Working and moving to Sweden offers a range of benefits, including outstanding public services, free education, an excellent corporate culture, and a strong work-life balance.
Every year, the charming Scandinavian country receives around 100,000 expats. However, the question is, can you move to Sweden without a job?
If you haven’t got a work offer from a Swedish firm, then it is possible to move to Sweden! Several visa routes are available, including job seeker and self-employed visas.
Let’s delve into the many available visa routes, the requirements, and the application procedure.
Seek Employment and a Residence Permit
First and foremost, you must obtain a residency permit. Typically, to enter Sweden, one must first acquire a visa.
Prospective migrants can use a residence permit application through the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.
TIP: Due to the severe labor shortage, Sweden joins Germany, Austria, and Portugal as European nations to introduce the job seeker visa.
Learn Swedish
You must speak the language if you want to move to Sweden. Despite the difficulty of learning Swedish, beginning courses as soon as possible is preferable.
Your time in Sweden will be smoother, and you’ll fit in better if you have a basic command of the language.
After receiving your personal identity number, you can register for free Swedish courses arranged by the government’s “Swedish for Immigrants” program.
TIP: You should also learn the Swedish road rules, signs, and parking regulations.
Register with the Swedish Tax Agency
You must register with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) as a new Swedish resident.
By registering, you are entered into the system for insurance, tax collection, personal identity, monitoring of your marital status, and mailing address data.
You’ll get a unique personal identification number called a “personnummer” that you’ll need to access healthcare services, create a Swedish bank account, or make an online purchase.
A bank account is useful for bills, salaries, and banking services. You just need a Swedish ID card, a Swedish personal identity number, and a valid passport.
A Swedish identity card is the next step after having your personal identification number.
These cards are required to pick up packages, open bank accounts, use credit cards, attend doctor’s visits, etc. You can get an identity card from the Swedish Tax Agency.
FYI: One of Sweden’s most well-known cities and a pioneer in sustainability and innovation is Stockholm. The Swedish capital city provides foreign nationals with excellent living conditions, career prospects, and cultures to experience.
Visa Classes for Those Interested in Moving to Sweden
We will review the exact features and processes of these immigration routes so you may better understand how they can enable you to move to Sweden without a job offer.
1. Sweden Job Seeker Visa
A Sweden Job Seeker Visa is a residence permit for highly qualified job seekers who wish to come to Sweden for a job hunt or to establish their own business.
The Sweden Job Seeker Visa is a new idea in Sweden, first conducted in the summer of 2022. You can stay in the country and seek work for 3 to 9 months.
Several specialized individuals, such as cooks, system developers, assistants, healthcare professionals, and so on, are desperately needed in the country.
Employers have trouble filling many positions, from highly educated professionals to entry-level positions like restaurant workers.
Because Sweden requires more highly qualified individuals, the Job Seeker visa is an excellent choice for non-EU citizens who do not intend to come through education or business investment.
You can migrate to the best places to live in Sweden for a set amount of time, look for work, or start a business using this Swedish visa route.
Criteria For Eligibility
If you want to earn the Swedish Job Seeker visa legally, follow these eligibility criteria:
- A master’s degree or higher is required.
- A Letter of Consent authorizing the Swedish Council for Higher Education to verify your credentials with your country’s higher education authority is necessary.
- You must have sufficient finances to pay your expenses during the application period.
- Whether looking for job openings or investigating business opportunities in Sweden, you must have a solid plan.
- To receive care in Sweden, you must have a comprehensive health insurance policy.
- A current passport is necessary.
How To Apply For A Job Seeker Visa
A visa application for a Job Seeker can be submitted in the following ways:
- Online
- In-person
Online applications must be submitted using the e-service of the Swedish Migration Agency.
You must complete an application for a residence permit if you do not want to apply online. It is the only way to continue your studies in Sweden!
The application form lists the documents that must be submitted with the application.
Processing Time
The processing time for a visa to Sweden is between one and three months after all the required documents are submitted.
Whether the application was submitted online or in person, as well as the kind of work permit, can affect the waiting period.
TIP: Check with the university or local council you will attend first if you are relocating to Sweden. International students may be provided housing at some universities, but not all. Most institutions or the local council offer some sort of lodging service.
2. ICT Permit
Expats from outside the European Union transferring to a Swedish branch must obtain an Intra-Corporate Transfer. Only non-EU citizens are eligible to apply.
Furthermore, only managers and specialists are granted these licenses. You may find all the information you need about expat life in Sweden here.
To qualify for the ICT Permit, the applicant must provide documents from himself and his Swedish employer.
Good news—if you work as a manager or specialist, your residence visa can be renewed for up to three years or up to one year if you are a trainee.
Criteria For Eligibility
- A valid passport is required.
- Worked for the company in Sweden as a manager, specialist, or trainee for more than 90 days;
- Have the necessary skills and experience for a management or specialty position, or train as a trainee;
- You have a home-based employment contract;
- You had worked for the company for at least three months without interruption during migration.
