Swedish
Language
Official main language, Finnish, Meänkieli, Sami
Country guide · Sweden
Living and working in Sweden
A guide for international candidates
Unless you're an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you'll usually need a work permit based on a job offer from a Swedish employer. There's no sponsor licence. From 1 June 2026 the salary must be at least 90% of the national median, which is SEK 34,470 a month for applications from 16 June 2026. The EU Blue Card is the other main route.
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Swedish krona
Currency
SEK, kr
Stockholm
Capital
CET
Time zone
UTC+1, CEST (UTC+2) in summer
112
Emergency number
For police, ambulance and fire
Type C and Type F
Plug
230 V
Last checked 12 October 2026. Estimates are labelled.
Where the jobs are
All regions lets you pick a place and see rent, jobs and the sectors in this guide. Choose a sector to see that industry in every place.
Cyan is the region you picked. Navy is everywhere else.
Region
Stockholm County
SEK 1,771 per m² a year; about SEK 8,860 a month for 60 m²
- Rent
- SEK 8,860
- Vs regions in this guide
- +22%
- People in work
- 1.4m
- Strongest sector
- Finance
Sector strength vs average for Sweden
- Tech1.92×
- Healthcaren/a
- Engineeringn/a
- Finance2.33×
- Hospitality1.18×
Job links open all Sweden roles for now. Rent compared with the other regions in this guide.
View the map as a table
| County | Population | People in work | Sectors above average (LQ 1.05 or more) | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm County | 2,486,251 | 1,370,498 | Finance 2.33, Tech 1.92, Hospitality 1.18 | SEK 1,771 per m² a year; about SEK 8,860 a month for 60 m² |
| Uppsala County | 410,575 | 177,239 | Healthcare 1.19 | SEK 1,751 per m² a year; about SEK 8,760 a month for 60 m² |
| Södermanland County | 300,440 | 124,926 | Healthcare 1.29, Engineering and manufacturing 1.15 | SEK 1,508 per m² a year; about SEK 7,540 a month for 60 m² |
| Östergötland County | 472,529 | 229,341 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.30, Healthcare 1.07 | SEK 1,509 per m² a year; about SEK 7,540 a month for 60 m² |
| Jönköping County | 369,722 | 187,476 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.93, Healthcare 1.10 | SEK 1,371 per m² a year; about SEK 6,860 a month for 60 m² |
| Kronoberg County | 203,121 | 104,601 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.66, Healthcare 1.06 | SEK 1,355 per m² a year; about SEK 6,780 a month for 60 m² |
| Kalmar County | 245,477 | 113,854 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.47, Healthcare 1.24 | SEK 1,316 per m² a year; about SEK 6,580 a month for 60 m² |
| Gotland County | 60,852 | 28,731 | Hospitality 1.27, Healthcare 1.19, Finance 1.05 | SEK 1,485 per m² a year; about SEK 7,420 a month for 60 m² |
| Blekinge County | 156,616 | 72,214 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.60, Healthcare 1.24 | SEK 1,392 per m² a year; about SEK 6,960 a month for 60 m² |
| Skåne County | 1,433,083 | 657,046 | Healthcare 1.05 | SEK 1,600 per m² a year; about SEK 8,000 a month for 60 m² |
| Halland County | 346,090 | 150,488 | Hospitality 1.12, Healthcare 1.05 | SEK 1,518 per m² a year; about SEK 7,590 a month for 60 m² |
| Västra Götaland County | 1,777,803 | 908,392 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.19 | SEK 1,498 per m² a year; about SEK 7,490 a month for 60 m² |
| Värmland County | 283,037 | 131,563 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.26, Healthcare 1.19 | SEK 1,366 per m² a year; about SEK 6,830 a month for 60 m² |
| Örebro County | 308,357 | 151,121 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.33, Healthcare 1.18 | SEK 1,453 per m² a year; about SEK 7,260 a month for 60 m² |
| Västmanland County | 280,756 | 128,648 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.60, Healthcare 1.10 | SEK 1,496 per m² a year; about SEK 7,480 a month for 60 m² |
| Dalarna County | 286,043 | 137,091 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.34, Healthcare 1.24 | SEK 1,339 per m² a year; about SEK 6,700 a month for 60 m² |
| Gävleborg County | 283,452 | 132,793 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.24, Healthcare 1.21 | SEK 1,342 per m² a year; about SEK 6,710 a month for 60 m² |
| Västernorrland County | 240,640 | 117,470 | Finance 1.36, Healthcare 1.14, Engineering and manufacturing 1.10 | SEK 1,322 per m² a year; about SEK 6,610 a month for 60 m² |
| Jämtland County | 132,736 | 66,003 | Hospitality 1.19, Healthcare 1.17 | SEK 1,316 per m² a year; about SEK 6,580 a month for 60 m² |
| Västerbotten County | 279,028 | 144,340 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.27, Healthcare 1.20 | SEK 1,378 per m² a year; about SEK 6,890 a month for 60 m² |
| Norrbotten County | 248,927 | 126,806 | Engineering and manufacturing 1.23, Healthcare 1.07 | SEK 1,348 per m² a year; about SEK 6,740 a month for 60 m² |
Cities
Pay, rent and the share of pay that rent takes. Estimates stay labelled.
