Application cards are introduced in connection with the migration pact
On 12 June 2026, the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum is introduced. This means that all of the member states of the EU will have common rules within several areas.
The new rules apply to everybody who applies for international protection (asylum) in Sweden from 12 June. Those who have applied for asylum before the migration pact comes into effect are not affected by the changes.
Two different cards will exist simultaneously during a period of time
One of the changes is that those who have applied for protection on the 12 June 2026 or later will receive an application card in accordance with the Asylum Procedure Regulation. The card is proof that you have applied for international protection (asylum) and are in Sweden legally.
The application card has a QR code, and the Swedish Migration Agency updates the status of the card digitally in the same way as for the LMA card. If the person with the card is exempt from the requirement to have a work permit (AT-UND) while waiting for a decision, this information is stated on the card.
Those who applied for asylum in Sweden before 12 June 2026 still have their LMA cards, but these will be replaced by application cards during the summer and autumn of 2026. This means that during a transition period, both LMA cards and application cards will be in circulation.
Your responsibility as an employer
As an employer, you have an obligation to check if the person with the card has the right to work in Sweden. Both cards have a QR code that you can scan to see if the card is valid and if the person has AT-UND.
The check is easily done with a QR reader, such as a smartphone or hand scanner for a cash register. If you do not have access to a QR reader, you can check the card on the web using the unique web address located on the back of each card.
