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Working holiday visa for young people
Certain countries have agreements with Sweden under which 18–30-year-olds can live in Sweden for a holiday for up to a year. You are allowed to work during the period spent in Sweden.
The purpose of a working holiday is that people between 18 and 30 years old will have the opportunity to, among other things, appreciate the culture and general way of life in Sweden. During the period spent in Sweden you are allowed to work.
Employment can be temporary and you do not need a job offer when applying for a permit. You can look for a job after coming to Sweden.
Read more about working in Sweden on the website Working in Sweden
Requirements for obtaining a permit
In order to obtain a working holiday permit, you must
- be a citizen of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea or Uruguay
- be 18–30 years old
- have a valid passport
- have at least SEK 15,000 so that you can support yourself initially in Sweden
- have a return ticket or enough money to buy one
- have a comprehensive health insurance policy that covers health and medical care in Sweden (unless you are a citizen of Australia)
- not bring any children with you.
The different agreements clarify what applies regarding health insurance for each country.
Read more about the agreements
Agreement between Sweden and Argentina
Agreement between Sweden and Australia
Agreement between Sweden and Canada
Agreement between Sweden and Chile
Agreement between Sweden and Hong Kong
Agreement between Sweden and New Zealand
Agreement between Sweden and South Korea
Agreement between Sweden and Uruguay
How to apply
You can apply online in the country you are living in.
You will probably be required to pay an application fee.
Enclose the following documents with your application
- Copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the period of the passport's validity and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin.
- A bank statement showing that you can support yourself initially in Sweden.
- A copy of a return ticket or a document showing that you have enough money to buy one.
- A document showing that you have health insurance coverage that is valid in Sweden (unless you are a citizen of Australia).
If your passport is about to expire, you should renew it as you cannot obtain a permit for longer than the validity of your passport.
Once we have received your application
If you obtain a permit for more than three months, you will also receive a residence permit card. The card, which is proof that you have the right to be in Sweden, contains your photo and fingerprints. After you have received your decision and entered Sweden you should book an appointment as soon as possible to submit your fingerprints and be photographed.
Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case
Learn more about residence permit cards
After the decision has been made
The decision will be sent to the embassy or consulate general you selected in your online application. Take your passport along when picking up your decision. You can obtain a permit for one year but not past the time for which your passport remains valid. A working holiday permit cannot be extended. In most cases you cannot apply for and be granted a work permit after your entry to Sweden, even if you have a valid working holiday permit.
You must show your decision along with a valid passport when entering Sweden.
Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case
Find your closest embassy at swedenabroad.com
Book an appointment at the Migration Agency to be fingerprinted and photographed
Important information about insurance
If you need to seek medical care in Sweden, you may need to pay for the care yourself if you are not registered in Sweden in the Population Register, and do not have a Swedish Personal Identity Number. If you register in the Swedish Population Register, you can also be registered with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, and covered by the country’s social insurance.
To be registered in the Swedish Population Register and receive a Swedish Personal Identity Number, you generally need to have been granted at least a one-year residence permit in Sweden, and you generally need to be planning to live here for one year or longer. Therefore, you should register in the Population Register as soon as possible after moving to Sweden.
Read more about registration in the Swedish population register at the Swedish Tax Agency’s website
If the Migration Agency refuses your application
You can appeal against a decision not to grant you a residence permit within three weeks. Your decision contains information about how to do so.
Before you begin your application
The Migration Agency recommends that you use a computer when you make your application and that you use Internet Explorer.
Support for online applications
If you do not apply online
If you are not able to apply online, you must fill out the form "Application for working holiday visa for young people", number 155011, and submit it to a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in your country of residence. The application form specifies which documents to enclose. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before you submit your application.
Application for working holiday visa for young people, form number 155011 (in English)
Find your closest embassy at swedenabroad.com
If you are applying at an embassy or consulate-general, you pay the fee when you hand in your application. For more information about the fee, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you are applying, as they do not have the same fees and terms of payment as the Migration Agency.