Working in Sweden

Are you interested in working in Sweden? Today more than 20 percent of people working in Sweden are born in another country. Here we guide you through the process – learn more about work permits, how to find a job and which rules apply depending on your citizenship.

To find a job in Sweden

In Sweden you can find a large variety of job possibilities. Here you have companies that are well advanced both when it comes to technology and sustainability, and some famous brands that originate from Sweden are Volvo, Ericsson, Ikea and Spotify. Sweden also has a small domestic market, which makes the international market and export very important. The internationality of many companies means that you in many cases can get a job without being fluent in Swedish – in many cases English is enough.

No matter if you are looking for a long term job or a shorter employment in Sweden, there are a number of things you need to know and consider. So, how do you get started? When you are looking for a job in Sweden, a good idea is to turn to the Swedish Public Employment Service. Here you can get both information, support and advice that will help you in your search for a job. You can also access Platsbanken, which is the largest employment website in Sweden.

If you have a certain company in mind, you can choose to turn directly to them. You can find employment through contingent staffing companies as well, such as Manpower or Randstad.

Who is allowed to work in Sweden? If you are a citizen of another Nordic country (Norway, Denmark, Finland or Iceland), you can live and work in Sweden without the need of a work or residence permit. Sweden is also a part of the European Union, EU, and if you want to work here the rules differ whether you are a EU citizen or not. Below you can find more information about each option to see what applies for you.

For EU citizens

If you are a citizen of the EU or EEA you have the possibility to work in Sweden without a work permit. This means that you have the right to come to Sweden to look for a job, and you can also bring your family and live here as long as you have a right of residence in Sweden. You have the right to start working immediately after your arrival to the country.

Don’t forget this! If you want to apply for a job in Sweden, you need to have a valid passport or national ID card that shows your citizenship. The same goes for your family if they will live with you in Sweden. If you want to learn more about the rules, please visit the Swedish Migration Agency.

For non-EU citizens

If you are a non-EU citizen, in most cases you will need to apply for a work permit. There are some exceptions from this rule – for example if you already have a permanent residence permit or a residence permit to attend a college/university.

To get a work permit, there are a number of requirements that you need to fulfill – take a look at the list below to see what is expected.

• You need an official offer of employment from a Swedish employer, and you need to have an employment contract that is signed by both parties.
• The employment needs to be on par with the terms that are set by for example Swedish collective agreements. The same goes for the salary.
• A valid passport is necessary.
• Another requirement is that you need to have an employment that enables you to support yourself, meaning you need to earn at least SEK 13,000 per month before taxes.
• There also has to be insurance provided by the employer that covers for example health and pension.

How do I apply for a work permit?

The easiest way for you to apply for a work permit is to do it online through the Swedish Migration Agency. The application is initiated by your employer.

How to get to Sweden

Are you headed to Sweden by air? In this case you will most likely land either in Stockholm or Gothenburg. The largest airport in Sweden is found just outside the capital of Stockholm. Stockholm-Arlanda Airport is well connected to the rest of the world, and you can find direct connections to most countries in Europe as well as airports in both Asia and North America.

Göteborg Landvetter Airport is the second largest airport in the country, and you can reach the airport by direct connections from most European countries. If you want to find a direct flight to Stockholm-Arlanda Airport or Göteborg Landvetter Airport, please use the links below to get to directflights.com. At this website you can easily see all direct flight options, no matter which part of the world you are traveling from.

• See all direct flights to Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
• See all direct flights to Göteborg Landvetter Airport

Another way of learning more about your flight options is to visit flig.ht, where you can find all flights available around the world. Use the following link to see all flights and routes offered globally, to help you find your next flight to Sweden.

• See all flights at www.flig.ht/s

Getting here by car or ferry. If you don’t want to travel by air, there are obviously other alternatives to choose from. Sweden is well connected to the rest of Europe through the European routes. Listed below are the largest European routes that access Sweden.

• E4 – Reaches the north of Sweden from Finland through Haparanda.
• E6 – Stretches from Norway to Sweden and crosses the border at Svinesund Bridge.
• E12 – Starts in Finland and crosses to Sweden through the ferry from Vaasa to Umeå.
• E16 – Goes through the United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden. Previously, there was a ferry connection between the United Kingdom and Norway. Now you reach Sweden through Torsby.
• E18 – Reaches Stockholm from Turku in Finland by taking the ferry via Åland.
• E20 – If you’re traveling by E20, you can take the ferry from Tallinn to Stockholm or the Öresund bridge from Copenhagen to Malmö.
• E22 – Access Sweden from Denmark by taking the Öresund Bridge from Copenhagen to Malmö.
• E45 – Reaches Sweden via Denmark and the ferry between Gothenburg and Fredrikhamn.
• E65 – Passes through almost all of Europe and enters Sweden by the ferry between Świnoujście and Ystad.

You can also reach Sweden by ferry, and there are connections from a number of cities in Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Finland and the Baltic States to several parts of Sweden. Here we have listed some of the most popular routes.

• Helsinki, Finland - Stockholm
• Vasa, Finland - Umeå
• Fredrikshamn, Denmark - Gothenburg
• Gdansk, Poland - Nynäshamn
• Gdynia, Poland - Karlskrona
• Świnoujście, Poland - Ystad
• Kiel, Germany - Gothenburg
• Rostock, Germany - Trelleborg
• Klaipeda, Lithuania - Karlshamn
• Tallinn, Estonia - Stockholm
• Sandefjord, Norway - Strömstad
• Ventspils, Latvia - Nynäshamn

More information

Do you want to learn more about which rules apply for working in Sweden and get the best help in finding your new job here? Among the links below you can find everything you need to make the process as smooth as possible.

• Jobb.nu – Our website offers jobs from several prominent sources.
• The Swedish Public Employment Service – The largest employment website with information, services and advice.
• The Swedish Migration Agency – Learn everything about work permits, right of residence and how the rules differ depending on your citizenship.
• Swedish Tax Agency – Find out all you need to know about taxes and registration when working and living in Sweden.

– Updated 2023 by Jobb.nu