
Sweden provides different categories of work permits to foreign nationals to work in Sweden. Depending on the country of origin, you can check whether you need a work visa or not. Citizens from non-EU/EEA countries must obtain a Sweden work visa before entering the country. Work visas offered by Sweden to non-EU/EEA citizens include an ICT permit, EU Blue card, self-employment permit, business work permit, seasonal work permit, etc. The application fee for the Sweden work visa is SEK 2,200 (17,634 INR).
Before applying for a Sweden work visa, you must have an employment offer from an approved employer. You also must have valid qualifications, a passport, health insurance etc to apply for a work visa. Working in Sweden might be beneficial to foreign workers. Many Sweden employers offer some extra benefits to their employees. These include extra holidays, skill development, teleworking, supplementary pay, and domestic services.
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Sweden Work Visa: Types
Sweden offers various kinds of Work permits to non-EU nationals. If you want to work in Sweden, you must apply for a work permit for Sweden. You can apply for any of the below work permits depending on the requirements fulfilled by you.
Intra-Corporate Transfer Permit
An intra-corporate transfer permit (ICT) is a work permit offered by Sweden to people who are from or employed in a non-EU/EEA country and want to work in Sweden. This work visa is for people who will be working in Sweden as managers or specialists or are to get practical training with the company.
Intra-Corporate Transfer Permit: Requirements
Before applying for an intra-corporate transfer permit (ICT), you must fulfil all the requirements listed below.
- You must have a valid passport
- You must work as a manager, specialist, or trainee for more than 90 days at the company in Sweden
- You must possess qualifications, have training, and must have experience related to the job offered
- You must provide an employment contract from a non-EEA employer concerning your employment in your home country
- You must provide a trainee agreement for the traineeship in Sweden
- You must be willing to move to the same company in a non-EU country after the relocation period
- At the time of relocation, you must have completed 3 months of employment
- You must be able to prove your qualifications to practice the profession
EU Blue Card
EU Blue card is provided by Sweden to those who are provided an employment offer for highly qualified work. Those applying for this Sweden work visa must have an equivalent of 180 credits of tertiary education or professional experience of 5 years. The salary of the applicant must be at least one and a half times the average salary in Sweden.
EU Blue: Requirements
- Valid Passport
- You must have the equivalent of 180 credits of tertiary education or experience of 5 years in a relevant field
- Must have a valid health insurance valid for care in Sweden
- Employers must offer you highly qualified work for at least 1 year
- Employers must provide you with a salary that is at least one and a half times bigger than an average salary in Sweden
- The employer must have advertised the offer in Sweden, EU/EEA, and Switzerland for a minimum of 10 days
Permit for Seasonal Workers
Permit for seasonal workers is offered to non-EW/EEA citizens who have been offered seasonal work by an employer in Sweden. You must apply for this permit before entering the country.
Permit for Seasonal Workers: Requirements
- You must be a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country
- You must have a valid passport
- The work must be offered temporarily by an approved employer in Switzerland
- You must have access to standard accommodation
- You must have valid health insurance
- You must prove your qualification
- Once the permit expires, you must intend to leave the country
- You must provide copies of all the pay slips if you were employed before for a similar profession
Self-Employment Permit
Permit for seasonal workers is a residence permit offered to those with their own business in Sweden. This permit is provided to those who want to run their business in Sweden for longer than 3 months. You must apply for this permit before visiting Sweden.
Self-Employment Permit: Requirements
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- You must possess a valid passport
- You must have considerable previous experience of running your own business.
- You must have relevant knowledge of Swedish or English language
- You must prove that you are running the business
- You must have available minimum funds. The minimum fund requirement is
- SEK 2,00,000 for yourself
- SEK 1,00,000 for accompanying wife/husband
- SEK 50,000 for each child
- You must also have a customer network
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Business Work Permit
This is a residence permit provided to highly qualified persons looking for work or to start a business in Sweden. If you have an advanced-level degree and want to work in Sweden or explore possibilities of starting a business there, then you are eligible to apply for this permit.
Business Work Permit: Requirements
- You must have a valid passport
- You must not be located in Sweden while applying for this permit
- You must possess an advanced-level degree qualification
- You must have enough funds to support yourself in Sweden
- You must have a valid health insurance
Sweden Work Visa: Application Process
Before you travel to Sweden and start working there, you must apply for a Sweden work visa. The Sweden work visa application involves a few steps. The steps you must follow while applying for a work permit in Sweden are discussed below.
