Apply for an ICT permit to work at a business in Sweden by which you are employed outside the EU/EEA

You want to apply for an ICT permit, because you are employed by a business outside the EU/EEA and are now going to work for the business in Sweden. If your family will be accompanying you, they can apply at the same time.

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA, you will in most cases need a permit to work in Sweden.

An ICT (Intra-Corporate Transfer) permit is a permit that you can be granted if you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, and are going to work as a manager, specialist, or trainee/intern at a business in Sweden that is established in Sweden and is a subsidiary of the business you are employed by outside the EU/EEA, or a subsidiary of a business within the same group.

If you already have an ICT permit in another EU country

If you already have an ICT permit in another EU country but are going to work in Sweden for longer than 90 days, you can apply for an ICT permit for long-term mobility. If, on the other hand, you are going to be on assignment in Sweden for less than 90 days during a 180-day period, you can enter and work in Sweden without applying for an ICT permit.

Requirements for being granted an ICT permit

These requirements must be met in order for you to be granted an ICT permit:

You must have a valid passport

If this is the first time you are applying for an ICT permit, you must do so from outside Sweden

You must be outside Sweden when you apply for the permit for the first time. If you already have an ICT permit in another EU country and are going to work for the same group in Sweden, you can apply for an ICT permit for long-term mobility while you are in Sweden.

You must have an employment contract from the employer in your country of origin and a traineeship/internship agreement (if you are a trainee/intern)
You must have an employment contract from your employer outside the EU/EEA for your job in your country of origin. If you are a trainee/intern, you must also have an traineeship/internship agreement for your traineeship/internship in Sweden.

You must work for the business in Sweden as a manager, specialist, or trainee/intern for more than 90 days

You must have the right terms and conditions of employment
Your salary/wages and other terms and conditions of employment must be at least at the same level as for employees posted to Sweden.

Your employer must have taken out insurance for you
Your employer must have taken out health insurance, life insurance, industrial injuries insurance, and occupational pension insurance for you.

You must have, or have applied for, a comprehensive health insurance policy
If you will be staying in Sweden for less than one year, you will need comprehensive health insurance. The insurance must be valid for the entire time you will be in Sweden and cover the cost of urgent and other medical care, hospitalisation, and emergency dental care. It must also cover the cost of medical repatriation, if you need to return to your country of origin for health reasons.

If you are granted a permit for at least one year, you should register in Sweden’s population register. This will give you access to health and medical care and dental care.

You must have the right qualifications and experience
You must have the professional qualifications and experience required for your assignment as a manager or specialist, or have the education required for a traineeship/internship.

You must have been employed for at least three months, without interruption
At the time of the intra-business/group transfer.

You must be able to return to your original job after the transfer period
You must remain employed in your country of origin, so that you can return to your original job after the transfer period.

You must be able to prove your qualifications to practise the profession in Sweden
If the transfer relates to a regulated profession.

You must have a salary that is at least on par with the minimum compensation for full-time work in accordance with Swedish collective agreements or with what is customary in the profession or industry
This also applies if you are going to work part-time.

Prepare this before you apply

Make sure that your employer has the correct information about you

Your employer needs information about your name, date of birth, citizenship, and email address. They will use this information when they start your application for an ICT permit.

It is important that you have access to the email address that you give to your employer until you have received a decision about your application. The Swedish Migration Agency will use this email address when we contact you.

Translate documents
All submitted documents should be in Swedish or English. If you have translated your documents, the translation should be certified. You must also include a copy of the document in its original language.

Plan which embassy to visit to present your passport or be interviewed

You may need to present your passport or be interviewed at an embassy or a consulate-general before you can receive a decision. In the application, you must therefore state which embassy you want to visit. Not all Swedish embassies and consulates-general handle migration cases. In some locations, you may be interviewed via video link. In that case, you will visit the embassy or consulate-general in that location, but a different embassy will be responsible for your application and can answer your questions. Here, you can find out where to turn:

What country or territory do you live in?

You must attach copies of these documents to your application

Make sure that the information on your submitted documents is clearly visible.

Correctly made copies of your passport

You can never be granted a permit for longer than your passport is valid.

