The Swedish Parliament adopts the Government’s proposal to further increase the minimum salary requirement for work permits

Background

In 2023, the Government significantly increased the minimum salary requirement for work permits in Sweden to attract highly qualified workers. The 2023 changes, currently in force, require a monthly salary of at least 80 percent of Sweden's median salary to qualify for a work permit. This currently corresponds to a minimum monthly salary of SEK 29,680. In December 2025, the Government proposed further increasing the requirement to 90 percent of the median salary, currently corresponding to SEK 33,390 monthly, and the Swedish Parliament has now adopted this proposal.

The median salary referenced in the legislation is published by Statistics Sweden (SCB) and updated annually, typically in June. The monthly salary must also comply with applicable collective agreements or industry standards.

New salary requirement

On March 18th, the Swedish Parliament voted to adopt the Government's proposed increased salary requirement, which will enter into force on June 1st, 2026. This new salary requirement will apply to both first-time applications and extensions of existing work permits. All first-time applications not granted before June 1st, 2026, will be assessed under the new rules, regardless of their filing date.

Individuals already holding a valid work permit in Sweden will benefit from a 6-month grace period: extension applications filed before December 1st, 2026, will be exempted from the new salary requirement. Extension applications filed after December 1st, 2026, will be subject to the new salary requirement.

The Government will have the authority to grant exceptions to this requirement and exclude certain professions from the increased salary threshold. Professions may be exempted where there is a demonstrated lack of qualified workers, a documented need for hiring third-country nationals, and where salary levels are generally lower. The exceptions will not be codified in legislation but will be determined by the Government on a regular basis and may change in accordance with labor market conditions. The Swedish Migration Agency was tasked with recommending which professions should be included on this list. Their recommendations were submitted to the Government on March 17th, 2026. It is still unknown whether the Government will approve the list, but the list can be found here (in Swedish): 

Redovisning av uppdrag 15 i regleringsbrevet – Yrken som kan undantas lönekravet för arbetstillstånd 

These changes are part of the Government's and the Sweden Democrats' ongoing efforts to implement stricter Swedish immigration legislation and attract highly qualified workers. The changes aim to prevent abuse and exploitation of foreign workers and to increase wages in the Swedish labor market.

Other changes adopted by the Swedish Parliament

In addition to the increased salary requirement, the Government's previously proposed changes were also adopted. The key changes are outlined below:

• Requirement for Comprehensive Health Care Insurance 
  For stays not exceeding 1 year, where individuals cannot be covered by the Swedish social security system, a requirement for comprehensive health care insurance will be introduced for work permit applicants. Applicants must demonstrate either valid insurance coverage or proof that an insurance application has been filed and will be effective from the first day of employment.
• Employers May Lose the Ability to Hire Third-Country Nationals 
  This applies to employers charged with or reasonably suspected of crimes under Chapter 20 of the Aliens Act or Chapter 4, paragraphs 1a or 1b of the Criminal Code. This also applies to employers who have been fined for employing individuals without the correct work permit or sanctioned for providing false information to authorities.
• Increased Validity Periods for EU Blue Cards and Seasonal Work Permits 
  The maximum validity period for EU Blue Cards will be increased from 2 years to 4 years. If the employment is for less than 4 years, the EU Blue Card validity will extend through the employment period plus 3 months. For seasonal workers, the maximum permit validity will be increased from 6 to 9 months per 12-month period.
• Salary Requirement for EU ICT-Permits
   A salary requirement is introduced for EU ICT-permits. To qualify for a permit, the offered remuneration must be at least equivalent to Swedish collective bargaining agreement levels or industry/profession standards. For part-time positions, the full-time salary requirement will still apply.

All of the above changes will enter into force on June 1st, 2026.

Deloitte’s comments

Sweden's implementation of a minimum salary requirement aligned with current labor market conditions, compared to the previous requirement of SEK 13,000 monthly, is an important step in preventing the exploitation of immigrant workers. However, the minimum salary requirement will impact certain industries already facing skill shortages in Sweden.

Moreover, it will further complicate the hiring process for companies seeking to employ third-country nationals in junior positions, as industry practice typically offers significantly lower salaries than the new requirement. This is because the new salary requirement will significantly exceed the minimum wage according to Statistics Sweden (SCB) for certain industries, requiring substantial salary adjustments to meet work permit eligibility. Additionally, there remains a need to align the calculation methods used by the Migration Agency with the statistical basis used to determine the salary requirement, as these do not currently align.

We recommend that companies review the salaries currently offered to their non-EU/EEA workforce and assess their compensation policies to ensure compliance with the new requirements.

The remaining legislative changes align with the Government's broader policy agenda. Requiring health care insurance for stays shorter than 1 year ensures that individuals have access to necessary health care during their stay, as social security coverage does not apply to stays of this duration. Since this requirement already applies to several other permit types, extending it to work permits is a logical and consistent approach.

Additionally, introducing a salary requirement for EU ICT-permits will prevent this permit type from being used to circumvent the overall salary requirement. While this risk may be minimal for specialist positions, applying the salary requirement to interns who typically earn lower salaries will limit the individuals companies can send for internal training purposes within their corporate groups. However, since the EU ICT-permit salary requirement is lower than the new work permit requirement, this permit type will likely continue to be utilized frequently when the criteria are met.

The extended validity period for EU Blue Cards is clearly beneficial for first-time applicants, who will be able to obtain a single permit valid for a longer duration than previously possible. The EU Blue Card has not been widely adopted in Sweden to date, and this change may increase its utilization. However, for individuals already holding a permit, the 4-year validity period upon renewal will effectively extend the time required to qualify for permanent residence, which many applicants may view as a negative consequence of these changes.

Finally, the provision to restrict hiring of third-country nationals for employers with a history of immigration law violations is theoretically sound for serious breaches. However, the provision also includes fines issued for less severe violations as grounds for restricting hiring rights. Given the severity of this consequence for employers, clear and objective guidelines are essential to define the specific criteria for application - such as the number and type of violations required to trigger this restriction.

Swedish immigration legislation is undergoing significant changes, and Deloitte is actively monitoring these developments to keep you informed. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Martina Ogenhammar 
Partner, Head of Immigration - Global Employer Services mogenhammar@deloitte.se
+46 70 080 21 60

Hanna Blüme
Assistant Manager - Global Employer Services
hblume@deloitte.se 
+46 70 080 24 33

Evelina Ohlsson
Assistant Manager - Global Employer Services
eohlsson@deloitte.se 
+46 70 080 35 20

Ellen Reidal
Consultant - Global Employer Services
ereidal@deloitte.se 
+46 70 080 29 75

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