Byta Jobb på Arbetstillstånd: What HR Teams Must Do When a Permit Holder Changes Jobs

The core rule: the permit covers one employer and one occupation

A Swedish work permit applies to the employer and the occupation stated in the decision. Under the Aliens Act, the permit is tied to a specific employer and a specific kind of work until the person has held work permits for a combined two years. After that, it is tied to the occupation only.

That gives HR teams two scenarios to watch:

1. The employee leaves and joins another company.
2. The employee stays, but the occupation or duties change.

When a new permit is needed

According to Migrationsverket, a work permit holder needs a new permit when:

• They change employer while the permit is still tied to the employer (the first two years)
• They change occupation, at any point
• They take on completely new work responsibilities
• The employer's company registration number changes, or the company is acquired by new owners

After two years on work permits, a move to a new employer in the same occupation does not need a new permit. A move to a new occupation still does.

Scenario A: the employee moves to a new employer

1. The new employer advertises the position in Sweden and within the EU/EEA and Switzerland for at least ten days, then starts the application in Migrationsverket's e-service. The employee completes their part.
2. The employee may start the new job once the application has been made, provided it was made before the previous work permit expired, and the new employer has advertised the position before the start.
3. If the application is made after the old permit has expired, this does not apply: the employee must wait for a decision.

Practical tip: before agreeing a start date with a candidate who already holds a Swedish permit, check the permit's expiry date, the employer and occupation in the decision, and how long they have held work permits.

If the employment ends

A permit holder whose employment ends may stay in Sweden for three months after the last day of employment to look for a new job, as long as the permit is still valid. If no new job is found within three months, or the permit expires first, and the person has no other right to stay, they must leave the country.

EU Blue Card holders

Since 1 January 2025, an EU Blue Card holder can switch to another highly qualified job without applying for a new card. The Blue Card requirements must be met in the new job, and the change must be reported to Migrationsverket by letter (name and case number). Failing to report can lead to the permit being withdrawn.

Scenario B: a role change at the same employer

A change of occupation or new work responsibilities at the same employer also needs a new work permit. The employee can keep working for the employer if the application is submitted before the previous permit expires.

1. Check whether the new role is a different occupation, or brings completely new duties, compared with the decision.
2. If it does, apply for the new permit before the change takes effect and before the current permit expires.
3. If the new salary reaches the EU Blue Card threshold (SEK 53,625 a month since 15 July 2026) and the other requirements are met, consider whether a Blue Card fits better.

An extension that is already pending

If the employee applied to extend their permit before it expired and changes jobs before the decision, they can start at the new job. They must send the new employment contract to Migrationsverket.

What happens if the rules are breached?

• A residence permit for work must as a rule be revoked if the conditions for the work permit are no longer met for reasons other than the employment ending.
• Employing someone who does not have the required work permit is a crime under the Aliens Act: up to two years in prison, or a fine if the offence is minor.
• The employer must also pay a special fee for each person: two price base amounts, or four if the breach lasted more than three months. An employer who checked the right to work, kept a copy of the documents and notified the authority is exempt.
• From 1 June 2026, Migrationsverket can reject new applications because of circumstances relating to the employer, including earlier sanctions for employing people without permits.

HR checklist: when an employee changes roles or employers

• At offer stage, check the candidate's permit: employer, occupation, expiry, and how long they have held work permits
• Advertise the position for at least ten days before the start
• Make sure the new application is made before the old permit expires
• For internal moves, check whether the occupation or duties change
• For Blue Card holders, make sure the change is reported to Migrationsverket
• Keep copies of the right-to-work documents for the whole employment and 12 months after

How Settio keeps permits on track

Most permit problems start with a date or a salary nobody was watching. Settio helps employers and immigration agencies watch both, for every person, before they move, after they arrive and at every renewal:

• Permit and salary monitoring tracks every expiry date and the salary each permit was granted on, and turns a dip or a missing month into a follow-up step with an owner.
• Plans for every case, from the first application to the extension, with each deadline counted for you.
• Your whole international workforce at a glance: import the people already on permits and see their risks in minutes.

Try it with your own people: see plans and start for free.

Sources

8 official sources

• Migrationsverket: If you change employer or profession or stop working
• Migrationsverket: Employing a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country
• Migrationsverket: Changes in the employment
• Migrationsverket: You are waiting for a decision, work in Sweden
• Migrationsverket: New EU Blue Card rules now apply
• Migrationsverket: New rules for work permits come into force (1 June 2026)
• Migrationsverket: Guide for employers on who has the right to work in Sweden
• Riksdagen: Utlänningslag (2005:716), 6 kap. 2 a §, 7 kap. 7 e §, 20 kap. 5 och 12 §§