Sweden is known for its affordable education and great career prospects. Towards the completion of your higher studies in Sweden, you will be faced with the question about finding employment in Sweden. For this, you will need time to apply for various advertised jobs, appear for interviews and get job offers that fall in line with Swedish collective agreement. The employment rate in Sweden is around 67.9% as of February 2022. If you are a non-EU citizen including Swiss citizens, you will need a work permit in Sweden.
The Sweden work permit for Indian students is issued by the Swedish Migration Board and you can apply for it without leaving the country before your residence permit expires. You must be having numerous questions regarding how to apply for work permit in Sweden, processing time, Sweden work permit cost, validity, etc. In this blog, we have provided answers to all your queries related to work permit in Sweden after masters, work permit cost for Sweden from India, Sweden work permit requirements and more.
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Stay Back Option after Studying in Sweden
Basically, you can stay back in Sweden after completing your higher education. As international students, you will already have a residence permit for studies so you can apply for an extension of residence permit to seek employment or even think of starting your own business.
The residence permit to seek employment will be granted only for 6 months. There is no possibility of extending the residence permit. Once you have received an employment offer, you can apply for a work permit in Sweden which allows you to work in Sweden.
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How to Apply for a Work Permit in Sweden?
The application for a work permit in Sweden is initiated by your employer or client who sends the offer of employment. One part of the application process is fulfilled by the employer when he sends the employment offer to the appropriate union organization and in turn receives an opinion. After this point, the employer will send you an email with instructions and submitting the application becomes your responsibility.
Take a look at the steps you need to follow to apply for work permit in Sweden:
- Firstly, obtain an offer of employment in Sweden by applying for an advertised job.
- Let your employer initiate the application and wait until you receive the email with further steps to apply for a work permit.
- Prepare scanned or photographed copies of documents to be sent along with the application. If you are applying for extension of work permit, there will be additional requirements to be fulfilled.
- Submit your application along with the necessary application fee. After submitting the application you will receive an email confirmation.
- The Sweden work permit processing time will be shorter if all the necessary information is correctly provided in the application.
- You will be notified regarding the decision on your work permit in Sweden via email.
- Once you have received the work permit, you can expect to get the residence permit card within 4 weeks of being photographed and fingerprinted at the embassy.
Eligibility Criteria to Apply for Post Study Work Permit in Sweden
You will have to fulfill Sweden work permit requirements in order to get a Sweden work permit for Indian citizens. Discussed below are the requirements for work permit in Sweden:
- The first step to apply for work permit in Sweden after masters is to have a valid passport.
- You must have completed higher education i.e. at least 30 higher education credits in Sweden or another EU country before applying for a work permit.
- The most important requirement to apply for work permit in Sweden is to have an offer of employment. It is to be noted that the job must be advertised by the employer in Sweden, EU/EEA and Switzerland at least 10 days before the job offer is made.
- You must be offered wages in accordance with the level of a Swedish collective agreement or the normal wage for the profession or industry which is at least 13,000 SEK per month before tax.
- You also require insurance policies as a part of your employment offer including health insurance, life insurance, occupational pension scheme and worker’s compensation insurance to meet the Swedish collective agreements.
- A power of attorney must be nominated for representing you.
Note: Your work permit in Sweden will only be valid for the employer and job specified in your decision for the initial 24 months. So if you change your occupation or employer without notifying the Swedish Migration Agency, your work permit in Sweden will no longer be valid.
Suggested: What are the requirements to pursue masters in Sweden?
Documents Required to Apply for Post Study Work Permit in Sweden
In order to prove that you meet the eligibility criteria for post study work permit in Sweden, you will have to provide documents supporting your application:
- Copy of passport
- Proof of completing higher education in Sweden or any EU country
- Offer of employment
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of intention to leave the country once the contract expires
- Evidence of sufficient finances in the form of bank statements or other documents to support yourself i.e. a minimum of 8,694 SEK per month.
- A comprehensive healthcare policy
How Much Does a Sweden Work Permit Cost?
The Sweden work permit cost involves the application fees paid for processing your application. Here’s how much a work permit in Sweden after masters costs:
- Employees applying for a work permit, EU Blue Card, ICT permit, seasonal work or extension of work permit are required to pay 2,000 SEK for the application. The work permit cost for Sweden from India is around 16,150 INR.
- There are special fees for some occupations such as performer, athlete, coach, researcher, trainee, volunteer, working holiday visa, Au pair and individuals seeking employment after completing research which is 1,500 SEK.
- It is to be noted that the application fee is non-refundable and can be paid online using credit card, at the embassy or consulate-general or to bankgiro number.
We hope the above guide helped you in understanding the process and requirements for obtaining a work permit in Sweden after masters. Having complete knowledge about the new rules for work permit in Sweden will help you a lot through the application process. It is highly likely that your application for a work permit in Sweden will be approved if you are able to land yourself in a job that fulfills all visa requirements. The employability rates after completing education from universities in Sweden are quite good so make the most out of the Sweden work permit duration and take every step to build a future of your dreams.
