Employing students who are in Sweden
Here you will find information about what applies when you want to employ someone from a non-EU country who is studying in Sweden at a university or university college.
Working while studying
A student who has a residence permit for studies at a university or university college in Sweden may work without a work permit while studying.
Working after studies
If you wish to employ a foreign student in Sweden after they have completed their studies, they need a work permit. To be able to be granted a work permit without having to leave the country the student should
- have a residence permit for studies at a university or university college
- have completed at least 30 credits or one semester of postgraduate studies in Sweden
- submit a work permit application before their residence permit for studies expires.
For a student to be eligible to receive a work permit while they are still in Sweden all of the requirements above must be met. Otherwise the student must apply from their country of origin or from any other country where they have permission to live.
Read more about how to employ a foreign student as a researcher
1
Advertising
You must advertise the position so that all residents in Sweden, the EU/EEA and Switzerland can apply for the job. You do this by advertising for at least ten days in the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) job bank. Advertisements in Arbetsförmedlingen's job bank are also visible in the European job bank EURES.
If you choose to advertise in some other way you must show that this advertising corresponds to EURES and has been accessible in all EU/EEA countries and Switzerland.
The advertising requirement only applies when recruiting new employees. You do not need to advertise the position if the student was employed by you while they had a residence permit for studies
The Swedish Public Employment Service's website
External link, opens in new window.
2
Provide information about the employment
Log in using e-identification to provide information about the employment. When you have begun the e-service, you can at any time log out and later log in to continue.
In the information about the employment you provide information about the company, the position and the person you intend to employ. You will need the name, date of birth, citizenship, education and email address for the person who will be working for you, as well as the Swedish Standard Classification of Occupations (SSYK) code (according to SSYK2012) for the relevant profession or occupation. You can find the SSYK codes on the Statistics Sweden (SCB) website. External link, opens in new window.
It is important that you provide a valid email address for your intended employee as this will be the address through which he or she will later apply for a work permit.
For a company with a subsidiary branch in Sweden, the branch is responsible for documenting the applicable terms of employment, as well as providing further information to the Swedish Migration Agency where necessary.
Read more about e-identification External link, opens in new window.
3
Send the information about the employment to the relevant trade union
Once you have provided information about the employment in the e-service, select the trade union that is relevant to the work that the employee will perform. You submit the information for a statement via the e-service. The trade union reviews the terms of employment and sends its statement to you via the e-service.
Once you have provided information about the employment via the e-service, an email with a link will be sent to the person you wish to hire. The employee then submits an application for a work permit via the link.
As an employer, you can track the case by logging in to the e-service.
If you do not use the e-service, send the form Information about the employment and the union statement form to the trade union organisation that is relevant to the work that the employee is to perform. They will then send their statement back to you.
LO trade unions External link, opens in new window.
SACO trade unions External link, opens in new window.
TCO trade unions External link, opens in new window.
Find trade unions based on occupation (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window.
4
Enclose documents
When you receive the trade union statement, scan or photograph it. Then log back in and upload the statement.
Industries with higher demands
If your company operates in an industry where higher demands apply you must also include 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 previous and current year.
If you have previously employed persons who have been granted work permits by working for you, you must also include the company's tax account statements for the last three months. The tax account statement shall show paid social security contributions. You should also include documents showing that the previous employees had health insurance, life insurance, industrial injury insurance and occupational pension insurance throughout the period in which they had work permits in Sweden.
When employees later apply for a work permit they will only be able to see the information about the employment and the trade union statement. Other uploaded documents will not be visible to the employee.
Industries where higher demands applies
Newly founded businesses
If you are running a newly founded business (one which has been operating for less than a year) you must include 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 include the company's tax account statements for the last three months. The tax account statement shall show paid social security contributions. You should also include documents showing that the previous employees had health insurance, life insurance, industrial injury insurance and occupational pension insurance throughout the period in which they had work permits in Sweden.
When employees later apply for a work permit they will only be able to see the information about the employment and the trade union statement. Other uploaded documents will not be visible to the employee.
As agent for the employer
If you are the employer's agent you should include a power of attorney from the employer stating that you are authorised to represent the employer.
Power of Attorney, form number 107011
Pdf, 1.1 MB, opens in new window.
5
Complete the employer's part of the application
When you have enclosed all documents your part of the application is completed. The person who is to work for you will receive an email with instructions on how to fill in their part of the application. When you are logged in to the e-service, you can see if the employee has started his or her application and when it has been submitted.
6
The Migration Agency processes the application
You and the intended employee will receive an email once the employee's application is received by the Swedish Migration Agency. The Migration Agency will contact you or the employee if it needs more information.
For the Swedish Migration Agency to make a decision about your application, all the details need to be filled in and all necessary documents enclosed. This means that the processing time will be shorter if all the necessary information is included from the start than if information is added afterwards. Note that the Migration Agency may in some cases need to further examine the application even if you have included all the required information and documents.
The Swedish Migration Agency may need to check the employee’s passport before a decision can be made. They may therefore need to show their passport at one of the Migration Agency's service centres.
In some cases, the employee will not be required to show their passport, for example, if we have already checked the passport during a previous visit.
If the employee needs to show their passport, we will contact them with information on how and when to do so.
If the employee's family also applies for a residence permit, the Swedish Migration Agency may need to check their passports as well.
7
Decision
As the employer you are notified by post once a decision is made. If you want to know the reasons for the decision, you will need a power of attorney from the employee. If the employee is in Sweden, the decision will be sent by post to the address they have stated.
8
Notify the Swedish Tax Agency
When you employ someone from a non-EU country, you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency. This is done by completing the form “Notification – Employment of a foreigner SKV 1160” with the name, address and employment period of the person who will be working for you. The form can be found on the Swedish Tax Agency's website.
You must keep copies of any documents proving that the person has the right to stay and work in Sweden. These documents must be kept on file during the entire employment period and for 12 months after the employment has ended.
Form for notifying the Swedish Tax Agency External link, opens in new window.
Read more about the rules that apply once a person has received their decision
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If you are unable to provide information about the employment in the e-service
If you are unable to provide information about the employment in the e-service, fill out the form Information about the employment, number 232511. If the job offer is for more than one person with the same tasks and terms of employment, fill out Namnlista, number 234011, as well and enclose it. Send the form(s) to the employee, to be submitted along with their application for a work permit.
Information about the employment, form number 232511 Pdf, 818.4 kB, opens in new window.
Namnlista, form number 234011 (in Swedish) Pdf, 1.2 MB, opens in new window.
