The Upper Secondary School Act ends on 20 January
January 20 is the last day to apply for a permanent residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act. After this the law will expire, but many people who currently have a residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act will be able to have their application for permanent residence considered even after January 20.
The Upper Secondary School Act is a temporary law that has been gradually phased out. The possibility of obtaining an extended residence permit on the basis of upper secondary studies expired in December 2023, and the possibility of obtaining an extended residence permit to look for work after upper secondary school expired on July 20, 2024. The final step in the phasing out is that the possibility of applying for a permanent residence permit expires on January 20, 2025.
If you apply for a permanent residence permit on or before January 20, your application can be considered after that date if you have, or have had, one of the following residence permits
- a residence permit for studies at upper secondary level
- residence permit to look for work after completing your studies
- a residence permit with refugee or subsidiary protection status, with a longer permit period because you were studying at upper secondary level.
The Upper Secondary School Act also applies after January 20 to decisions that have been appealed to the court.
Requirements for permanent residence
To obtain a permanent residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act, you must
- be able to support yourself as an employee or self-employed person
- be able to prove that you have completed upper secondary education or equivalent foreign education if you are under 25
- lead an orderly life.
The requirement for self-sufficiency must be met no later than when your temporary residence permit expires, as well as when the Swedish Migration Agency examines your application.
If you are under 25, you must meet the requirement of having completed upper secondary education by January 20.
Apply at the latest on January 20
Applications for permanent residence must be registered with the Swedish Migration Agency on January 20 at the latest. An application received after that date will be rejected.
You must apply for a permanent residence permit at the latest before your temporary residence permit expires, but no earlier than two months before. If you have much more than two months left on your temporary residence permit, the Swedish Migration Agency can reject your application. The Migration Agency's decision to reject an application can be appealed.
If you do not apply for an extended or permanent residence permit before your temporary residence permit expires, you will not be allowed to work, which may affect your ability to obtain a permanent residence permit.