A job seeker visa in Sweden is not actually a thing, even though a lot of people search for that particular phrase. What you CAN get though is a work permit. To get a work permit you must:
- have an employment contract in Swedish or English, signed by both parties
- have a valid passport
- have an employment with terms of employment that are at least on par with those set by Swedish collective agreements
- have a salary that is at least on par with that set by Swedish collective agreements
- have an employment that enables you to achieve a good income. This means that you must have a monthly salary that amounts to at least 80 percent of the median salary in Sweden based on current maintenance requirement
- have an employer who provides insurance covering health, life, employment and pension when you begin to work.
You must have your residence permit settled before you enter Sweden. If you need to come to Sweden to do an interview or any kind of employment test, you may need a visa in order to do so.
There are also requirements for your employer that they need to fulfill which can be good for you to be familiar with.
How do I apply for a work permit?
There is actually rather a few steps in this process and it is something you do together with your new employer in Sweden. In short the process goes like this:
- You need an employment contract with an employer in Sweden.
- The employer starts the work permit application.
- You get an email with a link to a form where you have to fill in rather a lot of information about yourself.
- You attach these documents:
- your employment contract
- copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the passport's period of validity, bar code on the identification page and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin.
- a power of attorney in the event you are representing the applicant.
- You pay and submit your application. The cost for a work permit is currently between 1500 - 2200 sek.
- The Migration Agency processes the application.
- You need to show your passport at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general if you are outside Sweden, or one of the Migration Agency's service centres if you are in Sweden.
- You need to provide information for your residence permit based on employment which you usually do at the Swedish embassy our consulate-general.
- You get your decision.
How long does it take to get a work permit in Sweden?
This is on par with the question "how long is a string?". But in all seriousness it depends on a lot of different things. Most importantly is to make sure you are super careful to fill in everything the way they want it and to make sure you send all the required information. Otherwise the time will build up. You can check the average time for cases like yours on the Migration Agency's webpage.
Once you have been approved, it is time to start planning your move and we have some good articles and online courses for you:
- Working in Sweden: The A-Z guide.
- Make a good impression at your new job.
- A guide to Swedish business culture and behavior.
- 10 Swedish words to know in the office.
- What is it really like to work in Sweden?
E-learning course: Preparing your move to Sweden
Are you already feeling a bit overwhelmed about all the stuff you need to figure out how to move to Sweden? We’ve got you covered. Over the years we’ve been repeatedly told just stressful this process can be so we created a digital course with all the information you need to move. Here you will learn about:
- Short (and long facts) about Sweden.
- The history and background of Sweden in regards to democracy, religious freedom, gender equality, social security, child welfare and LGBTQIA+.
- The types of visas and residence permits that are available plus the requirements.
- Important Swedish agencies, and trust us, you DO need to know about these ones.
- How to find a place to stay and how to avoid rental fraud.
- How to pack for your move depending on the season.
- And there will be some quizzes to make sure you are paying attention and not falling asleep at your screen.
After finishing this course, you will have a greater understanding of what has made Sweden what it is today, how you best prepare for a move here and to get your stay here started in the best manner.