As of June 2022 there have been some major updates to the Swedish immigration law regarding work permits. You can find most of the changes to work permit rules in Sweden highlighted below:
Table of Contents
1. It is now required to provide a copy of the employment contract when applying for a work permit.
This is not a big change but it can create some confusion and delays. Things to keep in mind:
– The employment contract needs to be signed after the advertising requirements have been met. You can find more information about those here.
– The employment contract will need to include a detailed breakdown of the compensation. This will also need to match the amount stated on the “offer of employment” form.
2. Work permits can now be granted for longer than 4 years.
This is a major update to the work permit rules is that we, along with many others, have been advocating for during the past few years. The 4-year limit created a lot of issues for individuals who did not meet the requirements for permanent residence or for people who simply do not want permanent residence (generally the case with individuals who are coming to Sweden for a longer temporary assignment). Removing this 4-year limit will provide people with a lot more flexibility and will reduce the number of unnecessary rejections.
3. Rejections due to minor errors are to become more uncommon.
The general rule is that the case officer should have a holistic approach when reviewing the application and the documents. This means that shorter periods of non-compliance should be overlooked where possible.
4. A new maintenance requirement will be introduced.
This will have a relatively large impact on how applications for dependents are handled. The new changes in work permit rules in Sweden means it will now be required to prove that the worker has sufficient income to provide for their family and sufficient funds to pay rent. Previously it had been assumed that workers can provide for their family but that is no longer the case. For 2022 you must prove that you have the following after housing expenses:
– SEK 5,158 for a single adult
– SEK 8,520 for cohabiting spouses or cohabiting partners
– SEK 2,756 for children 0–6 years of age
– SEK 3,308 for children 7–10 years of age
– SEK 3,860 for children 11–14 years of age
– SEK 4,411 for children 15 years of age or older.
Only the income from the employment of the main applicant can be counted towards this. Income from other sources cannot be counted.