Employment contract from the employer in your country of origin and a traineeship/internship agreement (if you are a trainee/intern)
The employment contract and traineeship/internship agreement must state:

the employee’s name and address of the recipient
the employer's name and address outside the EEA
the date on which the employment outside the EEA commenced
the place where the work or traineeship/internship is to be carried out
a brief description of your work responsibilities
salary/wages and other salary/wage benefits
the worker’s professional title or job title (does not apply to trainees/interns).

Receipt showing that you have paid the application fee

Degree certificate/register extract from your university, if you are a trainee/intern

Copy of your current ICT permit
If you have an ICT permit in another EU country.

Documents showing that you have or have applied for comprehensive health insurance
It must state the insurance company with which you have taken out the insurance and the period during which the insurance is valid. The health insurance must cover the entire period for which you are applying for a permit, if it is less than one year. If you apply for a permit for longer than one year, the insurance needs to be valid for at least three months, to ensure that it will cover the time it takes for you to get listed in the Swedish Population Register and become covered by the Swedish health insurance system.

Documents proving that you are qualified to practise the profession
If the application relates to a regulated profession.

Power of attorney – if someone else will be applying for you

A representative can apply for you, if you grant them power of attorney. In that case, the person who applies for you must attach a copy of the power of attorney to your application.

Power of attorney (107011) pdf, 535.3 kB.

Documents to attach if your family is applying with you

Correctly made copies of each family member’s passport

Your family member can never be granted a residence permit for longer than their passport is valid.

Documents showing your relationship

If you are married: marriage certificate, marriage record, or similar document.

If you are cohabiting partners: documents showing that you have lived together, such as population registration certificates, a joint rental contract, or proof of the joint purchase of a home.

Documents showing that you meet the maintenance requirement

Power of attorney – if you are your partner’s representative

You can act as your partner's representative and apply on their behalf. To do this, you must have a power of attorney and attach it to the application.

Power of attorney (107011) pdf, 535.3 kB.

Documents to attach if you have accompanying children

Birth record or birth certificate stating the names of the child’s parents

Sole custody decision
If you have sole custody of your child, you must attach a court decision to this effect. If the other parent is deceased, you must submit a death certificate.

Consent that the child may move to Sweden
If a child has two parents/legal guardians and the child’s other parent/legal guardian will be remaining in their country of origin, you must attach a statement of consent from the other parent/legal guardian to the application. You must also attach a copy of the other parent or legal guardian’s passport or other identity document.

Consent for a child to settle in Sweden (217011) pdf, 1.1 MB.

Adoption documents, if your child is adopted

Citizens of the EU/EEA or Switzerland or long-term residents

Other rules apply if you are a citizen of the EU/EEA or Switzerland, or if you have long-term resident status in another EU country.

EU/EEA citizens with right of residence

If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you have the right to live in another EU/EEA country if you fulfil the requirements for right of residence through work, your own company, your studies, or by having sufficient funds to support yourself. If you have right of residence, you do not need to apply for a residence permit to live in Sweden.

EU/EEA citizens

Swiss citizens

If you are a citizen of Switzerland, you can move to Sweden to work, study, start your own business, or live on your own funds. If you want to remain in Sweden for longer than three months, you must apply for a residence permit for Swiss citizens.

You want to apply – Swiss citizens

If you have long-term resident status in another EU country

If you have long-term resident status in another EU country, you can move to Sweden to work, study or live on your own funds. If you plan to stay longer than three months, you need to apply for a residence permit for long-term residents.

You want to apply – Long-term residents in another EU country

If your family wants to move to Sweden with you

If any of your family members also want to apply for a residence permit, they can do so at the same time as you. “Family members” are considered to include spouses, registered partners, cohabiting partners, and children under the age of 18.

If anyone in your family decides later that they want to move to Sweden to join you, they must submit their own application afterwards.

You want to apply – Family of an employee or self-employed person who apply afterwards

If your family is granted residence permits, your adult family members and children who will turn at least 16 during the current year are permitted to work.

You must be able to financially support your family

If your family applies together with you, you are subject to a maintenance requirement. This means that you must have an income that allows you to financially support yourself and your family.

How do I meet the requirement to financially support my family?

