Sweden's new work-permit salary threshold takes effect 1 June 2026
From 1 June 2026, work-permit applicants in Sweden must earn at least 90% of the country’s median salary – a minimum of SEK 33,390 per month. The threshold rises again to roughly SEK 35,000 on 16 June when Statistics Sweden (SCB) publishes its updated median figure. The Swedish Migration Agency confirmed the change earlier this spring; today is the first day applications under the new rules are accepted.
Four narrow exemptions sit at a lower threshold of 75% of the median: former students applying to switch status, foreign-qualified medical professionals, Ukrainians under Temporary Protection, and certain tech and life-science staff. Existing permit holders applying for extensions between 1 June and 1 December 2026 are not covered by the higher threshold.
Why this matters
For non-EU remote workers hoping to work for a Swedish employer under a work permit, the cost of entry has just risen sharply. SEK 33,390/month sits well above many entry-level salaries Swedish employers post for support, content, or junior technical roles. Employers wanting to sponsor non-EU staff for these positions will either need to raise the offered salary, restrict sponsorship to senior hires, or shift the role to a contractor-based engagement run through an Employer of Record. The 16 June uplift will catch any application filed in the gap between the two thresholds – workers should confirm the active figure at the date of their submission, not the date of their offer letter.
Combined with Sweden’s recent permanent establishment position statement (8-155706-2026, covered last week), which finds employer PE risk where a sole or primary employee works from Sweden for more than 50% of their time, the Swedish remote-work landscape is now squeezing both directions simultaneously: inbound non-EU hiring through work permits, and outbound foreign-employer exposure through PE risk. Employers and remote workers with Sweden as part of their setup should reassess both sides of the equation.
What to watch
The 16 June SCB median update is the next concrete data point – anyone planning to file in early-to-mid June should confirm the active threshold immediately before submission. The Local Sweden has a useful explainer of how the formula works, but the authoritative figures sit with Migrationsverket.