Sweden's Work-Permit Salary Requirement Rises on 1 June 2026

The headline change: 80% → 90% of the median wage

To be granted a Swedish work permit, a foreign worker must be offered a salary at or above a set minimum. From 1 June 2026, that minimum rises from 80% to 90% of the median salary in Sweden, which is approximately SEK 33,000 per month.

The increase is intended to focus labour immigration on higher-paid roles. The reform was presented by Sweden's Minister for Labour, Johan Britz (L).

27 occupations get a lower 75% threshold

Recognising that some sectors rely on workers below that level — particularly in care and parts of the economy with labour shortages — the government announced that 27 occupational categories are exempt from the higher requirement. For these jobs, a salary of 75% of the median wage is sufficient instead of 90%.

According to the government's announcement and reporting, the 27 exempted categories include, among others:

• several categories of nursing assistants and care workers (vårdbiträden);
• slaughterers and butchers;
• several occupations in agriculture and forestry;
• certain engineers;
• several groups of IT technicians.

In addition to the listed occupations, exemptions also apply to employees of start-ups in tech and life science, people who have completed degrees in certain licensed professions, recent graduates, and people in Sweden under the EU mass-displacement protection (such as refugees from Ukraine).

Two jobs barred from work permits

The government also confirmed that two occupations are excluded from the possibility of being granted a work permit altogether:

• personal assistants, and
• forest berry pickers.

These two roles have been associated with a high risk of exploitation, which is the policy reasoning behind removing them from the work-permit route.

Transition rules: extensions until 1 December

To avoid pulling the rug out from under people already in Sweden, there are transition rules. Workers who are getting their existing work permit extended can still rely on the current 80% salary level until 1 December. After that, the higher requirement applies to them too (subject to any exemption that fits their occupation).

This gives current permit holders a window to adjust, rather than facing the new floor overnight.

Quick reference table

• Standard new requirement (from 1 June 2026): 90% of the median wage ≈ SEK 33,000/month.
• 27 exempt occupations: 75% of the median wage.
• Extensions (transition): may use the old 80% level until 1 December.
• Barred from work permits: personal assistants and forest berry pickers.
• Also exempt: tech/life-science start-up staff, certain licensed-profession graduates, recent graduates, EU mass-protection (e.g. Ukraine).

How this fits Sweden's wider 2026 immigration shift

The salary increase is one piece of a broader tightening of Swedish migration policy in 2026. Other elements include stricter family-member immigration rules (a waiting time and a maintenance requirement aligned with the citizenship level, plus a supplement per arriving family member), and the major citizenship reforms from 6 June 2026.

For people whose long-term plan includes Swedish citizenship, work and income are now central in two ways: a qualifying salary is needed for the work permit itself, and from 6 June 2026 citizenship requires proof of self-sufficiency (at least three income base amounts per year, roughly SEK 20,000/month before tax) plus a residence requirement raised from 5 to 8 years. See our guides on the 2026 income requirement and the 8-year residency rule.

Frequently asked questions

What is the new work-permit salary requirement in Sweden?

From 1 June 2026 it rises from 80% to 90% of the median wage in Sweden, which is approximately SEK 33,000 per month.

Which jobs are exempt from the higher salary?

27 occupational categories qualify with a lower 75%-of-median threshold, including several care/nursing-assistant roles, slaughterers and butchers, several agriculture and forestry jobs, certain engineers, and several groups of IT technicians. Start-up staff in tech/life science, certain licensed-profession graduates, recent graduates, and people under EU mass-displacement protection are also exempt.

Are any jobs banned from work permits?

Yes. Personal assistants and forest berry pickers are excluded from the possibility of being granted a work permit.

I'm extending my current permit — does the new level apply immediately?

Under the transition rules, people getting an extension can still use the current 80% level until 1 December, after which the higher requirement applies (subject to any occupation-based exemption).

Who announced these rules?

The exemptions and salary increase were presented by Sweden's Minister for Labour, Johan Britz (L). The Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) administers the rules.

What is 90% of the median wage in kronor?

It is approximately SEK 33,000 per month. The exact figure follows the official median wage statistic, so it can be adjusted over time; treat SEK 33,000 as the announced approximate level from 1 June 2026.

I work in healthcare — am I exempt?

Several care roles, including categories of nursing assistants and care workers (vårdbiträden), are on the list of 27 exempted occupations, which use the lower 75%-of-median threshold. Whether your specific role qualifies depends on the official occupation classification, so confirm with Migrationsverket.

Does the higher salary requirement affect citizenship eligibility?

Indirectly. A higher work-permit salary supports the separate citizenship self-sufficiency requirement (from 6 June 2026: at least three income base amounts per year, roughly SEK 20,000/month before tax). But the two thresholds are set independently — meeting the work-permit salary does not automatically satisfy the citizenship income rule, and vice versa.

What happens to my application if I applied before 1 June 2026?

The increase applies from 1 June 2026, and there are transition rules for extensions (the old 80% level can apply until 1 December). How an in-progress application is assessed depends on the authorities' rules, so check your specific case with Migrationsverket rather than assuming.

Why are personal assistants and berry pickers banned?

These two occupations are excluded from the work-permit route because they have been associated with a high risk of exploitation. The government's policy aim is to close routes most prone to abuse.

A note on legal advice

This article is general information based on the government's announcement and reporting, not legal advice. Specific thresholds, occupation lists, and dates are set and applied by the authorities and may be updated. For your specific case, consult Migrationsverket or a qualified immigration advisor, and follow official sources for confirmed details.