You want to extend Look for work after completing your studies in Sweden

You have completed your higher education studies in Sweden and want to apply for a residence permit to look for work or investigate the possibilities of starting your own business here. Your family can apply at the same time as you.

  • Important to know
  • Apply

If you have a residence permit for higher education in Sweden, i.e., studies at the first-cycle, second-cycle, or third-cycle (doctoral) level, and have completed your studies here, you can be granted a residence permit to look for work or explore the possibilities of starting your own business here.

You can also apply for a residence permit to look for work in Sweden if you have had a residence permit for studies in another EU country and have stayed in Sweden for at least two semesters as part of your studies.

These requirements must be met in order for you to be granted a residence permit:

You must have a valid passport

You must submit your application before your current permit for higher education expires
This applies regardless of whether the permit has been issued by Sweden or by another EU country. You may also have had a residence permit for mobility studies issued by another EU country and have conducted at least two semesters of your education in Sweden.

You must have completed a higher education programme lasting at least two semesters
This means that you must have completed the entire education programme to which you were first admitted and have passed all your courses. “Higher education programme” means education completed at a university or university college. Studies in, e.g., a higher vocational education programme do not count. If you have had a residence permit for mobility studies issued by another EU country, you must have conducted at least two semesters of your education in Sweden.

You must be planning to look for work or investigate the possibilities for starting your own business

You must be able to support yourself financially
Your means of “financial maintenance” must be sufficient for twelve months.

You must have, or have applied for, a comprehensive health insurance policy
If the total continuous period of time for your residence permits in Sweden is less than one year, you need health insurance. The insurance must be valid for the entire time you will be in Sweden and cover costs for doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, and emergency dental care. It must also cover the cost of transport back to your country of origin for medical reasons.

If the total continuous period of time for your residence permits in Sweden is more than one year, you should get listed in Sweden’s population register. This will give you access to health and medical care and dental care.

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.


You must attach copies of these documents to your application

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.
Read more about what the passport copies must show

Certificate from the higher education institution
Certificate from the university or university college in Sweden showing that you have completed at least two semesters in Sweden, if parts of your education have been completed outside Sweden.

Degree certificate
Degree certificate, certificate of study results, or an extract from the Ladok register showing that you have completed your studies. Extracts from the Ladok register must contain a note from your higher education provider confirming that you have completed your education.

Certificate from your supervisor
If you are a doctoral student in Sweden.

Documents showing that you can support yourself financially
Bank statements or other documents showing that you have enough money to support yourself during the period for which you are applying for a residence permit.

If you have ongoing income from work, you must enclose a copy of your employment contract and payslips.

Documents showing that you have, or have applied for, comprehensive health insurance
If the total continuous period of time for your residence permits in Sweden is less than one year, you must have comprehensive health insurance.

Documents to attach if your family is applying with you

Correctly made copies of each family member’s passport

Your family member can never be granted a residence permit for longer than their passport is valid.

Read more about what the passport copies must show

Documents showing your relationship

If you are married: marriage certificate, marriage record, or similar document.

If you are cohabiting partners: documents showing that you have lived together, such as population registration certificates, a joint rental contract, or proof of the joint purchase of a home.

Documents showing that the family’s financial maintenance has been arranged
For example, bank statements.

Birth record or birth certificate stating the names of the child’s parents

Consent that the child may move to Sweden
If a child has two parents/legal guardians and the child’s other parent/legal guardian will be remaining in their country of origin, you must attach a statement of consent from the other parent/legal guardian to the application. If you share joint custody, a copy of the other parent or legal guardian’s passport or other identity document must also be attached.

Consent for a child to settle in Sweden (217011) Pdf, 1.1 MB.

Sole custody decision
If you have sole custody of your child, you must attach a court decision to this effect. If the other parent is deceased, you must submit a death certificate.

Adoption documents, if your child is adopted

You must have completed the entire higher education programme to which you were first admitted, with passing grades. If you have not earned passing grades in all your courses, it is not enough to have completed all the compulsory elements of the education programme. “Higher education programme” means education completed at a university or college. Studies in, e.g., a higher vocational education programme do not count.

If your current residence permit for studies is about to expire, but you have not yet received a passing grade in all your courses, it is still important that you apply before the permit expires. You can then supplement your application with a certificate of completed studies at a later date.

If you have an ongoing application for an extension of your residence permit for studies, but have completed your studies, you do not need to submit a new application for a permit to look for work after completed studies. Instead, you can contact the Swedish Migration Agency and we will help you change your application.

Other rules apply if you are a citizen of the EU/EEA or Switzerland, or if you have long-term resident status in another EU country.

EU/EEA citizens with right of residence

If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you have the right to live in another EU/EEA country if you fulfil the requirements for right of residence through work, your own company, your studies, or by having sufficient funds to support yourself. If you have right of residence, you do not need to apply for a residence permit to live in Sweden.

EU/EEA citizens

Swiss citizens

If you are a citizen of Switzerland, you can move to Sweden to work, study, start your own business, or live on your own funds. If you want to remain in Sweden for longer than three months, you must apply for a residence permit for Swiss citizens.

You want to apply – Swiss citizens

If you have long-term resident status in another EU country

If you have long-term resident status in another EU country, you can move to Sweden to work, study or live on your own funds. If you plan to stay longer than three months, you need to apply for a residence permit for long-term residents.

You want to apply – Long-term residents in another EU country

The maintenance requirement is

  • at least SEK 10,584 per month, if you applied in 2025
  • at least SEK 10,314 per month, if you applied in 2024.

If you can show that you receive free housing and/or food through the higher education institution or an organisation that works for international exchange, the amount per month can be reduced. The monthly amount can be reduced by

  • SEK 2,940 per month for free food and SEK 4,704 per month for free housing, if you applied in 2025
  • SEK 2,865 per month for free food and SEK 4,584 per month for free housing, if you applied in 2024.

If your family applies with you, the monthly amount will be higher. In that case, it will include an additional

  • SEK 4,410 per month for a spouse or cohabiting partner
  • SEK 2,646 per month for each child.


The Swedish Migration Agency assesses your family’s overall ability to support yourselves financially.

If any of your family members also want to apply for a residence permit, they can do so at the same time as you. “Family members” are considered to include spouses, registered partners, cohabiting partners, and children under the age of 18.

Your family’s financial support must be arranged for their entire planned time in Sweden.

If your family is granted residence permits, your adult family members and children who will turn at least 16 during the current year are permitted to work.

You can be granted a residence permit for a maximum of one year, but never for longer than your passport is valid.

The permit cannot be extended.

If your family applies with you, they can be granted a residence permit for the same period as you, but never longer than the period of validity of their passports.

Adults: SEK 1,500
Children under 18 years of age: SEK 750

News

2025-03-05

The Swedish Migration Agency's new website has now been launched

On 5 March, the Swedish Migration Agency launched a completely new version of migrationsverket.se, with a new structure and a more user-friendly navigation. The purpose of the new website is primarily to make it easier for visitors to find the information they need.

The Swedish Migration Agency is responsible for considering applications from people who want to live in Sweden, seek protection or become Swedish citizens. Our work is based on Swedish laws and international conventions, with a focus on legal certainty and effective reception and return.