Swedish Government Releases New Rules For Foreign Workers

The Swedish government has issued new regulations for foreigners who are holders of work permits and are applying for an extension to stay longer and work in the country. The new rules include certain conditions which are to be met.

To be eligible, the employees must sign an employment contract with the employer which must be translated into either English or Swedish, and a copy of the original contract must be included as well; a valid passport; employment that aligns with the Swedish collective agreement; the salary must comply with Swedish legislation, the profession, or the industry; the applicant's income must be at least €1,300 (or SEK 13,000) before taxes in order to be eligible; the employer must provide health, life, employment, and pension insurance.

However, some professions have their own set of rules. The candidate must submit an application for either an EU Blue Card or an ICT permit in order to work as a performer, au pair (child care), berry picker, seasonal worker, researcher, athlete, coach, or trainee through an international exchange program, or with connections to higher education.

The applicant might need to secure particular types of permits, including the young person's working holiday visa, depending on the country. Employers in particular sectors are subject to more onerous standards, such as personnel, service, and cleaning.

According to the agency statement, “In order to obtain a work permit, you must fulfill the requirements for a work permit for one job. The requirements cannot be fulfilled by having two or more jobs at once. You need a work permit to work in Sweden, whether you are employed in Sweden or abroad, whether you are employed by an employment agency that provides personnel to a company in Sweden, or whether you have been transferred within an organization.”

Swedish nationals must present both a work permit and a visa in order to work for less than three months. 4,474 residence permits, or 33.9% of all permits issued since the year began, were issued for employment in 2014. This represents the majority of residence permits awarded in 2014.