Questions and answers about permanent residence permit
1.What is required to obtain a permanent residence permit?
When you have had a work permit as an employee and have worked for a total of four years in the last seven years, are able to support yourself as an employee or self-employed person and live an orderly life, you can obtain a permanent residence permit. You must have worked for the employer and in the profession for which you have had a work permit.
The Swedish Migration Agency checks that you have been in Sweden and performed work here during the period that you have had a work permit. You must also have fulfilled the conditions for a work permit during the permit period.
Read more about how we assess the terms of employment under the question How are the terms of employment assessed when applying for an extension?
2. What does the Swedish Migration Agency check when applying for a permanent residence permit?
The Swedish Migration Agency checks that your employment conditions have been met during your previous permit periods through the income information from the Swedish Tax Agency and salary specifications that you submit. We also check whether you have been covered by insurance during your permit period.
Our mission
The Swedish Migration Agency's mission includes considering applications from people who want to live in Sweden, visit the country, seek protection from persecution or be granted Swedish citizenship.
The Swedish Migration Agency is commissioned by parliament and government, who set the Swedish asylum and migration policy. We are thus commissioned by the Swedish people, through the politicians who make decisions on migration policy.
Working at the Swedish Migration Agency
There is a wide and varied range of work at the Swedish Migration Agency. It requires staff with various educational backgrounds, for example law, legal science and social science.
Behind every number is a human being
People move to Sweden for various different reasons. It might be to study or to work, to visit relatives and friends or because they have met a partner they want to share their life with. No matter the reason, each migrant’s journey is unique.
Read stories from people who migrated to Sweden to study, work or seek protection and asylum
Statistics on how many people have applied for and received residence permits in Sweden.
Information for persons arriving in Sweden with a residence permit
Do not forget to save your residence permit decision. It will be useful when contacting various national authorities and organizations.
To register as living in Sweden and obtain a Swedish personal identity number, contact the Swedish Tax Agency, Skatteverket. l
To be registered in the social insurance system, contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan.
Some municipalities have municipal housing agencies where you can look for accommodation. The municipality can also give you advice on private landlords.
The municipality in which you live will offer child care and schooling for children.
For questions about health care, contact the region where you live. Find healthcare in the whole of the country on the 1177 Healthcare Service Guide.
For questions about learning Swedish for Immigrants (SFI), contact the municipality you live in. See also the website of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.
If you are looking for a job you can register with the Swedish Public Employment Service, Arbetsförmedlingen.
The Swedish Pensions Agency has information in Swedish about income support for the elderly for those who come to Sweden late in life and have a low or no pension.
For information about studying at colleges or universities, see Universityadmissions.se or studera.nu.
For questions about student loans and grants, contact CSN.
For questions concerning driving licenses, visit the Swedish Transport Agency.
For questions about the right to vote, contact the Election Authority, Valmyndigheten.
Information from the Swedish National Agency for Education about the Swedish education system can be found at Skolverket.
Information about society in Sweden can be found in a number of languages at informationsverige.se.
For more information on society in Sweden visit the website of the Swedish Institute.
Hej hej Sverige! has simple and inspiring films about how Sweden works.
On the page Learn Swedish on www.informationsverige.se, you will find links to several programmers for learning Swedish on your own.
The information service at the Swedish Consumer Agency can answer your questions about buying goods and services and about contract terms and conditions.
