Sweden Work Permit Rules 2026: New Salary Threshold

Sweden introduced significant changes to its work permit rules on 1 June 2026. Whether you are planning to move to Sweden for work or already hold a permit and need to extend, these new regulations directly affect your application. This guide covers every change based on official sources from Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency).

What Changed on 1 June 2026

The Swedish government passed new legislation aimed at stricter labour immigration controls. The changes affect salary requirements, insurance obligations, employer accountability, and which occupations qualify for work permits.

New Salary Threshold: 90% of Median Salary

The biggest change is a concrete salary floor. Previously, the requirement was vaguely defined as a "good livelihood" — enough to support yourself without public benefits. From 1 June 2026, you must earn at least 90% of Sweden's median salary at the time of application.

For applications received from 16 June 2026, this equals SEK 34,470 per month (gross, before tax). The figure moves once a year: Migrationsverket says that "Every year, Statistics Sweden (SCB) updates the median salary in Sweden" and that "It is the median salary published at the time of application that counts" (Migrationsverket, 16 June 2026).

What this means in practice:

• If your job offer pays less than SEK 34,470/month, it does not meet the standard salary requirement. It can still qualify if your occupation or situation is exempt: exempt applicants need at least 75% of the median, SEK 28,725/month (see below)
• The threshold applies to the total gross salary, not take-home pay
• Part-time positions must still meet this monthly threshold — a 50% role paying SEK 16,000/month would not qualify

Mandatory Health Insurance

If you are going to stay in Sweden for a maximum of one year, you must demonstrate that you have or have applied for comprehensive health insurance (sjukförsäkring).

If you will stay in Sweden for longer than one year, this requirement does not apply.

Tip: If you are arriving on a short-term work permit, arrange health insurance before your move. International health insurance providers like SafetyWing offer plans that cover Nordic countries; check that a policy meets Migrationsverket's requirements before relying on it.

Employer Accountability

Migrationsverket now has expanded authority to reject applications based on the employer's record, "due to circumstances relating to the employer or the employer's representatives" (Migrationsverket). Its examples:

• Certain crimes committed by the employer, or offences the employer is suspected of on reasonable grounds
• Sanctions imposed on the employer for employing people without the required permits
• Sanctions imposed on the employer because of deficiencies in information relating to taxes or fees linked to work

This is a major shift. Previously, the focus was almost entirely on the applicant. Now, the employer's track record is scrutinised before a permit is granted.

Occupations No Longer Eligible

Two categories of work are no longer eligible for standard work permits:

1. Forest berry pickers — Previously a common route for seasonal workers, standard work permits for berry picking are no longer issued. However, seasonal work permits remain available if the worker is employed by a Swedish-established employer.

2. Personal assistants — Work permits for personal assistants can no longer be granted under the new rules.

EU Blue Card: Extended Validity

The EU Blue Card — a permit for highly qualified non-EU workers — now has a validity period of up to 4 years (previously 2 years). This makes Sweden more competitive for attracting skilled workers in shortage occupations like IT, engineering, and healthcare.

Seasonal Work Permits: Longer Duration

Seasonal work permits have been extended from a maximum of 6 months to 9 months within any 12-month period. This benefits agricultural workers and others in seasonal industries.

Transitional Rules: Who Is Exempt

If you already hold a work permit granted before 1 June 2026 and apply for an extension between 1 June and 1 December 2026, the new 90% salary requirement does not apply to your extension. This gives current permit holders a six-month window to either negotiate a higher salary or plan their next steps.

Note that "exempt" does not mean "no salary rule at all" — the previous maintenance requirement still applies to extensions filed inside the window. That is 80% of the SCB median: Migrationsverket's extension page puts it at "at least SEK 30,640", for applications from 16 June 2026.

From 2 December 2026, extensions must meet the new salary requirement too: SEK 34,470/month, or SEK 28,725/month for exempt occupations and groups. Migrationsverket says the salary requirement also applies to extensions where the current permit was decided after 1 June 2026.

Important: The transitional rules concern the salary requirement. Check with Migrationsverket how the new employer and health insurance rules apply to your extension.

