When you are employing someone from a country outside the EU

You start the application for a work permit in the e-service Provide information about the employment. As an employer, you are responsible for the first two steps in the process. The employee completes the application by completing the third step.

Swedish (svenska)
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In order for the Swedish Migration Agency to process the application for a work permit as efficiently as possible, it is important that it is complete. Be careful with all the information, and the chances of the processing going smoothly increase. First of all, make sure that you are aware of the requirements that apply to the profession you are recruiting for.

Important about extending work permits

In the case for an extending a work permit, we recommend that you do not submit the application more than 30 days before the existing work permit expires. This is because the Swedish Migration Agency can only make a decision on a permanent residence permit when the temporary residence permit has expired. Read more about what applies to extensions for you as an employer

Advertising

When recruiting new employees you must advertise the position so that all residents in Sweden, the EU/EEA and Switzerland can apply for the job. You can do this by advertising for at least ten days in the Swedish Public Employment Service job bank. Advertisements in Swedish Public Employment Service job bank are also visible in the European job bank EURES.

The requirement for advertising is due to the fact that the recruitment procedure must be compatible with Sweden's commitments within the EU. See chapter 6 § 2 of the Aliens Act.

Later, you need to have access to the current advertisement ID for the advertisement in the job bank, or alternatively the reference number for the advertisement within EURES.

If you choose to advertise in any other way, you must show that this advertising corresponds to EURES and has been accessible to everyone in all EU/EEA countries and Switzerland. Advertising solely on, for example, LinkedIn or in other channels that are aimed at a limited circle of recipients therefore in most cases does not meet the requirement.

Only applies to new recruitment

The advertising requirement only applies when recruiting new employees. Advertising is not required if a person with an overseas employer is assigned to perform work in Sweden. Nor is it required if an employee is transferred within a company group as long as the position remains abroad. However, if the position is moved to Sweden this counts as a new recruitment and this means that the position must be advertised and the person you intend to employ must apply for a new work permit.

The Swedish Public Employment Service's website External link, opens in new window.

Have access to important information

Make sure you have access to the information you need to provide in Information about the employment.

Information about the person you want to hire

Name, date of birth, citizenship, education and email address. Please note that it is through this email address that your employee will log into the e-service to continue the work permit application, so double-check it carefully.

Information about the company

Organization number, contact details, start date for the business and workplace. Employers in industries with higher requirements, start-up businesses and agents also need to attach supporting documents.

Information about the employment

Occupation, SSYK code for the occupation in question, duties, form of employment, start date, extent, salary, date of any collective agreement, insurance company and advertisement ID.

Swedish Standard Classification of Occupations, SSYK, is a system for grouping individuals' occupations or tasks. You can find SSYK codes on the website of Statistics Sweden (SCB).

Statistics Sweden's website (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window.

If your business has a branch in Sweden, it is the branch that is responsible for reporting which terms of employment apply. You do this in the e-service Information about the employment. They are also responsible for submitting additional information about the employment to the Swedish Migration Agency, if necessary.

Some need to enclose supporting documents

Employers in industries with more stringent control, start-up businesses and agents also need to enclose supporting documents. The documents you upload will not be visible to the employee. They will only see the information you provided about the employment, as well as the union opinion.

For some indusries, there has become more stringent controls for the Swedish Migration Agency to grant work permits. Read about which industries that are subject to more stringent controls.

If this concerns your company you must also enclose documents showing that you have the means to pay salaries for at least three months for the persons you intend to employ. Ways of doing this include for example:

  • annual reports or annual accounts for the previous financial year
  • balance sheets and income statements for the current fiscal year
  • liquid fund on deposit with the bank or an overdraft checking line of credit
  • contracts for ongoing and future assignments.

If you have previously employed persons who have been granted work permits by working for you, you must also enclose the company's tax account statements for the last three months. The tax account statement shall show paid social security contributions.

You should also enclose documents showing that the previous employees had health insurance, life insurance, occupational injury insurance and occupational pension insurance throughout the period in which they had work permits in Sweden.

If you are running a newly founded business (one which has been operating for less than a year) you must enclose documents showing that you have the means to pay salaries for at least three months for the persons you intend to employ. Ways of doing this include for example:

  • documents showing liquid assets or cheque credits
  • balance sheets and income statements for the current year
  • agreements entered regarding ongoing or forthcoming assignments.

If you have previously employed persons who have been granted work permits by working for you, you must also enclose the company's tax account statements for the last three months.

The tax account statement shall show paid social security contributions. You should also enclose documents showing that the previous employees had health insurance, life insurance, occupational injury insurance and occupational pension insurance throughout the period in which they had work permits in Sweden.

You who are the employer's representative should include a power of attorney from the employer stating that you are authorised to represent the employer. For example you can use this form: Power of Attorney, form number 107011 Pdf, 1.1 MB, opens in new window.

Will you also will be a representative for the employee? Read more about what is required of the employee.

1

Start your part of the application – provide information about the employment

The e-service Provide information about the employment consists of three steps: Information about the employment, trade union statement and application. You as an employer are responsible for the first two steps. The employee is responsible for completing the third step.

It is therefore you as an employer (or a representative who represents an employer) who begins the documentation that later, when employees and unions have done their part, becomes the actual application for a work permit. It is only when the employee has finished their part and submitted the application that it will be registered as received by the Swedish Migration Agency.

Once you have started the application, you can log out at any time to log in at a later time and continue. However, you have a maximum of 30 days to complete this step.

