Sweden finally announced the big news by allowing non-EU citizens to apply for a job seeker visa. Interested applicants can now apply for a job seeker visa to find a job or to start a business in Sweden. A strong economy, good education, and excellent healthcare are very important factors in why Sweden performs so well in the happiness index and attracts new highly qualified immigrants.
Sweden provides candidates a simple pathway to apply for a residence permit if they have completed their studies with an advanced level degree and want to get a job in Sweden or search the opportunities for initiating their own business.
The duration of a job seeker visa
The residence permit may consist of 3 to 9 nine months for those who want to get a job in Sweden or search the opportunities for initiating their own business.
Family member’s visa as a job seeker
The family of the job seeker visa applicant is not allowed to come to Sweden to join them during this duration. Anyhow, later on, after having a valid job offer and having converted the residence permit, the applicants can sponsor their families to come and live in Sweden.
Salary levels in Sweden
The gross salary range for people working in Sweden is typically from 25,788 SEK (minimum salary) to 68,930 SEK (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher). This is the total monthly salary including bonuses. Salaries can vary drastically among different job categories.
Eligibility criteria for a residence permit for job seeking
The candidate must fulfill the requirements by showing that he/she:
- has documents valid for the entire time period from the application to the time you stay in Sweden;
- has a valid passport for the complete period he is intended to be in Sweden. The permit will not be provided for more than the passport validity;
- has completed his education corresponding to an advanced level degree;
- intends to search for employment in Sweden;
- wants to start a business in Sweden;
- has enough money to bear all the expenses during the time which he is applying for a permit;
- has health insurance valid for care in Sweden.
- At the time of applying, he is residing outside of Sweden.
Passport requirements
The passport must be valid for the period that you will be in Sweden. The full passport pages are shown on the copies, with numbers, and characters at the top and bottom of the pages are clearly visible.
Studies Requirements
The candidate is required to have an advanced-level degree. His degree must be equal to:
- a 60-credit Masters’s degree;
- a 120-credit Masters’s degree;
- a Professional degree equal to 60-330 credits or a;
- postgraduate-PhD level degree.
The candidate will attach a signed letter of consent that provides the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) permission to communicate with higher education institutions in his living country to verify his degree.
Bank statement requirements
The candidate will demonstrate that he can easily fulfill the financial needs and that he has enough assets of money equivalent to a minimum SEK 13000 for each month for which he is applying for a resident permit and also he has money to be able to pay his travel home.
Health Insurance requirements
The candidate holds valid own health insurance for care in Sweden. This insurance covers the whole time for which he is applying for a residence permit. The insurance manages the expense of all medical care, such as hospitalization, dental care, and repatriation for medical kinds. The candidate will also attach the terms and conditions of the insurance.
What candidate will be required when he uses an e-service?
The following documents must be submitted to e-services for the visa application:
- the candidates will be required to provide digital copies of the examination certificate;
- the pages in his passport that demonstrate his personal information, signatures, photo, passport number, issuing country, validity time, entry stamps, and if he is permitted to reside in countries other than his country of origin;
- his official academic record such as courses of his studies;
- documents related to his bank statements demonstrate that he has enough money to bear all the expenses during the time which he is applying for a permit;
- if permission from a central bank or the equivalent is needed to tell out the amount from his country, he must provide such a document;
- his health insurance is valid for care in Sweden;
- a signed letter of consent that provides the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) permission to communicate with higher education institutions in his living country to verify his degree;
- translation of documents is required in some cases such as the candidate has educational certificates in a language other than Swedish or English. The translation must be done by an authorized translator. He will attach his original certificates and the translated documents to the application;
- the candidate must recheck all the documents before he completes his application, such as all the provided data being clearly visible;
- the whole document is translated into Swedish or English. If the candidate is attaching a translated paper, he should give a copy of the original document;
- all the data should be as recently issued especially bank statements.
What should a candidate can do if he is unable to apply for the e-service?
If the candidate is unable to submit his application in the e-service, he should instead fill in a form for a residence permit for highly qualified persons to look for jobs or initiate a business. The application form specifies which papers he needs to attach. The application form contains a letter of assent for the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) to contact the higher education institutions in his homeland to confirm his certificates, he has to attach a letter of assent with his application. He will submit his application at the Swedish embassy or consulate-general in his home country. The candidate will pay the fee for submitting his application, regarding this situation he can contact the embassy for further information.
What do Swedish authorities do when they receive your application?
The Swedish Migration Agency observes your file and makes a decision. If you fulfill the requirements they will provide you the permit between 3 to 9 months. Authorities will check your passport if you are participating for the first time and you are outside of Sweden or one of the Migration Agency service centers if you are in Sweden.
What is next if you are provided a permit?
If Sweden welcomes you into its territory and provides you with a permit for more than 3 months, they will give you a permit card as proof that you are allowed to be in Sweden and provide biometrics with your photo along with other required data.
In case the candidate requires an entry visa to Sweden, he will go to the Swedish embassy or consulate general in his homeland to take a photo and biometrics early as possible, if he has his passport. If the candidate does not require an entry visa, he should make an appointment to give a photo and biometrics. The candidate has to apply for his permit prior to traveling to Sweden.
If you obtain a job or initiate your own business in Sweden?
In case you obtain work in Sweden within the permit period, you and apply for a work permit from within the country. You are not authorized to initiate work prior to applying for another permit.
When the candidate applies for a work permit, he is allowed to work while the Swedish authorities process his new application. He is only allowed to work for the employer and the occupation for which he has applied for the permit.
When the candidate wants to initiate his own business in Sweden, he can apply for a residence permit as a self-employed person in Sweden and run his business while the Swedish Migration Agency processes his file.
Do people speak English in Sweden?
Although more than 80 percent of people in Sweden do speak English, you might still come across people who do not, so it is best to learn some basic Swedish phrases for common necessities.
Job seeker visa as a student in Sweden
If the candidate has a residence permit for studies in higher education in Sweden, has completed his studies and searching for employment, or wants to initiate his own business in the country he will apply for another kind of residence permit.
For doing so, he must:
- submit his application prior to his recent permit expiration;
- have a valid passport;
- have completed a higher education program that has lasted for minimum 2 semesters with passing marks in all subjects;
- have a previous latest residence permit for higher studies in Sweden. He can also have had a residence permit for mobility education provided by another European country where a minimum of 2 semesters of the study program took place in Sweden;
- be looking to get employment or searching the opportunities of initiating his own business;
- have the financial resources to support himself during and after this period;
- have or submitted for a comprehensive healthcare insurance policy that is acceptable for healthcare in Sweden.
For applying for the residence permit, the candidates will be required to provide digital copies of:
- the pages in his passport demonstrating his personal information, photo, signature, passport number, issuing homeland, passport validity, entry stamp, and if he is allowed to reside in countries other than his own country.
- a certificate from a Sweden university or college that verify of that he has completed a minimum of 2 semesters in Sweden if portions of the studies have been completed outside Sweden.
- a certificate from his office if he is a doctoral student in Sweden examination certificate, study documents, or excerpts from the Ladok register, demonstrating that he has completed his studies;
- bank statements that the candidate has enough financial resources to pay all the fees and services during the application process and after;
- The candidate will need to have a valid comprehensive health care insurance policy if he is not registered in Sweden.