Increased maintenance requirement for work permits

The Government has decided to raise the maintenance requirement for people applying for a work permit in Sweden. The new requirement came into effect on November 1 and affects everyone who receives a decision on their application for a work permit after that date. In order to obtain a work permit, a salary of at least 80 percent of the current median salary is required. This page compiles information about what this means.

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On 1 November, the maintenance requirement for applicants for a work permit in Sweden was increased.

Everyone who applies after November 1 must have a salary that amounts to at least SEK 27,360, which is 80 per cent of the current median salary. The median salary for Sweden is published annually by Statistics Sweden (SCB). For an application received before November 1, it is the median salary that applied at the time of the application that forms the basis for calculation.

On 30 November 2022, the Parliament approved the bill, “An Increased Maintenance Requirement for Labour Immigrants” (Prop. 2021/22:284). The Government writes in a news item that “The Parliament’s approval means that the Aliens Act is amended so that a labour immigrant must achieve a good income through their employment in order to be granted a work permit. The amendment to the decree adopted by the Government means that the requirement for a good income is specified.”

Read the Government’s news item in its entirety (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window.

Read the Government memorandum, “An Increased Maintenance Requirement for Labour Migrants” (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window.

Median salary in Sweden the last three years

Date for updated median salary

Median salary in Sweden

Total (80 per cent of median salary)

Applies to applications during the period

20 June 2023

SEK 34,200

SEK 27,360

20 June 2023 – current

21 June 2022

SEK 33,200

SEK 26,560

21 June 2022 – 19 June 2023

22 June 2021

SEK 32,400

SEK 25,920

22 June 2021 – 20 June 2022

16 June 2020

SEK 31,700

SEK 25,360

16 June 2020 – 21 June 2021

What is consi­dered a good income?

When someone applies for a work permit, the Swedish Migration Agency must examine whether the requirement to earn a good income is met. “Good income” means that the applicant must have a monthly salary that amounts to at least 80 per cent of the median salary published by Statistics Sweden (the maintenance requirement). In addition, the monthly salary must be in line with collective agreements or practices in the relevant profession or industry.

It may happen that the salary that is in line with collective agreements or practices in the relevant profession or industry is still below the maintenance requirement. In such cases, the monthly salary must reach at least 80 per cent of the median salary in force at the time of application in order for a work permit to be granted. It does not matter whether the job in question is full-time or part-time.

The incre­ased salary requi­re­ment applies to work permits

The new requirement of good income applies to residence permits granted on the basis of work. That is, if a person comes to Sweden, from a country outside the EU/EEA, to work.

This means that persons who, for example, apply for or have a residence permit due to protection, family ties, studies, protection under the Temporary Protection Directive or the upper secondary school act, are not affected by this increase. Persons who meet all the requirements for a permanent residence permit are not affected either.

On the other hand, the new requirement of good income applies to persons who have had their asylum application rejected and instead apply for a work permit.

Affected occu­pa­tions

The occupational areas that will be most affected by the higher maintenance requirement are service, care, sales, agriculture, gardening, forestry, berry picking, fishing, and occupations that demand a shorter education or introduction. As a rule, the salary earned by employees in these groups falls below the new maintenance requirement.

The Swedish Migration Agency may carry out follow-up inspections in these occupational areas, if there is a reason to suspect that the employee is not receiving the salary or employment conditions stated in the application. Such suspicion can, for example, be aroused by the fact that there is information in the application that shows that they meet the new salary requirement, but the salary is higher than collective agreements or practices in the relevant profession or industry.

Unaf­fected occu­pa­tions

Professional coaches and athletes, au pairs, trainees within the framework of international exchange or trainees with traineeships related to higher education, and researchers will not be subject to the new requirement.

Persons who have or apply for an EU Blue Card, ICT permit and seasonal workers are not affected either.

Questions and answers about the maintenance requirement for a work permit

The new maintenance requirement entered into force on 1 November, without transitional rules. A person who has applied for a work permit but has not received their decision before 1 November must, from this date, have a salary of at least 80 per cent of the median salary published when the application for a work permit was received.

If the application was received on 1 January 2023, the Swedish Migration Agency bases its assessment on the median salary that was published at the time of the application. In this example, it will be the median salary for 2021 (the median salary for 2022 was not published until 19 June). 80 per cent of this median salary is thus SEK 26,560.

This also applies when applying for an extension of a work permit, but does not currently affect people who have an ongoing work permit.

A person who has an ongoing work permit is only affected when they apply for an extended residence permit. It is then the latest published median salary at the time of application that will apply at the time of the examination. It is thus the application date that determines which median salary is required.

Even when the application is for an extended work permit, the Swedish Migration Agency must examine whether the requirement to earn a good income is met. If a person has been granted a work permit before 1 November, the same maintenance requirement applies as when the permit was granted, i.e., SEK 13,000, for the remainder of the permit period. It is only in connection with an application for an extended work permit that the new requirement for good income must be met.

Thus, the employee’s salary does not need to be increased to fulfil the new maintenance requirement during an ongoing work permit. However, it must still comply with collective agreements or practices in the relevant profession or industry. When the employee applies for an extended work permit, the Swedish Migration Agency will re-examine their monthly salary in relation to the current median salary.

The new requirement will apply regardless of whether the employment is part-time or full-time. If an applicant has a part-time job, they must work to such an extent that they receive a salary of at least 80 per cent of the median salary that applies at the time of application. The salary must also be in line with collective agreements or practice in the relevant profession or industry.