To meet the maintenance requirement, you must have an income that can cover housing costs and living expenses for yourself and your family members.

In the first instance, the Swedish Migration Agency looks at your income from salary/wages, but if this is insufficient, it is also possible to count income from business activities or personal wealth.

The following types of income count

taxed income from the employment for which you are applying or have been granted a permit
parental benefits or sickness benefits, provided that you have ongoing employment and your parental leave or sick leave is not assessed to be longer than 18 months
income from business activities
assets.

Amount of income

Your income after tax must be high enough so that after paying your monthly rent, you still have a certain amount of money left over that can cover the costs of food, clothing, hygiene, telephone, and insuring everyone in your household, among other things.

For 2025, the amount you must have left after paying your rent is:

SEK 6,243 for a single adult
SEK 10,314 for cohabiting spouses or cohabiting partners
SEK 3,336 for children 0–6 years of age
SEK 4,004 for children 7–10 years of age
SEK 4,672 for children 11–14 years of age
SEK 5,339 for children 15 years of age or older.

If you have a child with whom you do not live and you pay maintenance to the child’s other parent, your salary/wages must also be sufficient to cover their maintenance allowance.

The amounts applicable to children are reduced by any child allowance and large family supplement.

Housing costs

The housing costs that your wages must be sufficient to cover each month depend on the type of home in which you live:

If you live in a rented flat, you must include both the rent and the cost of heating in this calculation, if the latter is not included in the rent.
If you live in a tenant-owner flat, you must include any fees paid to the tenant-owner association and the interest on any home loans in your calculation. You must also include necessary operating costs (such as water and heating), if these are not included in the monthly fee.
If you live in a freestanding house, you must include the interest rate for any home loans and necessary operating costs (such as water and heating) in your calculation.

Amortisation of home loans is not included in the cost of housing. You also do not have to include the cost of electricity in your calculation, as this cost is included in the so-called “standard amount”.

You should count your entire actual housing cost. If you and your family are moving to Sweden together, you may not yet have arranged your housing when you apply for a residence permit. The Swedish Migration Agency then assumes a so-called standard cost for housing a family of your size in the town or city where your workplace in Sweden is located.

What income does not count?

You may not count income from

a family member
unemployment insurance (unemployment benefits) or an activity allowance
various forms of grants or scholarships
subsidised employment (for example, when the Swedish Social Insurance Agency or the Swedish Public Employment Service pays all or part of the salary/wages)
undeclared work or employment without the legal right to work.

Managers, specialists and trainees/interns

Managers

A manager is a person who has a leadership position and who primarily manages the business’s administration and works under and is guided by its board of directors, shareholders or equivalent parties. For example, managers are people who head a host business or a department of the host business, who supervise and control the work that is performed, and who have the authority to hire, fire, and make other personnel-related decisions.

Specialists

A specialist is a person who has specialised knowledge that is important to a business’s areas of operation, technology, or management. A specialist has a high level of qualification and suitable professional experience for a type of work or activity that demands special skills. This may include a requirement to have an officially approved professional affiliation.

Trainee/intern

A trainee is a person who has a university degree or higher education qualification and who is transferred internally for career development purposes or to acquire training in business technology or business practises and receives a salary/wages during the period of their transfer.

For how long can I be granted an ICT permit?

You can get an ICT permit for the period for which you are offered work, but for a maximum of three years. You can never be granted a permit for longer than your passport is valid.

If you have an ICT permit in another EU country, you can get an ICT permit for long-term mobility for the same period as your current permit is valid.

You cannot be granted an ICT permit or an ICT permit for long-term mobility if you have reached the maximum allowed period of intra-corporate transfer. The maximum period is three years for managers or specialists and one year for trainees/interns.

If you have reached the maximum period for an ICT permit, you must leave the EU/EEA area and apply for a new ICT permit.

What does it cost to apply?

Employees/self-employed people: SEK 2,000.
Adult family members: SEK 1,500
Children: SEK 750

Citizens of Japan do not pay an application fee.

You will not receive a refund if your application is rejected.

How long must I wait for a decision?

It is not possible to say exactly how long you will need to wait for a decision. There are many things that affect the waiting time, for example whether your application is complete to begin with or whether we need to request more information, or whether we need to check with other authorities when investigating your case.

