Resi­dence permit for looking for work after studies

If you have a residence permit for studies in higher education in Sweden and have completed your studies you can get a residence permit to seek employment or explore the possibilities of starting your own business here.

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Requi­re­ments for obtai­ning a resi­dence permit

To obtain a residence permit after you have completed your studies

  • you must submit your application before your current permit expires
  • you must have a passport that is valid throughout your stay in Sweden (if your passport is about to expire you need to extend it since you cannot be granted a permit for a time period that exceeds the validity of your passport)
  • you must have completed a higher education programme at a university or university college that has lasted for at least two semesters – that means that you must have passed all of your courses
  • your last residence permit must have been a residence permit for higher education in Sweden. You can also have had a residence permit for mobility studies issued by another EU country where at least two semesters of the educational programme took place in Sweden
  • you must be planning to seek employment or explore the possibilities of starting your own business
  • you must be able to support yourself during the time for which you are applying for a residence permit
  • you must have, or have applied for, a comprehensive healthcare insurance policy that is valid for healthcare in Sweden.

In order for your family to be granted residence permits, you must obtain a residence permit after you have completed your studies and other requirements are

  • that the family has valid passports
  • that the family’s financial support must be arranged for the entire planned stay in Sweden.

Requi­re­ments to use the e-service

In order to use the e-service, you need

  • copies of the pages in your passport showing personal data, photo, signature, passport number, issuing country, period of validity, entry stamps and if they permission to live in countries other than their home country
  • a certificate from the university or college in Sweden that shows that you have completed at least two semesters in Sweden, if parts of the education have been completed outside Sweden
  • examination certificate, study transcripts or excerpts from the Ladok register, showing that you have completed your studies
  • certificate from your supervisor if you are doctoral student in Sweden
  • account statement from a bank or other documents showing that you have money to support yourself during the period for which you are applying for a residence permit
  • copy of a document showing that you have, or have applied for, a comprehensive healthcare insurance policy that is valid for healthcare in Sweden if you are not registered
  • be able to pay a possible fee for the application with a credit card or charge card (fees for residence permits for studies).

Your family must include in the appli­ca­tion

  • copies of the pages in their passports showing personal data, photo, signature, passport number, issuing country, period of validity, entry stamps and if they permission to live in countries other than their home country
  • documents that verify your relation
  • documents, for example account statements, that verify that your family’s financial support is arranged for.

Before you submit your appli­ca­tion

Check that the information on the documents that you are including is clear. Important information such as your name must be stated on the documents. The documents should also have been issued as recently as possible. The documents should also be translated into Swedish or English by an authorised translator, if they are issued in another language. When you submit a translated document, you must also include a copy of the original document.

Read more about the requirements for an online application

If you have a residence permit for studies in higher education in Sweden and have completed your studies you can get a residence permit to seek employment or explore the possibilities of starting your own business here.

You can also apply for a residence permit to seek employment in Sweden if you have had a residence permit for studies in another EU country and have lived in Sweden during the period of your residence permit and conducted some of your studies here.

You can only be granted a residence permit that is valid for twelve months. You cannot obtain a residence permit that is for more or less than twelve months. It is also not possible to extend the permit.

If you obtain a residence permit in Sweden to seek employment after you have completed research, your family may also be granted residence permits for the same time as you. You can apply for your family in your own online application.

In order for your family to be granted residence permits, you must obtain a residence permit after you have completed your studies and other requirements are

  • that the family has valid passports
  • that the family’s financial support must be arranged for the entire planned stay in Sweden.

The maintenance requirement during the entire stay is SEK 4 297,50 per month for a spouse or common-law partner and SEK 2 578,50 per month for each child.

Your family must include in the appli­ca­tion

  • copies of the pages in their passports showing personal data, photo, signature, passport number, issuing country, period of validity, entry stamps and if they permission to live in countries other than their home country
  • documents that verify your relation
  • documents, for example account statements, that verify that your family’s financial support is arranged for.

Check that the information on the documents that you are including is clear. Important information such as your name must be stated on the documents. The documents should also have been issued as recently as possible. The documents should also be translated into Swedish or English by an authorised translator, if they are issued in another language. When you submit a translated document, you must also include a copy of the original document.

If your family’s passports are about to expire they should extend the passports, since they cannot be granted permits for a period that exceeds the validity of the passports.