- Employment Contract: To apply for a work permit and work in Sweden, you must have an employment offer from an approved employer in Sweden. The employment contract is to be attached to the Sweden work visa application. Advertise of the employment must be done by the employer for at least 10 days.
- Application Initiation by Employer: After getting a job offer, your employer will initiate an application for a Sweden work permit. The employer will provide the details about the employment. Details required by the employer to fill out the work permit application include name, DOB, nationality, qualification, and email address.
- Receiving Email: You will receive an email about applying for a work permit soon after the information is provided by the employer. You need to fill out the application form by providing details about yourself.
- Attaching Documents: Documents are to be attached while applying for the Sweden work visa. You must attach the below-mentioned documents with the application form.
- Employment contract
- Copies of passport pages showing your details, photograph, signature, passport issuing country, passport number, the validity period of your passport, the barcode on the identification page, and permission to live in countries other than your country of origin
- Power of attorney if you are representing an applicant
- If you are about to work as a personal assistant in Sweden, you must provide a copy of the decision issued by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) regarding assistance benefits.
If your stay in Sweden is going to be longer than the validity of your passport validity, you must extend the validity of your passport. Additional documents might be required to extend your work permit validity.
- Fee Payment & Submission of Application: You need to pay an application fee in most cases. Once you pay the fee and submit the application, it is received by the Swedish Migration Agency. Your employer will also be notified via email about your application.
- Application Processing: After submitting the work visa application, it will take some time to process. Processing time is less if all the necessary information is mentioned from the start. If you want to withdraw the application, you must write a letter to the Swedish Migration Agency for the same.
- Decision on Application: Once a decision is made by the migration agency on your application, you will receive an email about the same. Your employer will also be informed about the decision through an email.
- Residence Permit Card: You will be granted a residence permit card if your permit is valid for more than 3 months. The residence permit is permission granted to you to reside in Sweden and mentions your fingerprints and photograph on it.
- If you require an entry visa for travel to Sweden, you must give your fingerprints and photographs to the Swedish embassy or consulate-general as soon as possible. Your family must also do the same if they are applying for permits. Before visiting Sweden, make sure to contact the Swedish embassy or consulate-general.
- In case you do not need an entry visa to travel to Sweden, you must have and ask for your residence permit card before travelling to Sweden. You can submit your information after visiting Sweden to the Migration Agency for a residence permit card.
Sweden Work Visa: Application Fees
The application cost is different for different work permits in Sweden. Fee charged for some of the Sweden work visas are mentioned in the table below.
| Type of Sweden Work Visa | Application Cost (SEK) | INR Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Inter-Corporate Transfer Permit | 2,200 | 17,634 |
| EU Blue Card | 2,200 | 17,634 |
| Permit for Seasonal Work | 2,200 | 17,634 |
| Self Employment Permit | 2,000 | 17,634 |
| Business Work Permit | 2,200 | 17,634 |
Why Work in Sweden?
Sweden offers various benefits for people working there. Reasons for why you should work in Sweden are listed below.
- Innovation is highly valued in Sweden
- International talent is high in demand in Sweden because of its ambition to stay ahead of the global competition
- Trade unions and employers negotiate with each other for long-term stability
- Everyone is treated equally in Sweden under the anti-discrimination legislation
- Swedish companies promote a sustainable approach to business in their strategies and daily management
Getting a work visa for Sweden means knowing the different types available, meeting specific criteria, and going through the application steps. Sweden offers attractive job prospects with its forward-thinking work environment and focus on innovation. Thus, making it an appealing choice for those seeking diverse and inclusive work opportunities.
FAQs
Ques. How long is the wait for a work visa in Sweden?
Ans. Processing time for a work visa in Sweden varies depending on the type of permit. Some visas in Sweden require additional information to be shared with the migration agency. Applications take less time if the information is included from the start.
Ques. Is a work permit rejected in Sweden?
Ans. Your application for a work permit might be rejected if all the requirements are not fulfilled.
Ques. What are the minimum funds required for a Sweden self-employment permit?
Ans. You must have minimum funds to apply for a self-employment permit. You must have a minimum of 2,00,000 SEK for yourself, 1,00,000 for accompanying wife/husband, and 50,000 for each child.
Ques. What is the application cost of an EU Blue card visa in Sweden?
Ans. You must pay SEK 2,200 (17,634 INR) to apply for EU Blue card visa. You cannot apply without paying the required amount.
Ques. What are the documents required to apply for a Sweden work visa?
Ans. You must attach documents including an employment contract, copies of passport pages, power of attorney if you are representing an applicant, and a copy of the decision issued by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency with your work permit application.

















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