Here we show statistics on how long it has taken for people who have applied for the same permit as you. The statistics are based on cases decided in the last 12 months.

Complete applications

75% of recently decided cases have been decided within:1 months

Incomplete applications

75% of recently decided cases have been decided within:2 months

Can I start to work in Sweden while I wait for a decision?

If you are applying for an ICT permit for the first time, you must wait for a decision to be made before travelling to Sweden.

If you have an ICT permit in another EU country, you can enter Sweden and work while you wait for a decision, provided that your current permit is still valid, or that the 90-day deadline has not passed. The time limit is 90 days in any 180-day period.

Are you an employer?

You can find information on our pages for employers.

Illustration showing an employment contract.

You get a job and an employment agreement

Before you apply for a work permit, you need to have an employment agreement signed by you and your employer.

Illustration of a woman sitting at a computer.

The employer starts the application

It is your employer who starts your application in the e-service.

Illustration of a statement from the union.

The trade union is given the opportunity to comment

The employer sends information about the employment to the relevant trade union for the industry to which the employment relates. The trade union is given the opportunity to comment on the terms and conditions of employment.

Illustration of a young woman making an application on the computer.

You fill in your part of the application

Once the employer has completed their part, you will receive an email with a link to the e-service, where you must fill in your part of the application. You fill in the application and attach the necessary documents. In your application, you indicate which Swedish embassy or consulate-general you want to visit to present your passport. In certain cases, you may also be asked to come to the embassy for an interview.

Waiting time before we start examining the application

Now follows a period of waiting until the Swedish Migration Agency takes a closer look at your application.

Illustration of a man looking at an application.

The Swedish Migration Agency processes the application

The Swedish Migration Agency will review all the information about your application and determine whether you can be granted a residence permit. If we can immediately see that you do not meet the requirements for a residence permit, we may decide to reject your application.

We will contact you if we need more information.

Log in to My page

By logging in to My page, you can access information about your application and use our services.

My page

Illustration showing how a person provides their fingerprints.

Present a passport and provide fingerprints

Before we can make a decision about a work permit, you need to present your passport. You must also be fingerprinted and photographed. This information will later be used to produce a residence permit card for you, if you are granted a permit for a period of more than three months.

Digital passport check

In some cases, the Swedish Migration Agency will notify you that you must present your passport for a digital passport check via an app. If you are granted a work permit, you will be fingerprinted and photographed once you have arrived in Sweden.

If you present your passport digitally, but have also been called in for an interview, you need to book an appointment to visit an embassy or consulate-general. During this visit, you may also need to provide fingerprints and have your picture taken.

Present your passport and get fingerprinted at the embassy

If you are not offered a digital passport check, we will ask you to book an appointment to present your passport at the embassy or consulate-general you selected in your application.

If you need an entry visa to travel to Sweden, you may also be fingerprinted and photographed during the same visit.

You are waiting for a decision – You have applied for the first time

Illustration of a man who works as a caseworker at the Swedish Migration Agency.

The Swedish Migration Agency processes the application

Once you have presented your passport, the Swedish Migration Agency will review all the information related to your application and determine whether you can be granted a work permit.

We will contact you if we need more information. In some cases, we will contact your employer for further information.

Waiting time while we process your application

Now you must wait.

You receive our decision

As soon as we have made a decision, you will receive an email or letter stating whether you have been granted a work permit or if your application has been rejected. In some cases, the Swedish Migration Agency will invite you to an in-person meeting at which you will be informed of the decision. When you receive the decision, you can find out the reasons on which we based it. If you are granted a residence permit, you have the right to live and work in Sweden as long as the permit is valid. If your application is rejected and you are currently in Sweden, you must prepare to leave the country.

You have received a decision – Work

Have you assembled all documents?

Be sure to provide complete information and attach all necessary documents. The Swedish Migration Agency prioritises complete cases.

See which documents you must attach under the Important to know tab

Your employer starts your application

Your employer in Sweden will start your application by submitting information about your employment to the Swedish Migration Agency. To do this, your employer needs information about your name, date of birth, citizenship and email address. Once your employer has completed their part of the application, you will receive a link via email, which you should use to continue with your part of the application. Only once you have completed and submitted your part of the application will it be registered with the Swedish Migration Agency.

