On May 22, 2026, the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) confirmed the Government’s final decision on the occupation lists tied to the new work permit rules under Bill Prop. 2025/26:87 (“New rules for labor immigration”). From June 1, 2026, applicants for a Swedish work permit must show a salary of at least 90% of the Swedish median salary at the time of application, with specified occupations exempted from the rule and two occupations excluded from work permit eligibility altogether. Employers should review pending and planned hires immediately.
Around 20 occupations exempted from the 90% threshold (effective June 1, 2026)
For these roles, the salary must still reach 75% of the Swedish median salary, but not 90%. The list includes, among others:
- Engineers and technicians in chemistry/chemical engineering; laboratory engineers
- IT operations technicians, IT support technicians, system administrators, network and system technicians
The full list—covering further roles in healthcare, agriculture and forestry, food processing, skilled trades, and process operations—is published on the Migrationsverket news page: Nya regler för arbetskraftsinvandring – dessa yrken undantas (Migrationsverket, May 22, 2026).
Four additional groups exempted from the 90% threshold (effective June 11, 2026)
Also subject only to the 75% threshold:
- Former students applying for a work permit from within Sweden.
- Holders of foreign qualifications applying for jobs in order to obtain Swedish licensing as a pharmacist, doctor, nurse, or dentist.
- Holders of residence permits granted with or following temporary protection, applying on the basis of employment.
- Employees of certain tech or life-sciences companies—the company must be early-stage, under five years old, and have fewer than 100 employees.
Two occupations excluded from work permits altogether
Regardless of salary or contract terms, work permits can no longer be granted for:
- Personal assistant (around 60 pending applications affected).
- Berry picker in forests (seasonal work permits remain unaffected, as they are issued under a separate route).
New employer reporting obligation
Employers must notify Migrationsverket if a sponsored employee does not start work within four months of the permit taking effect. Data from the Swedish criminal and suspicion registers may also be disclosed to Migrationsverket in work permit cases.
What this means for employers
- Cases pending decision are affected. Applications decided on or after 1 June 2026 will be assessed under the new rules, including applications filed before that date—Migrationsverket has approximately 2,200 open first-time applications, around 120 of which fall within the newly exempted occupations. Audit pending and upcoming cases against the exemption and exclusion lists and reassess offered salaries below the 90% median to confirm whether a 75% exemption applies.
- Personal assistant sponsorships end. Work permits can no longer be granted for personal assistants, regardless of salary or contract. Identify any current or pipeline personal assistant sponsorships and take advice on extensions or alternative routes.
- Start-date tracking becomes a compliance obligation. Update onboarding and HR tracking to capture the new four-month start-date notification rule and avoid missed reporting deadlines.
This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes.
