Sweden · Work
Sweden Blue Card
Income needed: SEK 54k+ a month ≈ $5,350
EU Blue Card (Sweden)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Blue Card is a work route for Sweden. Applicants need income of SEK 54k+ a month ≈ $5,350. You can stay 4 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- SEK 54k+ a month ≈ $5,350
- Government fees
- SEK 2,000 ≈ $200
- First stay
- 4 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee SEK 2,000 ≈ $200; income to show SEK 54k+/mo ≈ $5,350. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesSEK 2,000 ≈ $200
- SEK 2,000 (≈ $200)Employees; adult family members SEK 1,500, (≈ $150) children SEK 750 (≈ $75).
Shown, not spentSEK 54k+/mo ≈ $5,350
- SEK 53,625 a month (≈ $5,350)Threshold set yearly at 1.25 times the average gross salary published by the National Mediation Office; in force since 15 July 2026.
RenewalRenewable
The first card is valid for at least nine months and at most four years, and can be extended.
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of residence
Permanent residence after 36 months on an EU Blue Card, or 48 months in combination with a work, ICT or seasonal permit within the past seven years.
CitizenshipAfter 8 years of residence
The main rule is 8 years of continuous residence in Sweden, plus knowledge of Swedish language and society for ages 16 to 66.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Sweden
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicants hold higher education of at least 180 credits, or at least five years of relevant professional experience.
- Applicants hold an employment contract for highly qualified employment lasting at least six months.
What you must show1
- Salary is at least SEK 53,625 (≈ $5,350) per month since 15 July 2026 (1.25 times the average gross salary).
Documents2
- The employment contract, degree certificate or employer certificates are submitted.
- Comprehensive health insurance is submitted; stays under one year need cover for three months beyond the employment.
Steps1
- A Blue Card from another EU country held for 12 months allows applying within one month of entering Sweden.
When you become tax resident
How Sweden decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 4 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
A person is liable to tax on worldwide income if domiciled in Sweden (population register), staying regularly in Sweden (six consecutive months or more; short departures do not interrupt) or having significant connections to Sweden after moving away.
- Foreign-source income
Earned income (employment, business, pension), including foreign-source income of residents, after the basic allowance (grundavdrag); municipal tax at the municipality's rate (national average 32.38% for 2026, range 28.93% to 35.65%) on all taxable earned income, and national tax of 20% on the part of taxable earned income above SEK 643,000 (≈ $64,100).
- Regime tied to this route
Expert tax relief · Tax relief
25% of salary is exempt from income tax for up to seven years, granted by the Taxation of Research Workers Board; the 25% is also outside the employer contribution base.
All tax rules for Sweden Tax records checked
Full official text
Highly qualified employment of at least six months with higher education of at least 180 credits or five years of relevant experience. 1
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least SEK 53,625 a month (≈ $5,350) · Threshold set yearly at 1.25 times the average gross salary published by the National Mediation Office; in force since 15 July 2026. 1
- A fee of SEK 2,000 (≈ $200) · Employees; adult family members SEK 1,500, (≈ $150) children SEK 750 (≈ $75). 1
Requirements
- Applicants hold higher education of at least 180 credits, or at least five years of relevant professional experience. 1
- Applicants hold an employment contract for highly qualified employment lasting at least six months. 1
- Salary is at least SEK 53,625 (≈ $5,350) per month since 15 July 2026 (1.25 times the average gross salary). 1
- The employment contract, degree certificate or employer certificates are submitted. 1
- Comprehensive health insurance is submitted; stays under one year need cover for three months beyond the employment. 1
- A Blue Card from another EU country held for 12 months allows applying within one month of entering Sweden. 1
Stay
- First card valid for at least nine months and at most four years.
- First stay: 9 to 48 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
- EU Blue Card up to 48 months: Minimum nine months.
Nationality
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work for the employer, in the occupation and for the time stated in the decision.
Family
Spouse, registered or cohabiting partner and children under 18 can apply at the same time for the same period; adult family members and children turning 16 this year may work. A maintenance requirement applies, also on extension from 1 October 2026.
Official sources
- EU Blue Card · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Extend an EU Blue Card (permanent residence requirements) · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
Blue Card and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Card | Needs income of SEK 54k+ a month ≈ $5,350 | 4 yr, renewable | – |
| Intra-company transfer | – | 3 yr | – |
| Highly qualified job search | – | 9 mo | – |
| Researcher permit | – | 4 yr, renewable | – |
| Seasonal work permit | – | 9 mo, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Blue Card?
Income of at least SEK 53,625 a month (≈ $5,350). Threshold set yearly at 1.25 times the average gross salary published by the National Mediation Office; in force since 15 July 2026. A fee of SEK 2,000 (≈ $200). Employees; adult family members SEK 1,500, (≈ $150) children SEK 750 (≈ $75).
How long can I stay on the Blue Card?
First card valid for at least nine months and at most four years.
Can I work on the Blue Card?
Work for the employer, in the occupation and for the time stated in the decision.
Can I bring my family on the Blue Card?
Spouse, registered or cohabiting partner and children under 18 can apply at the same time for the same period; adult family members and children turning 16 this year may work.
Who can apply for the Blue Card?
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Blue Card lead to permanent residence in Sweden?
Time on the Blue Card counts toward permanent residence in Sweden, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence. Time on the Blue Card counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 8 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Blue Card holders in Sweden?
Expert tax relief (25% of salary exempt): 25% of salary is exempt from income tax for up to seven years, granted by the Taxation of Research Workers Board; the 25% is also outside the employer contribution base. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Expert tax relief (25% of salary exempt)
Tax relief
Details
- On: Salary and similar remuneration for work in Sweden (75% taxed at regular rates)
- Who: Not a Swedish citizen
- Limit: SEK 89k/mo ≈ $8,850
25% of salary is exempt from income tax for up to seven years, granted by the Taxation of Research Workers Board; the 25% is also outside the employer contribution base.
Taxed on
Salary and similar remuneration for work in Sweden (75% taxed at regular rates); employer-borne moving costs, two home trips a year and school fees fully exempt.
Who it applies to
- Not a Swedish citizen; no residence or habitual abode in Sweden in the five calendar years before work starts; intends to stay at most seven years.
- Employer is Swedish or foreign with a permanent establishment in Sweden; apply within three months after starting work.
- Either contracted monthly remuneration above 1.5 times the price base amount, or qualifies as expert, researcher or other key person.
Exclusions
- Relief is tied to the employer named in the decision; a new application is needed on changing employer.
- Annual bonuses and non-monthly pay do not count toward the remuneration test.
Limits
- SEK 88,801 a month (≈ $8,850) · Remuneration route for work starting in 2026: more than 1.5 times the 2026 price base amount of SEK 59,200 (≈ $5,900) (SEK 88,201 (≈ $8,790) for 2025 starts).
Tax residence
A stay of at least six months in a row is normally treated as habitual abode.
Visas
Independent of the permit type; a positive Board decision is required.
Other taxes
Valid seven years from start of stay for decisions from 1 January 2024 (five years before that, three before 2021).
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Sweden
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- EU Blue Card · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Extend an EU Blue Card (permanent residence requirements) · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.