No, the new requirement for good income does not affect processing times.

  • The median salary is calculated in relation to gross salary, i.e., monthly salary before tax. Part-time salary is converted into full-time salary.
  • The middle salary in a group of salaries that are sorted in order of order from the lowest to the highest are used to show a representative measure of the salary for a group.
  • The median salary is calculated annually in relation to what people in the Swedish labour market earn.
  • The median salary is published annually by Statistics Sweden and refers to the previous year’s salaries. In other words, the 2023 median salary is calculated based on the salaries for 2022.
  • The median salary presented in 2023 is SEK 34,200.
  • 80 per cent of SEK 34,200 is SEK 27,360.

Supplements for inconvenient working hours are not normally included when the Swedish Migration Agency assesses whether an employee meets the maintenance requirement, but this is assessed on the basis of the nature of the work. In order to be included in the calculation of income, the supplement for inconvenient working hours must be regularly recurring and be a normal aspect of the profession. For example, a newspaper delivery person who always works nights and always receives a supplement for inconvenient working hours can include this in their income when they apply for a work permit..

In order to obtain a permanent residence permit, you must be able to support yourself. This maintenance requirement differs from the requirement to earn a good income (i.e.80 per cent of the median salary) in order to obtain a work permit.

When a person applies for a permanent residence permit in connection with their application for an extended work permit, the Swedish Migration Agency begins by examining whether they meet the requirements for a permanent residence permit. In such a case, you are granted a permanent residence permit and then you do not have to meet the increased requirement of good income for a work permit.

If, on the other hand, the person do not meet all the requirements for a permanent residence permit, the Swedish Migration Agency will instead examine whether they meet the requirements for an extended work permit. In that case, they must meet the increased income requirement in order to be allowed to stay in Sweden.

No, the increased maintenance requirement that came into force on 1 November only affects employees who apply for work permits. A person who has had a residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act and found work can apply for a permanent residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act. In this case, other maintenance requirements apply.

Read more about what is required to obtain a permanent residence permit under the Upper Secondary School Act

The new requirement to earn a good income applies to people who apply for work permits. This means a residence permit that is granted on the basis that the person from a country outside the EU/EEA is coming to Sweden to work.

For example, it does not affect people who apply for or have already been granted a residence permit on the basis of protection, close family ties, or studies are not affected by the increased maintenance requirement, nor are those covered by the Temporary Protection Directive or the Upper Secondary School Act. EU/EEA citizens and long-term residents who exercise their freedom of movement are likewise unaffected.

If the applicant is outside Sweden, the Swedish Migration Agency will contact the person if less than a 4.1 percent salary increase is needed to reach the new maintenance requirement. If the current salary needs an increase greater than 4.1 percent, the Swedish Migration Agency will make a decision without contacting the applicant first. The number of 4.1 percent is the industry's mark for salary increases in the year 2023.

If the applicant is in Sweden, the person will always have an opportunity to supplement the case if one does not meet all the requirements. The Swedish Migration Agency will then contact the applicant with information about it.

If you receive a request for a supplement from the Swedish Migration Agency, it will be clear how to submit your supplement.

If you want to make a spontaneous supplement, you can do it by post to:

The Swedish Migration Agency
Box 3100
903 03 Umeå

You can show your new salary with, for example, an employment contract. However, there is no requirement on which document to submit and it is therefore up to the applicant to decide.

Application of the maintenance requirement – 4 examples

These examples only take into account the maintenance requirement for labour migrants, and not the other requirements for work permits.

Example 1: Meets the requirement

Somchai applies for a residence and work permit for work in an occupation where the full-time salary according to collective agreements or practice in the profession or industry is SEK 25,550. The application is submitted on 1 December 2023.

The employment is a full-time position and the monthly salary is SEK 28,000. The maintenance requirement at the time of application is SEK 27,360. Somchai’s monthly salary is in line with collective agreements and meets the requirement for good income.

Example 2: Meets the requirement

Olga applies for a residence and work permit for work in an occupation where the full-time salary according to collective agreements or practice in the profession or industry is SEK 25,550. The application is submitted on 1 December 2023.

The employment is a part-time position and the monthly salary that Olga receives is SEK 27,500. The maintenance requirement at the time of application is SEK 27,360. Olga’s monthly salary is in line with collective agreements and meets the requirement for good income.

Example 3: Does not meet the requirement

Amina applies for a residence and work permit for work in an occupation where the full-time salary according to collective agreements or practice in the profession or industry is SEK 25,550. The application is submitted on 1 December 2023.

The employment is a full-time position and the monthly salary is SEK 25,600. The maintenance requirement at the time of application is SEK 27,360. Amina’s monthly salary is in line with collective agreements, but the requirement for good income is not met.

Example 4: Does not meet the requirement

Kim applies for a residence and work permit for work in an occupation where the full-time salary according to collective agreements or practice in the profession or industry is SEK 25,550. The application is submitted on 1 December 2023.

The employment is a part-time position (70 per cent) and the monthly salary is SEK 23,000. The maintenance requirement at the time of application is SEK 27,360. Kim’s monthly salary is in line with collective agreements, as the monthly salary for full-time employment would be approximately SEK 32,860. However, Kim’s monthly salary (SEK 23,000) falls below the maintenance requirement, which means that the requirement for good income is not met.

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