There are a number of different types of work permits. Choose the one that suits your recruitment. Then select "create new form". There you fill in information about the person you want to employ, about your company and about the employment.

If your company is in a industry with more stringent control, is a newly founded business or if you are a representative, you can also enclose supporting documents.

Click on the link to access the e-service. There you will log in with e-identification.

Please note that if you are a representative with power of attorney and you created the e-application using your e-ID, only you will have access to the case during the entire application period. This means that only you can complete your part of the application and respond to any requests for supplementation.

2

The union must have the oppor­tu­nity to make a state­ment

When you, as an employer, have filled in your parts, it is time to let the trade union concerned have an opinion on the employment. You choose the trade union that is relevant to the work that the employee is to do.

You can do this step in two ways, either trough digital handling or through a manual handling via form. You complete both of them in the e-service. Read more about digital and manual handling of trade union opinions below.

Once you have received a response from the trade union, you can proceed to the next step. Digital responses come directly into the e-service for you to see. If you received the statement via physical mail, you must scan or photograph it and then upload it to the e-service.

The trade union has 30 days to complete this step. If the trade union has not made a statement within 14 days, you as an employer can proceed with the process without waiting for the opinion.

You can send information about the employment for digital statement through our e-service if the trade union has registered an e-mail address. You do this by clicking on "Send for digital statement".

Your request for a trade union statement will then be sent automatically to the trade union. You will then receive an email within 14 days, when your trade union statement has been received.

If you have chosen digital handling, you will receive the statement directly into the e-service.

If the trade union is not connected to the digital handling of trade union statements and is therefore not available for selection in the e-service, you must select "Register the statement manually" in the e-service. Then you need to send the information about the employment as well as the form for the trade union statement to the union organization that is relevant to the work that the employee will perform. They will then send the statement back to you. When you get the statement back from the trade union, you must scan or photograph it and then upload it into the e‑service.

If the trade union has not made a statement within 14 days, you as an employer can proceed with the process without waiting for the statement, and instead state the reason why the statement is missing.

Find the trade union relevant for a specific occupation External link, opens in new window.

Open the form for trade union statement Pdf, 721.8 kB, opens in new window.

3

You complete and the employee continues the application

Once you, the employer, have completed steps 1 and 2, it's time to click "Send to the employee". The email address of the person you want to hire is pre-filled (from step 1), so you can check that it is correct before choosing to send. Through this step, you complete your part of the application, and the person who will work for you receives an email with instructions to complete their part of the application. They then have 30 days to complete it.

When you are logged in to the e-service, you can see if the employee has started their application. Later you can also see when it has been submitted. It is only when the employee has finished their part and has submitted, that the application is registered as received by the Swedish Migration Agency.

When the application is registered, both you and the employee will receive confirmation of this via email.

Click on the link to access the e-service. There you will log in with e-identification.

When the employer is done with their part, the processing begins

Once you have enclosed all documents, complete your part of the application. The person who will work for you will receive an email with instructions to complete their part of the application.

When you are logged in to the e-service, you can see if the employee has started their application and when it has been submitted.

You and the person who will work for you will receive an email when the employee's application has been received by the Swedish Migration Agency. The Swedish Migration Agency will contact you or the employee if more information is needed.

In order for the Swedish Migration Agency to be able to make a decision, it is required that all information is filled out and all necessary documents are included. If your application is not complete, the Swedish Migration Agency may reject the application. Sometimes you need to supplement the application with the missing documents or information. In some cases, the Swedish Migration Agency may need to investigate the application further, even if you have provided all information and submitted all documents.

On the page How to apply for a work permit, you can read about what the employee needs to do, both during and after the application. Among other things, the employee and any co-applicant family may have to show their passports.

When a decision has been made, you as an employer will receive the first page of the decision by mail. If you want to see the reasons for the decision, you need a power of attorney from the employee.

The employee receives an email that the decision has been made. The employee receives the decision itself through the Swedish embassy or consulate general in the country where they live. If the employee is in Sweden, they receives the decision by mail to the address that they has specified. If the employee has a representative in Sweden, decisions are sent to the representative, something that happens regardless of where the employee is located. It is thus the representative who is the recipient of service in these cases. We also send a copy to the relevant authority abroad for information.

The employee must have his work permit ready before they travel to Sweden and starts working. People who receive a permit for three months or more also receive a residence permit card. Anyone who needs a visa to travel to Sweden receives the card from the embassy or consulate general. The card must be shown together with the passport upon entry and is proof of the right to be in Sweden.

It takes up to four weeks to manufacture and deliver the card.

Anyone who can travel to Sweden without a visa submits documentation for a residence permit card at the Swedish Migration Agency in Sweden. However, the employee needs to apply for and get his permit ready before they travel to Sweden.

Read more about residence permit card
Countries whose citizens need a visa to travel to Sweden (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window.

This guide is for those who use the Swedish Migration Agency's e-service.

If you are unable to provide information about the employment in the e-service, fill out Information about the employment, number 232511.

If the employment is for more than one person with the same tasks and terms of employment, fill out Namnlista, number 234011 (Name List), as well and enclose it with the Information about the employment, number 232511. Send the form to the employee, to be submitted along with their application for a work permit at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general.

Information about the employment, form number 232511 Pdf, 818.4 kB, opens in new window.

Namnlista, form number 234011 (only in Swedish) Pdf, 1.2 MB, opens in new window.

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