but can also be handed in to the Embassy of Sweden or to the appropriate Consulate General.

Requirements when applying for a work permit

• Two fully completed and signed application forms
  
  
• Two fully completed and signed "Offer of Employment" (to be filled out by the employer)
  
  
• Three [3] photographs of passport style.  Your photograph must be:
  – colour photo
  – recent and of true likeness
  – showing full face
  (facing the camera directly with your eyes looking straight at the camera)
  – taken without headgear
  – head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant's face
  – taken against a plain, evenly lit and white background
  
  Photographs that do not conform to these standards will be rejected and may cause delay in processing the application.
  
  For more information please see
  > Photo guidelines
  
  
• A valid passport and two photocopies of all pages which have some kind of stamped or written information. Please also provide us your old passport, if any.
  
  
• Non-Chinese applicants must provide a valid Chinese residence permit.
  

In addition, your employer must:

• Have advertised the job vacancy in Sweden and the EU.
  Offer terms of employment equivalent to a Swedish collective agreement or customary terms for the occupation or industry.
  
  
• Give the relevant union an opportunity to state an opinion on the terms of the offer of employment.
  
  
• You and the employer are responsible for showing the Migration Board that the requirements above have been met. You do this by completing the application form for employees and the employer completes the Offer of Employment form.
  

Most applicants are required to pay an application fee. The fee is 1770 RMB for the initial application and in certain cases for an extension. When an application to extend a permit concerns the same employer or the same occupation the fee is 890 RMB.

The fee is 890 RMB for family members over 18 and 440 RMB for family members under 18.

Guest researchers, and self-employed should use special application forms (look under content to the right). For athletes, artists, and au-pairs, please refer to the website of > the Migration Board in Sweden.

You should hand in your application to the Consulate at least 10 weeks before your intended departure to Sweden. If you fail to supply the necessary documents mentioned above, the decision-making process of your case may be delayed. The Consulate may call you for additional documents or information if necessary.