All about Post Study Work Permit in Sweden

After completing higher education in Sweden, international students often wish to stay back and gain some work experience or explore the possibility of starting their own business. To do this, graduates need to apply for a Sweden Post Study Work Permit (residence permit to look for work or start a business). This permit allows students to remain in Sweden for up to 12 months after finishing their studies.

Post-Study Work Permit in Sweden is a valuable option for students who want to transition from academics to professional life in Sweden. To be eligible, students must have completed a higher education programme (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral level) in Sweden. Those who studied in another EU country can also apply if they have completed at least two semesters in Sweden.

Graduates are required to show proof of sufficient financial means to support themselves during their stay, along with comprehensive health insurance if the permit is for less than a year. Once employed, students can later apply for a work permit in Sweden based on their job offer.

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What is a Post-Study Work Permit in Sweden?

As the name suggests, a post-study work permit in Sweden allows international students to stay back after completing their higher education and look for jobs or explore the possibility of starting their own business. Applicants who have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree in Sweden are eligible to apply for this permit. Students from other EU countries can also apply if they have studied at least two semesters in Sweden.

This residence permit is valid for up to 12 months and allows graduates to search for employment or prepare to launch a business. To qualify, students must apply before their study permit expires, hold a valid passport, prove financial means to support themselves during their stay, and have comprehensive health insurance (if the stay is for less than one year). Once a graduate secures a job, they can apply for a regular Swedish work permit to continue living and working in the country.

Extensions to Find Employment

Students who have completed their higher education from the University of Sweden can apply for the extension of their Residence Permits to find suitable employment. Students can even apply for the same in order to explore the opportunity of starting their own enterprise. The extension is for a maximum of six months subject to a few conditions. They are: 

• Students must hold a valid passport for the duration. In case your passport would expire in three months, the maximum time you would get in your extension is three months. 

• Students should hold a Residence Permit for higher education for a course that lasted for at least two terms. It means is that in case you took up a short course of about six months, you cannot apply for an extension of your residence permit for work permissions. 

• Students who have completed their studies. Students would be required to submit proof of the same. In case the intended course was for three years, students cannot seek this extension to find jobs in two years. 

• Students must still be in Sweden. 

• Students must be wanting to seek employment. 

• Students would be required to show proof of funds for the intended period of stay. The proof of funds would be the same as stipulated for your Student Visas for Sweden. What students need to remember is that in this case, the funds would be for a maximum of six months. 

• You must have health insurance for the intended period of stay. 

If you qualify as per the above terms, you can apply for an extension of your residence permits. Students can work in any capacity as per the labour laws of the land and for maximum hours as stipulated. They might not be employed in related fields. During the time, if the student finds a job that is related to his field of study and qualifies in terms of the minimum salary, the student can apply for and obtain a post-study Work Permit for Sweden

How to apply for an extension of residence permit to seek employment?

In case you wish to search for a suitable job upon completion of your education from Sweden and you qualify for all the conditions mentioned above, you can apply for an extension of your residence permit. You would have to make an application with the Migrations Authority and also pay a fee of SEK 1,500. Apart from that, you would have to submit the following documents: 

• Copy of your valid passport clearly showing your personal details as well as the entry stamps for the country you have permission to live in. 

• Certificate from your university or higher education institution showing that you have done at least two terms in Sweden. 

• A certificate that you have completed your studies. In the case of a doctoral student, he/she would be required to provide a certificate from your supervisor. 

• Proof of funds in your bank account to support your extended stay in Sweden. The funds required would be SEK 8,190 for each month of your stay. 
• Proof of health insurance for the intended stay.

Work Permits for Sweden

Moreover, you do not need a work permit for part-time work during your studies in Sweden. In case you find a job in Sweden that pays a minimum salary of SEK 13,000 per month before taxes, then you can apply for a Work Permit in Sweden.

Eligibility for applying for a work permit without leaving Sweden:

• Residence permit for studies at a university or university college, or residence permit to seek employment in Sweden (see above). 

• Completed a minimum of 30 credits or one semester of postgraduate studies in Sweden. 

• Still have validity in your residence permit. 

• All of these conditions are mandatory to apply for a work permit while you are still in Sweden. Otherwise, you would have to return to your home country to apply for one. 

All of these conditions are mandatory to apply for a work permit while you are still in Sweden. Otherwise, you would have to return to your country to apply for one.

Also, here are the conditions that you must meet to be granted a work permit 

• You must have a valid passport. The validity of the passport must extend to the time you are applying for a work permit. In case your passport would not be valid for the entire time, you would only be granted the work permit for a limited time. 

• You must have an offer of employment that is by the occupation or industry. 

• Your salary is commensurate with the industry standards of the job and is a minimum of SEK 13,000 before taxes per month. This also means that you cannot be offered a job worth SEK 15,000 for an occupation that does not normally draw high salaries. 

• Your employer has agreed to provide you with health, life, employment, and pension insurance. 

You would be required to pay for the work permit but the same would be applied for by the employer on your behalf. The fee for Work Permit is SEK 2,000. Please note that you cannot meet the criterion of the minimum salary by means of two employment offers. A single job offer must meet the conditions. Therefore, if you are planning to study in Sweden, rest assured, you would get ample opportunities to find employment after completing your education.

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