Sweden · Work
Sweden Highly qualified job search
First stay: 9 mo
Residence permit for highly qualified persons to look for work or start a business
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Highly qualified job search is a work route for Sweden. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- SEK 2,200 ≈ $220
- First stay
- 9 mo
Cost, time and long term
Government feesSEK 2,200 ≈ $220
- SEK 2,200 (≈ $220)Application fee.
Shown, not spentSEK 13k+/mo ≈ $1,300
- SEK 13,000 a month (≈ $1,300)For each month applied for, plus money for the return journey.
Renewal9 months max in total
Granted for at most nine months.
Where to applyFrom abroad
You must be outside Sweden when you apply for a first-time permit.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 9 months in total
- Applications are made from outside Sweden, not after arriving
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicants completed second-cycle studies: a 60-credit or 120-credit Master, a professional degree of 60-330 credits, or a postgraduate degree.
- Applicants plan to look for work or explore starting a business, and are outside Sweden when applying.
What you must show2
- Bank assets are at least SEK 13,000 (≈ $1,300) for each month applied for.
- Money for the return journey is also required.
Documents3
- A degree certificate, a list of subjects and bank statements are submitted.
- A power of attorney lets the Swedish Council for Higher Education verify the study documents.
- Comprehensive health insurance valid for the stay is submitted.
After you arrive1
- A job offer later allows applying for a work permit from inside 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 9 months in total
- 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).
All tax rules for Sweden Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Comprehensive health insurance valid for the stay is submitted
- Money to show
This route asks for savings of SEK 13k+ a month ≈ $1,300.
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For applicants with a completed second-cycle degree (Master level) who want to look for work or explore starting a business in Sweden; apply from outside Sweden. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least SEK 13,000 a month (≈ $1,300) · For each month applied for, plus money for the return journey. 1
- A fee of SEK 2,200 (≈ $220) · Application fee. 1
Requirements
- Applicants completed second-cycle studies: a 60-credit or 120-credit Master, a professional degree of 60-330 credits, or a postgraduate degree. 1
- Applicants plan to look for work or explore starting a business, and are outside Sweden when applying. 1
- Bank assets are at least SEK 13,000 (≈ $1,300) for each month applied for. 1
- Money for the return journey is also required. 1
- A degree certificate, a list of subjects and bank statements are submitted. 1
- A power of attorney lets the Swedish Council for Higher Education verify the study documents. 1
- Comprehensive health insurance valid for the stay is submitted. 1
- A job offer later allows applying for a work permit from inside Sweden. 1
Stay
- Maximum nine months.
- First stay: up to 9 months, decided case by case.
- Not renewable according to our source.
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
May look for work; can later apply for a work permit from inside Sweden.
Official sources
- Look for work or start a business (highly qualified) · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Work permit for employees · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
Highly qualified job search and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highly qualified job search | – | 9 mo | – |
| Blue Card | Needs income of SEK 54k+ a month ≈ $5,350 | 4 yr, renewable | – |
| Intra-company transfer | – | 3 yr | – |
| Researcher permit | – | 4 yr, renewable | – |
| Seasonal work permit | – | 9 mo, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Highly qualified job search?
Savings of at least SEK 13,000 a month (≈ $1,300). For each month applied for, plus money for the return journey. A fee of SEK 2,200 (≈ $220). Application fee.
How long can I stay on the Highly qualified job search?
Maximum nine months.
Can I work on the Highly qualified job search?
May look for work; can later apply for a work permit from inside Sweden.
Who can apply for the Highly qualified job search?
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.
How are Highly qualified job search holders taxed in Sweden?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Highly qualified job search. The standard rules apply: Residents pay municipal income tax at an average 32.38% (2026, set by each municipality and region) on income after the basic allowance, plus 20% national income tax on taxable earned income above SEK 643,000, (≈ $64,100) so the marginal rate is about 52%; residents are taxed on income from all countries (unlimited tax liability). Non-residents working under six months can pay flat 22.5% SINK.
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 2 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.
- Look for work or start a business (highly qualified) · Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) · checked 2026-10-11
- Work permit for employees · 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.