- Stay with your current employer or another in the same field;
- If your profession is regulated, you can demonstrate your qualifications.
How To Apply For An ICT Permit
If you want to apply, your company must do the following:
- Make an employment offer;
- Provide pay that is at least equal to Swedish collective agreements or industry standards;
- Maintain employment terms that are at least comparable to those of Swedish employees.
- Give you a career that allows you to support yourself;
- Include the following in your job offer:
- Employer’s address and name
- Employment outside the EEU begins
- The city where the work/training will take place
- An outline of the employee’s responsibilities
- Salary and benefits on the job
- The position title or professional designation of a trainee
Processing Time
Within 90 days, a decision is made on an ICT permit and ICT authorization for long-term movement. It would be best if you decided between leaving for Sweden.
TIP: You should pay taxes in Sweden. Taxes are used to pay for Sweden’s social welfare system. Consequently, if you wish to finance it, you must pay taxes.
3. Self-Employment Visa
Self-employed individuals have it easy! They can work in Sweden without a permit for up to three months before applying for a Self-employment visa.
You will need three months to obtain a self-employed visa. The same is true for EU/EEA nationals.
Criteria For Eligibility
The following eligibility criteria apply to Self-Employment visas in Sweden:
- A current passport;
- A strong background in your discipline and prior commercial experience;
- Swedish/English knowledge that is documented and applicable;
- Proof that you are in charge of the company, ultimately liable, and you own at least half of it;
- Evidence that the company sells and manufactures its goods and services in Sweden.
- A sum of money adequate to support you and, if required, your family members during your first two years of residence;
- Make certain that credible documents support your budget.
- Create a customer network in Sweden or make touch with clients;
- After a two-year probationary term, you must demonstrate that your company will be financially stable and can support yourself and your family.
If you request kids to Sweden, you must provide sufficient funds totaling 200,000 SEK for yourself, 100,000 SEK for your spouse, and 50,000 SEK for each child.
Visit this website for details on Sweden’s entry requirements, including the duration of the validity of travel documents.
How To Apply For A Self-Employment Visa
You need to send everything to the Swedish embassy! An alternative to this is trying a consulate in your place of origin. It helps if it is your first time applying for a visa!
The visa costs 2,000 SEK (200 USD), like other work visas. If you’ve experienced applying for visas before, you will know that it will take 10 to 15 months to complete, a long but worthwhile process!
Processing Time
Although the procedure is simple, it takes at least a year to bring you to Sweden and another 2-3 years to take over the business once you have obtained permanent status.
4. Spouse and Family Visa
People who are married, partnered, or children of Swedish citizens can apply for a residence visa.
You must be legally married or have maintained a long-term relationship that resembles marriage to be eligible to apply for a spouse or fiancé visa.
Criteria For Eligibility
- A valid passport is necessary.
- A marriage certificate or its equivalent
- If you are married, you should:
- Display your population registration certificate, rent agreement, proof of purchase, or any document verifying your shared accommodation status.
- Display evidence proving you have been living together, such as a tenancy agreement with both of your names on it or previous bills with your names and addresses.
How To Apply For A Swedish Spouse And Family Visa
To apply, fill out the online form, but first, check the following requirements:
- You and the person moving to Sweden must be at least 18.
- You must pay your application cost with a Visa or MasterCard.
- Documents must be scanned or photocopied.
Learn about the safety of Sweden before relocating there.
Processing Time
The processing time for your Spouse and Family Visa is determined by various variables. For instance, it may take 16 months to process an application to move in with a spouse.
While the processing time for children over 18 can take 12 months, applications for children under 18 to move in with their parents can take up to 13 months.
If you submit your application at a foreign embassy or consulate general, the processing period will be longer.
Are You Capable of Moving to Sweden Without a Job Offer?
You can move to Sweden without having a job offer, yes. Your level of ease with this process will depend on your nationality.
Traveling there allows you to get work in Sweden if you’re an EEU or EEA citizen.
If you are a non-EU national, you must obtain a job seeker visa. This allows you to remain in the nation for several days while you look for employment and apply for a work visa.
Procedure For Moving To Sweden As A EU Citizen
People from European countries are not needed to deal with migration agencies.
When they arrive in Sweden, they need to form an account with the national population register and obtain a Swedish tax ID.
Failure to meet any of them after entering Sweden will result in the individual/individuals being classified as illegals residing within Swedish borders.
As a result, efforts should be made to locate these registrations as quickly as feasible.
Procedure For Moving To Sweden As A Non-EU Citizen
It is easy to conclude at this point that the relocation process for highly skilled professionals from non-EU nations differs significantly from that available to EU nationals.
Unless the individual travels to Sweden to study, they must apply for a work permit.
Potential beneficiaries must have an employment offer from a Swedish company to be granted a work visa to Sweden.
Humans tend to seek out the finest; thus, knowing the best bank in Sweden is equally important as soon as you arrive.
