Frequently asked ques­tions about residence permits for upper secon­dary level studies

No, it is no longer possible to be granted a residence permit residence permit because you need more time to finish your studies. The regulations on being able to get a residence permit for studies at upper secondary level or the equivalent ended on 20 December 2023.

Read more about extending your residence permit

If you start working and can support yourself financially before your temporary residence permit expires, you have the opportunity to apply for a permanent residence permit. You must apply while your temporary residence permit is still valid.

The last day to submit an application for a permanent residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act is 19 January 2025.

Read more about extending your residence permit

Yes, if you are granted a residence permit that is valid for more than 13 months, you must report that you have actively participated in your studies once a year. The Migration Agency will contact you when it is time to make your report.

If you study at a national programme at an upper secondary school, you have completed your studies when you have a graduation certificate or a study certificate of at least 2500 upper secondary school credits.

Studies at upper secondary level in municipal adult education (Komvux) or special needs municipal adult education (Särvux), are considered completed when you have a study certificate of at least 2400 upper secondary school credits.

If you study a general course at a folk high school, you have completed your studies when you have a certificate of basic scope requirements equivalent to three years in upper secondary school.

A vocational training package is considered complete when you have finished your classes in accordance with your individual study plan. You can show this by, for example, submitting a study certificate or an excerpt from the schools grading system with an appendix stating for which vocational areas the studies are intended.

The training has been completed when you have finished the training in accordance with your individual study plan.

In the same way as an individual study plan is an important basis for determining whether a training is a vocational package, an individual study plan is therefore an important basis for determining whether such a training has been completed.

You can show this through, for example, upper secondary certificates or extracts from records of grades with an annex stating which vocational area or areas the integrated vocational programme is intended for.

More information is available from the National Agency for Education External link, opens in new window.

No, copies are sufficient.

Read more about reporting active participation in studies at upper secondary level

Your teacher or some other member of school staff can give you copies of the documents you need, for example grades or an individual study plan. You can ask the teacher or member of school staff to send the documents to you by post or email.

Read more about reporting active participation in studies at upper secondary level

You can send in documents that show that you have participated actively in the instruction included in your education and that you are completing your studies according to your individual study plan or corresponding planning document.

Read more about reporting active participation in studies at upper secondary level

If you do not send in any documents, you will get one reminder. If you still do not send in any documents showing that you are participating actively in your education, the Swedish Migration Agency can decide to revoke your residence permit. If your residence permit is revoked, you must leave Sweden. If you have been given a residence permit because, for example, you need protection (asylum), but the length of your residence permit depends on the fact that you are studying at upper secondary level, the Swedish Migration Agency can instead decide to change the length of your permit if you cannot show that you are participating actively in your education.

Read more about reporting active participation in studies at upper secondary level

If you have not been given grades yet, you have to send in other documents showing that you have participated actively in the instruction included in your education. The Swedish Migration Agency wants to see that you are expected to complete your education in accordance with your individual study plan or corresponding planning document.

Read more about reporting active participation in studies at upper secondary level

When the Swedish Migration Agency examines your application, we will contact the Swedish Tax Agency to confirm that your employer has reported your employment. You do not need to submit any certificate from the Swedish Tax Agency in order to show that your employer has reported your employment.

No. Studies at an introductory programme are not considered completed studies at upper secondary level, which are required for a permanent residence permit for someone who is under the age of 25. You must first continue your studies at upper secondary school level.

The following are considered completed studies:

• studies at a national programme at an upper secondary school or upper secondary school for pupils with intellectual disabilities
• full-time studies at upper secondary level at a folk high school, in municipal adult education (Komvux) or special needs municipal adult education (Särvux)
• a so-called vocational training package, i.e. vocational training aimed at facilitating establishment on the labour market and provided within the framework of an introductory programme at a upper secondary school or full-time studies at a comprehensive vocational course in municipal adult education (Komvux) or special needs municipal adult education (Särvux).

If you have turned 25, there is no requirement that you have fulfilled an upper secondary level education.

Read more about study programmes on the National Agency for Education (Skolverket) website (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window.

Yes, in certain cases you can get a permanent residence permit. If the content of your application makes it clear to the Swedish Migration Agency that your probationary period will transition to permanent employment (also known as an employment contract with an “indefinite duration”) and you meet all other requirements, you can get a permanent residence permit. Although it is common for a probationary period to transition to permanent employment, an employer has the right to terminate your probationary period at short notice. In order to assess whether your employment will transition to permanent employment, you or your employer may be contacted by the Swedish Migration Agency, which may want to know more about your job.

Please submit a new proof of employment if you probationary period turns into a permanent employment before the Swedish Migration Agency examines you application.

To get a permanent residence permit because you can support yourself as an employed person, one requirement is that you have either completed your upper secondary education or attained 25 years. (In this case, introduction programmes are not counted as a completed upper secondary education). If you are under 25, you must, in other words, take all of your upper secondary education before you can apply for a permanent residence permit as an employed person.

If you meet all the conditions, you can get a permanent residence permit as an employed person. But you cannot apply for a permanent residence permit until it is time to apply for an extended residence permit, i.e. no earlier than two months before your present residence permit expires. But you can start working during the period when you have a residence permit for upper secondary studies.

“Long-term employment” primarily refers to employment contracts with an indefinite duration, also known as permanent employment. An employment is considered long-term if it will last for at least two years.

Please observe that you must fulfil the requirement both when you submit you application (at the latest before your temporary permit expires) and when the Swedish Migration Agency examines your application. This means that your application can be denied if you have less than two years left of your employment when the Swedish Migration Agency examines your application. You can submit new documents showing that your employment has been extended or become permanent after you submitted your application.

Yes, you may change jobs during the processing period, but it is important that you meet the requirements both on the last day of your temporary residence permit and when the Swedish Migration Agency examines your application. If you change jobs before you have received a decision, you must supplement your application with new documents that show that you meet the requirements through your new employment. The Swedish Migration Agency will review the terms of both employments.

Yes, you can apply for a permanent residence permit as an employee even though you are/will be on sick leave. The Swedish Migration Agency reviews the terms of your employment and assesses whether you can support yourself on the compensation from the Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). If the Swedish Migration Agency determines that you will be able to support yourself on your wages, and that your employment is long-term despite your sick leave, you can get a permanent residence permit.

Yes, you can apply for a permanent residence permit as an employee even though you are/will be on parental leave. The Swedish Migration Agency reviews the terms of your employment and assesses whether you can support yourself on the compensation from the Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). If the Swedish Migration Agency determines that you will be able to support yourself on your wages, and that your employment is long-term despite your parental leave, you can get a permanent residence permit.