You want to apply for a residence permit to work as an au pair.
If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA, you will in most cases need a permit to work in Sweden.
If you are going to work as an au pair in Sweden, this means you will be living with a host family and help them with childcare and light housework. The purpose of your stay in Sweden is to learn the Swedish language and take part in Swedish culture.
These requirements must be met in order for you to be granted a residence permit:
You must have a valid passport
You must be at least 18 years of age but less than 30 years old when the decision is made
You must have a written agreement regarding au pair work from a family in Sweden
The agreement must state that you will do light housework and provide childcare for a maximum of 25 hours per week and that you will study Swedish for most of the time that you are not working. The combined time spent on housework and studies must not exceed 40 hours per week.
Your host family must have taken out accident insurance for you
Among other things, this insurance should cover accidents during working hours and illness if you become ill from your work. Accident insurance that only provides financial compensation in the event of an accident that occurs during your leisure time is not sufficient.
You or your host family must have, or have applied for, a comprehensive health insurance policy for you
The comprehensive health insurance must be valid for the entire time you will be in Sweden and cover the cost of urgent and other medical care, hospitalisation, and emergency dental care. It must also cover the cost of medical repatriation, if you need to return to your country of origin for health reasons.
You must have enough money for your stay in Sweden and for your return journey
This means that you must be offered compensation from the host family totalling at least 10 percent of the price base amount per month before tax.
The current price base amount can be found on the website of Statistics Sweden
External link.
Make sure that your host family has the correct information about you
Your host family needs information about your name, date of birth, citizenship and email address. They will use this information when they start your application for a work permit.
It is important that you have access to the email address that you give to your host family until you have received a decision about your application. The Swedish Migration Agency will use this email address when we contact you.
Translate documents
All submitted documents should be in Swedish or English. If you have translated your documents, the translation should be certified. You must also include a copy of the document in its original language.
Plan which embassy to visit to present your passport
You may need to present your passport at an embassy before you can receive a decision. In the application, you must therefore state which embassy you want to visit.
Not all Swedish embassies and consulates-general handle migration cases, so it is important to check which one you should contact:
Make sure that the information on your submitted documents is clearly visible.
Correctly made copies of your passport
You can never be granted a permit for longer than your passport is valid.
A written agreement from the host family
The terms and conditions of your employment as an au pair must be stated in the agreement.
Certificate proving that your host family has, or has applied for, accident insurance for you
It must state the insurance company with which they have taken out the insurance, the insurance policy number, and the period for which the insurance is valid.
Certificate proving that you or your host family have, or have applied for, a comprehensive health insurance policy for you
It must state the insurance company with which they have taken out the insurance, the insurance policy number, and the period for which the insurance is valid. The health insurance must cover treatment in Sweden.
A representative can apply for you, if you grant them power of attorney. In that case, the person who applies for you must attach a copy of the power of attorney to your application.
Power of attorney (107011)
Pdf, 1.1 MB.
Read more about power of attorney
2025-07-23
Extended passports become invalid on 1 October
As of 1 October 2025, Swedish authorities will no longer accept passports that have had their period of validity extended by inserting a stamp or sticker into the passport. If you have such a national passport, you should apply for a new one.
2025-07-07
If you need to apply for a visa, you can now do so in Islamabad
As of 7 July, you can apply for a Schengen visa in Pakistan for short visits to Sweden by submitting your application in Islamabad.
2025-06-30
Payment to bankgiro is no longer possible
The bankgiro account that could previously be used to pay application and processing fees is closed from 30 June.
2025-06-23
What happens if the company you work for goes bankrupt?
If the company you work for goes bankrupt and you have a work permit to work for this employer, you will need to find a new job within three months to stay in Sweden.
2025-06-17
New median wage affects how high a salary you need to get a work permit
Statistics Sweden (SCB) has now updated the median salary in Sweden. As of 17 June, the median salary is SEK 37,100, which means that you must have a salary/wages of at least SEK 29,680 a month in order to be granted a work permit.
2025-06-02
Due to the bankruptcy of Northvolt, the Swedish Migration Agency will be on site in Skellefteå to answer your questions about residence and work permits in Sweden.
2025-05-20
Are you going to visit the National Government Service Centre?
From May onwards, there will be changes to which of the Government Service Centers offer the services of the Swedish Migration Agency.
2025-05-20
One of the requirements for being granted a work permit is that the salary must enable you to make a good living. A new ruling from the Migration Court of Appeal clarifies what counts as a salary.
2025-04-01
From 1 April, the possibility of changing tracks will end
On 1 April, the Swedish Parliament’s decision to remove the possibility of changing tracks will come into force. This affects those who have been granted, or applied for, a work permit after an asylum application has been rejected. Your co-applicant family members will also be affected.
Power of attorney means that you give someone permission to represent you, for example to apply on your behalf.
Read more about power of attorneyIf you are granted a residence permit in Sweden, you will receive a residence permit card, which is proof that you have the right to be in the country.
Read more about residence permit cards
