Visas
Sweden's new work permit rules from 1 June 2026
Sweden raised the bar for work permits on 1 June 2026. For engineers and IT specialists little changes; for lower-paid roles, Sweden has become much harder.
What changed
- Salary: first-time permits decided on or after 1 June 2026 need a salary of at least 90% of the Swedish median salary, as well as pay in line with collective agreements. This replaces the old "earn a living" requirement.
- Extensions: until 1 December 2026, extensions still follow the old rule of 80% of the median.
- Exemptions: the government can exempt specific occupations.
- EU Blue Card: the threshold stays at SEK 53,625 a month, but cards can now be issued for up to four years.
- Seasonal work: permits can now cover up to nine months in a twelve-month period.
- Employers: applications can be refused because of serious employer deficiencies.
Who is affected
The rule hits roles paid below the median, such as hospitality, cleaning and some care work. Graduate roles in engineering, IT and life sciences usually pay well above it.
What to do
- Check your offer against the current median published by Statistics Sweden
- Ask the employer to confirm the collective agreement level
- If your role is borderline, check whether it appears on any exemption list
Read next
- Working in SwedenOpen to engineers, much stricter for lower-paid roles since June 2026.
- EU Blue Card salary thresholds for 2026, comparedThe 2026 EU Blue Card salary thresholds in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Spain and Sweden, side by side.
- Working in DenmarkHigh salaries, English at work. Either your pay or your job title has to qualify.