Include copies of the pages in your passport showing personal data, photo, signature, passport number, issuing country, period of validity, entry stamp and if you have permission to live in countries other than your home country. It is important that the whole passport pages are included in the copies. Numbers and characters on the top and bottom of the pages must be clearly visible. If your passport is about to expire you must extend it, since you cannot receive a permit for a time period that exceeds the validity of your passport.

If you have had a residence permit for a higher education programme you must have completed a higher education programme in Sweden, and the programme must have included at least two semesters. If you have had a residence permit for mobility studies issued by another EU country, you must within these studies have completed at least two semesters in Sweden. Your new application must have been submitted before the previous permit expires. This applies regardless of whether the permit has been issued by Sweden or another EU country.

The whole programme must have been completed with a passing grade. It is not enough to have completed all of the mandatory parts of the programme but not have received a passing grade in the whole programme. Completed studies can be shown through a diploma, but also through other documents, such excerpts from the Ladok register or certificates from authorised staff at the higher education provider. Excerpts from the Ladok register must contain a note from your higher education provider that states that you have completed your education.

If your residence permit is about to expire but you have not yet received a passing grade for the entire programme, it is important that you apply before the permit has expired and then supplement your application with a certificate of completed studies.

If you have completed your studies, the maintenance requirement for those who have applied during 2023 is a minimum of SEK 9 450 per month. For applications that have been submitted to the Swedish Migration Agency on 1 January 2024 or after that, the maintenance requirement is a minimum of SEK 10 314 per month.

You must enclose a bank statement or other documents showing that you have enough money to support yourself during twelve months. Information about account balance, the account holder’s name and currency must be stated on the bank statement.

If you refer to your own bank assets in Iranian rials (IRR), the Swedish Migration Agency uses the same exchange rate as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs uses in visa matters.

Keep in mind that your support must be secured from the balance date on your bank statement to the end date for the permit period you are applying for.

If you have continuous income from work, you must include a copy of the employment contract and salary specifications.

If the total consecutive time for your residence permit in Sweden will be longer than one year you can be registered with the Civil Registry in Sweden. If you are registered in Sweden you are considered as having a comprehensive healthcare policy that is valid for healthcare in Sweden.

If the total consecutive time for your residence permit in Sweden will be less than one year, you cannot be registered with the Civil Registry in Sweden. If so, you must have, or have applied for, your own health insurance. The insurance must be valid for the duration of your stay in Sweden and cover costs for emergency medical care or other medical care, dental care and hospitalization. It must also cover costs for transportation home for medical reasons.

A first-time application for a residence permit must be made while you are outside Sweden, otherwise your application may be rejected. In some cases, you may be able to apply for a residence permit while you are in Sweden with another valid Swedish residence permit. In the test, you can find out what applies to you.

If you do not apply online you need to fill in the form Application for residence permit to seek work on completing studies or research, 188011, and Family details – appendix to your application, 239011. The application form indicates what documents you must enclose.

Send the application to Migrationsverket, Box 3100, 903 03 Umeå

Application for a residence permit to seek work on completing studies or research, form 189011 Pdf, 819.3 kB, opens in new window.

Family details – Appendix to your application, form 239011 Pdf, 876.4 kB, opens in new window.

Application for a residence permit for family members of students and doctoral students, form 135011 Pdf, 1.8 MB, opens in new window.

In most cases you will need to pay a fee.

Application fees for residence permits

After you have sent the application

When you have submitted an application for a residence permit you have the right to remain in Sweden until the Swedish Migration Agency makes a decision on your application or until the decision has gained legal force.

If you are granted a permit you will receive a residence permit card. The card is proof that you have permission to be in Sweden and contains, among other things, a photo of you as well as your fingerprints. You should therefore book an appointment to be photographed and provide your fingerprints as soon as possible. You need to do that even if you have previously had a residence permit since your photo and your fingerprints cannot be saved.

Read more about residence permit cards

Book an appointment at the Migration Agency to be photographed and fingerprinted

If you have had a residence permit previously

You need to have your photograph and fingerprints taken even if you have had a residence permit previously, as your photograph and fingerprints cannot be saved.

If you are granted a residence permit, the decision will be sent to your home address in Sweden and the residence permit card will be sent to your home within approximately one week.

If you find employment in Sweden

If you have obtained a residence permit to seek employment in Sweden you may work during the time that your residence permit is valid. If you are offered employment you may apply for a work permit in Sweden.

Read more about how to apply for a work permit

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