New rules for skilled immigration

Key Changes

New Salary Requirement
A new salary threshold will be introduced for work permits:

• The salary must amount to at least 90% of the median salary in Sweden at the time of application.
• The requirement applies in addition to the existing condition that salary and employment terms must be in line with collective agreements or industry practice.

The Government will have the possibility to introduce exceptions for certain occupations, particularly where labour shortages exist.

Health Insurance Requirement for Short-Term Stays

• Applicants intending to stay in Sweden for less than one year will be required to hold comprehensive health insurance.
• Proof of such insurance (or an application for it) must be submitted together with the application.

Stricter Compliance Requirements for Employers

• Applications may be refused if there are concerns related to the employer, including previous violations or sanctions.
• Two new offences will be introduced: exploitation of foreign labour and trading in work permits.
• Increased penalties will apply for employers who engage individuals without the legal right to work in Sweden.

Extended Government Control Over Eligible Occupations

• The Government may introduce:
  • Exceptions from the salary requirement for certain professions
  • Restrictions preventing specific occupations from qualifying for work permits.‍

Changes Affecting Specific Permit Types

• The validity period for EU Blue Cards will be extended to up to four years.
• Seasonal work permits will be extended from six to nine months within a twelve-month period.
• Certain individuals already in Sweden (e.g. job seekers following studies or research) will have increased possibilities to apply for new permits from within Sweden.

Transitional Rules

• The new salary requirement will not apply to extension applications submitted within the first six months (until 1 December 2026) if the original permit was granted under previous rules.
• However, the new requirement will apply to:
  • First-time applications not decided before 1 June 2026
  • Extension applications submitted after the transitional period.

What This Means for Employers

If implemented as planned, these changes may have several practical implications:

• Employers will need to review salary structures to ensure compliance with the new 90% median salary threshold.
• Employers must put in place and enforce right to work checks before hiring to avoid penalties, this also includes for consultants or external parties working on site.
• Increased compliance requirements will place greater emphasis on due diligence and internal processes, particularly regarding employment conditions and documentation.
• Companies hiring for short-term assignments must ensure that health insurance coverage is arranged prior to application submission.
• Certain roles may become more difficult to fill depending on whether occupations are restricted under future regulations.
• At the same time, some improvements such as longer EU Blue Card permit durations and the increased possibility to apply for a work permit from within Sweden may provide greater flexibility for international employees.
  

We will continue to follow this topic and provide updates as further guidance becomes available.

Should you have any questions regarding the new rules or wish to discuss how they may impact your organisation and employees, please do not hesitate to contact our team at immigrationsweden@k2xborder.com.