You complete your application

Once you have received the email with the link, log in to the e-service and fill in the information about yourself. You must also check that the information about your terms and conditions of employment corresponds to what you and your employer have agreed. Once you have completed your part of the application and have submitted it, it will be registered with the Swedish Migration Agency.

When you apply in the e-service, you can include your family in your own application.

Requirements for applying in the e-service

To apply in the e-service, you must

be 18 years or older
have a valid email address
be able to pay the application fee with a payment card issued by Visa or Mastercard
be able to scan or photograph the documents you need to attach.

What does it cost to apply?

Employees/self-employed people: SEK 2,000.
Adult family members: SEK 1,500
Children: SEK 750

Citizens of Japan do not pay an application fee.

You will not receive a refund if your application is rejected.

If you cannot apply in the e-service

If you are unable to apply in the e-service, your employer must fill in form Information about the employment (232511) pdf, 818.4 kB., and send it to you. You must then submit it together with your application.

You fill in the form:

Application for an ICT permit to work in Sweden (185011) pdf, 874.4 kB.

If your family is applying with you, each family member must fill in the form:

Application for a permit for family members of workers, researchers, athletes or coaches and self-employed persons (133011) pdf, 744.2 kB.

Submit your application

You must submit your application at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in the country where you live. Remember to bring the documents you need to attach to your application.

Not all Swedish embassies and consulates-general handle migration cases. In some locations, you can submit your application at the embassy or consulate-general, but the interview is not conducted by staff there; instead, it takes place via video link. In such cases, a different embassy is responsible for your application and can answer your questions. Here, you can find out where to turn:

What country or territory do you live in?

You pay the application fee when you submit your application.

Once you have submitted your application, it will be sent to the Swedish Migration Agency.

If you submit your application from Sweden

Once we have received your application, we will contact you via email or letter with information on how to make the payment and how much you must pay.

News

2026-09-24

New look – same agency

The Swedish Migration Agency has a new logo. On 24 September, the new logo will replace the old logo on the Agency’s website. The new logo will be rolled out gradually across all digital services and communications.

2026-09-21

New rules for family members accompanying employees

From 1 October 2026, new rules for immigration due to family ties will apply. For those of you who have, or are planning to apply for, a work permit in Sweden, this means certain changes to the requirements for your family members.

2026-09-21

Russian non-biometric passports will no longer be recognised from 1 October

As of 1 October 2026, Swedish authorities will no longer recognise ordinary non-biometric passports issued by the Russian Federation. If you hold such a passport, you may therefore need to apply for a new passport.

2026-07-13

New requirements regarding good conduct (vandel) for residence permits

From 13 July, stricter requirements regarding good conduct will apply to those applying for a residence permit in Sweden, for example on the grounds of employment or to live with someone.

2026-06-16

New median salary affects the salary requirement for work permits

Statistics Sweden (SCB) has now updated the median salary in Sweden. As of 16 June, the median salary is SEK 38,300, which means that you must have a salary/wages of at least SEK 34,470 (90 per cent of the median salary) a month in order to be granted a work permit.

2026-06-01

New rules for work permits now apply

New rules for work permits are now coming into effect in Sweden. The changes include a new salary requirement, a requirement for comprehensive health insurance, and minimum salary levels for seasonal work permits and ICT permits.

2026-05-25

New rules for researchers and doctoral students

The Swedish Parliament has decided on new rules for researchers and doctoral students. The rules mean, among other things, that doctoral students with a hosting agreement can receive a residence permit for research, that it will be easier to receive a permanent residence permit, and that you can apply for another permit in Sweden in more situations.

2026-04-17

New rules for work permits from 1 June 2026

From 1 June 2026, new rules for work permits will begin to apply in Sweden. The rules affect those who are applying for or extending a work permit for employment in Sweden.

2026-04-13

Easier to renew your permanent residence permit card

It will now be easier to renew your permanent residence permit card. You will automatically receive information and a request to book an appointment via My page well in advance of your current card expiring.

You want to apply ICT permitsYou want to apply ICT permits