5 tips when applying for a work permit [2024]
Updated: November 2023
Applying for a work permit can be a smooth experience even if you don’t have prior knowledge of the application process or legislation, but there are also a lot of things can go wrong. According to statistics for the first months of 2023 as many as 39% of applications for work permit in Sweden were rejected.
Some rejections are due to things that could have easily been avoided or simple to find information about, while other things are hidden in internal government documents and rarely explained unless you have already had your application rejected. In this post, we highlight the most essential things to keep in mind before applying for a work permit:
1. Advertise Correctly
- The employer decides who to employ, but the position has to be advertised for at least 10 days prior to starting the application process for the work permit.
- There is no law that dictates where it must be advertised, but it is up to the employer to prove that the advertisement reaches everyone in the EU/EEA.
- If you primarily use Linkedin or similar channels for advertising, we always recommend that you also post an advertisement on the website of the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen’s Platsbanken).
- If a person is already in Sweden on a work permit and is changing positions at a company or changing employer, the position may still need to be advertised.
2. Plan the start of the employment
- When hiring someone on a work permit you want to know approximately when you will have access to your employee but there are quite a few unknowns. Using a new process for work permit applications should reduce the waiting time significantly. The reduced waiting time is only for certain occupations and certain companies. The application has to be complete and correct in order to be processed faster.
- The Swedish Migration Agency has a tool for approximate processing times for a decision. It is based on previous statistics for the same type of residence permit and is updated at regular intervals. Unfortunately, the statistics rarely correspond well with reality, so it is recommended to consult someone with experience in the work permit process to get a rough estimate.
- It is recommended to add some extra time to the estimation as your future employee might have to wait for a residence permit card before they can travel to Sweden. After a positive decision has been made, the residence permit card is produced and sent to the Swedish embassy that is closest to your employee. Production and shipping usually takes 2 – 3 weeks.
3. A time limited work permit
- If it’s a first time application the work permit will almost certainly be time limited. The work permit is normally limited to 2 years at a time but there are exceptions.
- Exception 1: The length of employment. If the employment is limited to a shorter time than 2 years, the work permit will be limited to the same time period. If an employment is permanent (Swedish: tillsvidareanställning) but contains a probationary period, the work permit can be limited to the length of the probationary period, which usually makes up the first 6 months of the employment. The Swedish migration Agency has been a bit inconsistent in how they handle probationary periods, but it’s definitely worth keeping in mind!
- Exception 2: The expiration date of the employee’s passport.
If the passport is not valid for a time of at least 2 years, the work permit will be limited because of it. In that situation the work permit will be limited to the expiry date of the passport. The first day of the work permit is usually the day of the decision, so that’s when you should be counting the 2 years from. If you have been waiting a long time for a decision and there is less than 2 years left on your passport, it may be worthwhile to update your passport and send the Migration Agency a copy of it. - Remember to start the application for the extension of the work permit in good time before it expires and always check the passport’s expiry date before you apply! Also, don’t start it too early or it might not be processed at all! (you shouldn’t submit an application more than 6 months before your current work permit expires)
4. The salary
- Starting on the 1st of November 2023 there is a minimum wage applied to most work permit applications. The current minimum wage is 27 360 SEK/month and should remain the same until mid June 2024. Please refer to this article for more details: The minimum wage for a work permit in Sweden (Update)
- Other than the minimum salary mentioned above, the salary must also be at a competitive (market) level or on a level similar to a collective bargaining agreement for the industry and role in question. If the comapny doesn’t have a colletive bargaining agreement, the employer is expected to prove that the salary is on par with similar jobs in Sweden or to accept the Swedish Migration Agency’s assessment.
- If your company has a collective bargainging agreement there shouldn’t be a question about it as the union will make an utterance in regards to the details outlined in the work permit application.
5. Insurances
- For most work permits the employer need to get personell insurances with coverage for health, life and accidents or work-related injuries. For most industries you are also obliged to have a work pension insurance.
- Some insurance policies only cover a certain type of employee. A distinction is made between blue-collar (Swedish: arbetare) and white-collar (Swedish: tjänsteman) workers.
- A good example to use is the insurance package from Fora. The package covers all necessary insurances for someone working in construction or as a chef, but if the employee is an accountant they will only have very limited coverage (accident/injury and possibly life insurance). If you were to hire a chef using Fora’s insurance package, you would be good to go, but if you hire an accountant you would need to get 2 or 3 of the insurances from a different insurance comapny.
- The recommendation is to contact your insurance company in good time. If you have group insurances, you should check if both blue-collar and white-collar employees are covered by the insurance. It is also a good idea to check if the insurance company has specific requirements, such as if the insured have to have been registered in the population registry for two years before they can make use of the insurance.
- Many insurances require that a person has a Swedish personal identity number (Swedish: personnummer) in order to be eligible for the insurance. A personal identity number is generally not required for group insurances but it will always be requested if you purchase personal insurance coverage for an employee.
6. Bonus tip for industries with special requirements.
- Certain insdustries are subject to more stringent control. If the company is small or mid-sized it will also be required to submit financial documents as part of the application. The Swedish Mgiration Agency will normally ask you for the company’s latest annual report as well as updated balance sheets and income statements.
- However, there is something called free sifting of evidence in the Swedish judicial system. In the context of a work permit application it means that you can choose what evidence to provide the Swedish Migration Agency with. If your financial documents aren’t satisfactory you can also provide other forms of evidence to show that you can pay your prospective employee’s salary. Since the company has the burden of proof, a strong argument backed up by hard evidence is recommended.
- Speaking from experience, the financial assessment applied by the Swedish Migration Agency doesn’t make sense to almost any employers or accountants. If your company doesn’t have extraordinary finances the recommendation is to seek out an expert before applying.
How can we help?
Do you feel like spending time on other things than work permit applications and also maximize your chances of a positive decision? If so, you are welcome to contact us at Permizon.
We offer a comprehensive service for handling work permits applications. The service covers everything mentioned above and more! Get in touch for a free assessment now. You can either call us or fill out a form on this page.