Exemptions: who needs only 75% of the median

Per Migrationsverket, "If a person is covered by one of the exemptions from the salary requirement, their salary must amount to at least 75 per cent of the median salary in Sweden at the time of the application" (SEK 28,725 for applications from 16 June 2026). The exemptions cover:

• Occupations on the Government's list in the Aliens Ordinance: engineers and technicians in chemistry and chemical engineering, laboratory engineers, IT operations technicians, IT support technicians, systems administrators, network and systems technicians, assistant nurses (in home care and elderly care, habilitation, healthcare and specialist wards, and outpatient reception), childcare assistants, ambulance care assistants, care assistants, breeders and caretakers of farm animals, other animal breeders and caretakers, mixed crop and animal farmers, forestry workers, welders and gas cutters, structural steel erectors and heavy sheet metal workers, maintenance mechanics and machine repairers, electrical distribution technicians, butchers and meat cutters, machine operators in meat and fish processing, other food-industry machine operators, other operations technicians and process monitoring operators, drivers of agricultural and forestry machinery, and berry pickers and planters other than forest berry pickers (Migrationsverket, 25 May 2026). The exemption applies for the duration of the permit; when you extend, Migrationsverket says "you must check that the profession is still on the list".
• Former students and researchers: people who hold a residence permit as a student or researcher in Sweden when applying for a work permit for the first time.
• People with temporary protection: people who hold a residence permit with or after temporary protection under the EU Temporary Protection Directive.
• Certain healthcare professionals: doctors, dentists and nurses with foreign qualifications who are in the process of obtaining Swedish professional certification.
• Employees of certain tech or life science companies: the company must be in a start-up phase, be less than five years old and have fewer than one hundred employees.

The two group exemptions for former students and researchers and for people with temporary protection last two years or, if the permit is valid for longer, until it expires.

How to Apply Under the New Rules

The application process itself has not fundamentally changed. You still apply through Migrationsverket's online portal. Here is the updated checklist:

1. Secure a job offer from a Swedish employer paying at least SEK 34,470/month gross (SEK 28,725 if your occupation or situation is exempt)
2. Verify your employer has no sanctions or criminal record that could lead to a rejection
3. Arrange health insurance if you will stay in Sweden for one year or less
4. Gather documents: passport, employment contract, proof of salary, insurance certificate
5. Submit your application via Migrationsverket's online portal
6. Wait for processing — standard processing times vary; for employee permits other than highly qualified work, 75% of complete applications are decided within 4 months

What This Means for Different Groups

Non-EU Workers Already in Sweden

If your current permit was granted before 1 June 2026, an extension filed by 1 December 2026 falls under the transitional rules. Migrationsverket notes that you can apply for an extension no more than two months before your current permit expires. If your salary is below the new threshold, discuss a raise with your employer or begin exploring alternative options.

EU/EEA Citizens

These rules do not affect you. EU/EEA citizens have the right to work in Sweden without a work permit.

Employers Hiring Foreign Workers

Review your salary offerings to ensure they meet the new minimum. If you have any regulatory issues or sanctions, address them proactively — Migrationsverket will now check your record before granting permits to your employees.

Students Transitioning to Work

If you hold a residence permit as a student or researcher in Sweden when you apply for your first work permit, you are exempt from the 90% requirement and need at least 75% of the median instead: SEK 28,725/month for applications from 16 June 2026. Migrationsverket says the exemption lasts two years or, if the permit is valid for longer, until it expires.

Managing Your Money During the Transition

Moving to Sweden on a work permit means setting up banking and managing international transfers. Before you receive your personnummer and can open a Swedish bank account, services like Wise let you hold SEK and convert it to your home currency at the real exchange rate; note that Wise can receive SEK only via Swift, not with local Swedish account details. Revolut is another option for multi-currency spending while you get established.

Key Takeaways

• Salary floor: SEK 34,470/month gross (90% of median) for applications received from 16 June 2026, or SEK 28,725 (75%) for exempt occupations and groups
• Health insurance: Mandatory if you will stay in Sweden for one year or less
• Employer checks: Migrationsverket now screens employer history before granting permits
• Berry pickers and personal assistants: No longer eligible for standard work permits
• EU Blue Card: Extended from 2 to 4 years
• Transitional window: Extensions of permits granted before 1 June, filed from 1 June to 1 December 2026, need the previous 80% level (SEK 30,640) instead of the new rule
• EU/EEA citizens: Unaffected — these rules only apply to non-EU/EEA nationals

These are the most significant changes to Swedish work permit rules in years. If you are planning to work in Sweden, verify that your job offer meets the new requirements before submitting your application.