Whether you think you might be affected by Northvolt’s bankruptcy filing or you work somewhere else entirely, losing your work permit doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no chance you can stay in Sweden. But what other permits are there, and how do you qualify?
Whether you think you might be affected by Northvolt’s bankruptcy filing or you work somewhere else entirely, losing your work permit doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no chance you can stay in Sweden. But what other permits are there, and how do you qualify?
Whether you think you might be affected by Northvolt’s bankruptcy filing or you work somewhere else entirely, losing your work permit doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no chance you can stay in Sweden. But what other permits are there, and how do you qualify?
The advice in this article applies to non-EU citizens in Sweden on work permits.
If you’re an EU citizen in Sweden then you don’t have a work permit, rather you have what’s called uppehållsrätt in Sweden. The rules for staying in Sweden as an EU citizen if you lose your job are therefore slightly different.
LIVING WITH A PARTNER OR FAMILY MEMBER
You can get a residence permit to move to a family member in Sweden (also unofficially known as a sambo permit). This most commonly means a permit to live with a partner or spouse or a child aged under 18, but in exceptional circumstances may include other family members.
You can also apply for one of these permits if you’re planning to marry or become cohabiting partners with someone in Sweden, although you might need to explain to the Migration Agency why you weren’t already living together.
The family member you’re moving to doesn’t have to be a Swedish citizen, but they do need either permanent residency or a temporary residence permit as a refugee or person in need of subsidiary protection.
You will need documents proving your relationship. The exact documents you need vary, depending on what kind of relationship it is. For couples, it might include a marriage certificate or copies of rental contracts proving you have previously lived together. If you haven’t previously lived together, you must also attend an interview.
The person you are going to be living with also needs to prove that they can support you by having suitable accommodation and a large enough salary to support you both. This is the case regardless of any income or assets you as the permit applicant have.
You also pay a fee of 2,000 kronor (1,000 kronor for children under 18) which is refunded if your application is refused. Find out more about permits for moving to a family member here.
How long will it take?
It’s hard to say, but based on previous reports it could take anything from a few months to over a year. Factors such as which family member you are moving to, how well you can prove your relationship (including documents showing you have lived together), which country you are from and what your family member’s residence status in Sweden is may all affect the processing time.
Can I stay in Sweden while I wait?
You can’t usually apply for this kind of residence permit if you’re already in Sweden, but there are exceptions to this rule.
“As a general rule, an applicant for a residence permit to move to someone in Sweden needs to apply for this from outside Sweden, although there are some exceptions which mean it’s possible to apply despite already being in Sweden,” Migration Agency press spokesperson Vera Björk told The Local back in 2023.
“If you have a work permit, the Migration Agency will make an individual decision as to whether there are reasons why you should be able to get a new permit without leaving Sweden. We will, among other things, look at how long you have lived in Sweden and whether you’ve had multiple temporary residence permits.”
You should also be able to work in Sweden while you wait for your new permit to be approved, although again there are exceptions.
“If you’ve had a work permit for at least six months you have the right to keep working in Sweden while the Migration Agency processes your application,” Björk said.
“When we process an application for a change of status – changing from a work permit to a permit to join a family member, in this case – the applicant must for example be able to show that they have fulfilled the requirements of the previous work permit.”
GETTING A WORK PERMIT FOR ANOTHER JOB
If you already have a work permit in Sweden then it is tied to that specific role at that specific employer for the first 24 months. This means that if you’re laid off, you’ll have to apply for a completely new work permit even if you get a job doing the same role somewhere else, or if you switch to another role at the company your work permit was originally issued for.
After the first 24 months the rules are slightly different. If you change employers but stay in the same role, you don’t need to reapply for a work permit, but if you change roles as well then you’ll need to apply for a new permit.
Be aware that when you apply for a new work permit, even if you’re already working in Sweden, you will need to meet the rules at the time you apply for the new permit, rather than the rules you had on your old permit.
This means that you’ll need to meet the salary requirement, as well as other requirements for employee insurance and maintenance for family members, as well as paying for a new permit application, which costs around 2,000 kronor depending on the industry. Find out more about applying for a new work permit here.
Can I stay in Sweden while I wait?
If you’re laid off, you have three months from the end of your notice period to find a new job, where you can stay in Sweden while you look for a new job. If you manage to find a new job, you can start working and stay in Sweden while your new work permit is processed as long as you applied before the end of the three month period.
There is an exception to this rule, and that’s if your work permit expires before the three month period is over, in which case you have to apply for a new work permit before your old one expires.
How long will it take?
Again, it’s hard to say. Factors such as which industry you will be working in and whether or not the application included all the necessary information all affect the processing time.
STUDYING IN SWEDEN
Another option, if you were planning on studying in Sweden at some point anyway, is to apply for a permit to study – although if you’re applying for undergraduate or graduate studies, you’ll need to apply from outside Sweden. Prospective researchers and PhD students can switch from a work permit to a study permit without leaving the country.
You’ll need a place on a course of study in Sweden, at a university, university college, higher vocational education or at a folk high school at the post-secondary level, which means you need to apply and be accepted.
Be aware that there are earlier deadlines for international students than for those in Sweden, in order to give you time to get your paperwork sorted.
As well as proof of your place to study, you need to have paid the tuition fees – you’ll be considered an international student – and have proof that you can support yourself during your studies, as well as proof of health insurance.
If you are granted a study permit, you can return to Sweden and work in Sweden while your permit is valid without also needing a work permit (although you are of course expected to study full time) in order to support yourself.
You’ll also have to apply for permits for any family members who will be living with you in Sweden while you study, as long as you can provide proof of their identity and that you have sufficient funds to support yourselves. Find out more about applying for a student permit here.
Note: A previous version of this article did not state that prospective graduate and undergraduate students need to apply for a study permit from outside Sweden. This has now been corrected.
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