Estimate
Stockholm
- Rent
- SEK 16,750
- Pay
- SEK 35,675
- Rent share
- 47%
Estimate
Gothenburg
- Rent
- SEK 10,317
- Pay
- SEK 34,929
- Rent share
- 30%
Estimate
Malmö
- Rent
- SEK 10,589
- Pay
- SEK 30,171
- Rent share
- 35%
Tools
Step 1 of 2
Visa route finder
A route to read about, not a decision on your application. Figures are the ones in this guide.
Rent and pay
The pay and rent figures already in this guide. This is not a tax calculation.
Rent a month in Stockholm
SEK 16,750
- Pay
- SEK 35,675
- Rent share of pay
- 47%
Take-home pay
Skatteverket calculates 2026 monthly pay after tax from your year of birth and municipality.
Open the Skatteverket calculatorVisa routes to read about
These describe the route. They do not say whether you qualify.
- Source
Work permit (employee)
Salary at least 90% of the median: SEK 34,470 a month for applications from 16 June 2026; about 20 listed occupations need 75%. Permits run up to 2 years at a time
- Source
Extension at the old level
Extensions applied for between 1 June and 1 December 2026 stay at 80% of the median (SEK 29,680)
- Source
EU Blue Card
Salary at least SEK 53,625 a month and a degree or equivalent professional experience; up to 4 years
Family members
New rules for family members of work permit holders from 1 October 2026: check Migrationsverket before applying
Little-known facts
Daily life
- Time offFika breaks, flat hierarchies, long summer holidays (often 4 weeks in July), card and Swish payments almost everywhere, and very long winter nights in the north.
- HealthcarePublic healthcare once registered in the population register.
- HealthcareWorkers staying up to a year need comprehensive health insurance (Migrationsverket).
Family, school and pets
- FamilyFamilies can usually join, and spouses can usually work; new rules for family members apply from 1 October 2026 (Migrationsverket).
- SchoolPreschool fees are capped nationally under the maxtaxa (Skolverket).
- SchoolSchool is free and compulsory from age 6 (förskoleklass) to 16.
From job offer to settled in
Questions
Do Swedish employers need a sponsor licence?
No. The employer makes the offer and starts the application in Migrationsverket's e-service; you then complete your part.
What is the minimum salary for a Swedish work permit?
For applications from 16 June 2026, at least SEK 34,470 a month, which is 90% of the median. About 20 listed occupations need 75%.
I already have a Swedish permit. What changes?
Extensions applied for between 1 June and 1 December 2026 stay at 80% of the median (SEK 29,680). After that, the 90% rule applies.
How much does it cost to apply?
SEK 2,200 for the worker, SEK 1,500 for each adult family member and SEK 750 for each child.
Is the 2027 salary floor known?
Not announced yet. It follows the median that SCB publishes each June.
Does every employer on Global Sponsor Hub sponsor visas?
No. Each listing shows the support the employer or agency has stated, such as visa sponsorship or relocation support. Confirm it with the employer before you apply.
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