Sweden - Seasonal worker

Seasonal Work permit

To be granted a seasonal work permit, you must:

• hold a valid passport;
• have been offered temporary employment as a seasonal worker by an employer who is established in Sweden;
• have access to accommodation of a suitable standard;
• have taken out or applied for a comprehensive health insurance policy that covers health and medical care in Sweden. The health insurance must be valid during your whole stay;
• be able to demonstrate your qualifications to exercise the profession in question if the work concerns a regulated profession;
• intend to leave Sweden when your permit expires.

If you have been offered temporary employment as a seasonal worker by an employer who is not established in Sweden, you should apply for a work permit under the general rules for non-EU workers.

Your employer must

• complete an offer of employment and give the relevant trade union or professional organisation an opportunity to comment on the employment conditions;
• offer employment conditions that are, at a minimum, in line with Swedish collective agreements or what is customary in the profession or industry;
• offer a salary that is, at a minimum on par with, Swedish collective agreements or what is customary in the profession or industry;
• intend to take out health insurance, life insurance, workers’ compensation insurance and occupational pension insurance when you begin employment;
• offer employment that makes it possible for you to support yourself. In order to meet this requirement on support, you must work to an extent that you will have a salary of at least SEK 13,000 per month before taxes;
• advertise the position in Sweden, the EU/EEA and Switzerland for a period of at least ten days.

If your employer rents or provides you with accommodation, the following applies:

• The rent must not be disproportionate to your salary or with the standard of the accommodation. This means that the rent must not be unreasonably high in relation to the standard of the accommodation and you must not require any welfare assistance to cover your living expenses once the rent is paid;
• Rent can only be deducted directly from your salary if you have given consent for this to your employer;
• Your employer must provide you with a written document that details your rental conditions;
• The accommodation must meet general health and safety requirements;

Application

You can apply for a seasonal work permit by using the form Application for a seasonal work permit, number 263011 in Sweden, which you can hand in at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general.

The application must be made before entry, and you may not be residing in an EU country.

If it is not possible to apply in your country, you should apply at the embassy or consulate-general that is closest to the country in which you live. For information about the procedure for embassies or consulates-general, go to swedenabroad.com.

If you apply at an embassy or a consulate-general, you pay the fee when you submit your application. You will need to contact the relevant embassy or consulate-general for information on fees, as they do not follow the same regulations on fees that the Swedish Migration Agency does.

You must enclose:

• copies of the pages in your passport that show your personal details, photo, signature, passport number, country of issue, period of validity, and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin;
• an offer of employment, and a statement from a trade union on the terms of employment you are being offered (you should obtain this from your employer);
• information on the insurance company with which you have taken out a comprehensive health insurance policy, and the period of validity of the insurance policy. The health insurance must cover health and medical care in Sweden;
• a rental agreement or documentary evidence from your landlord, the property owner or lettings agency regarding a future agreement;
• the form Accommodation details – if the employer rents or provides accommodation, form number 264011;
• documents confirming that you are qualified to practise your profession, if the application is for a regulated profession;
• power of attorney, if you are the legal representative of the applicant.

The rental agreement or documentary evidence on accommodation must state:

• address of the accommodation;
• rent;
• surface area of accommodation (in square metres);
• number of rooms and kitchens/bathrooms;
• rental agreement’s period of validity and notice period;
• landlord’s and tenant’s contact details;
• landlord’s and tenant’s signatures.

The work and residence permit is valid for the period of employment.You can only get a seasonal work permit for a maximum of six months within a 12-month period.

If you want to continue working in Sweden, you will need to extend your seasonal work permit. You will also need to submit a new application if you have a seasonal work permit but want to change profession or employer. The application must be submitted before your current permit expires.

You can only get a seasonal work permit for a maximum of six months within a 12-month period.

If the Migration Agency refuses your application, you can appeal the decision within three weeks from the date when you were informed of the decision. Information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in your decision.