Moving to Sweden from Brazil: Work Permit, Biometrics and Arrival (2026)

Brazilians don't need a visa for short visits to Sweden, which makes the work permit process simpler. Once the permit is granted you can travel to Sweden and give biometrics there, instead of waiting for the card in Brazil. The permit itself works the same as for any non-EU citizen.

1. The permit conditions

• A monthly salary of at least SEK 34,470 (from June 2026), and in line with the collective agreement or what is normal in the job.
• Engineers and IT specialists on higher salaries should compare with the EU Blue Card (SEK 53,625 a month, contract of at least six months, up to four years).
• A first work permit must be applied for from outside Sweden, so don't plan to apply during a visa-free visit.
• If the employment lasts one year or less, you need health insurance.

Details: Sweden's June 2026 rules and the EU Blue Card in Sweden.

2. Getting the decision in Brazil

Migrationsverket decides the case. When it has decided, you get an email asking you to contact the Embassy of Sweden in Brasília to get your decision. The embassy offers three ways:

• Collect it in person at the embassy, by appointment.
• Send someone else with a power of attorney.
• Have it sent by SEDEX to an address in Brazil. The cost may be passed on to you.

3. Travel first, biometrics in Sweden

According to the embassy, Brazilian citizens can use the decision as proof that they may enter the Schengen area without a visa. After you arrive, contact Migrationsverket to book a visit to give fingerprints and a photo. The card is then made and sent to you.

• The embassy asks you to contact Migrationsverket as soon as possible after you arrive. You need the card with your passport to come back to Sweden after a trip abroad.
• Migrationsverket says to allow up to four weeks for the card. In Sweden it is sent to your registered address.
• Family members who don't need a visa can do the same.

4. Social security and tax

• No social security agreement: Brazil is not on Skatteverket's list of countries with a social security agreement with Sweden. When you work for a Swedish employer, you are in the Swedish system from the start.
• Tax treaty: Sweden and Brazil have a double taxation agreement from 1975. A protocol signed in 2019 updated it, and the updated version has applied in Sweden since 1 July 2025 (SFS 2020:44). Skatteverket counts a stay of six months in a row in Sweden as living here, and residents are taxed in Sweden on their salary. Brazil has its own rules for leaving tax residence, so check them with a Brazilian adviser.
• Senior hires may qualify for expert tax relief.

5. After you arrive

1. Register at Skatteverket for your personnummer (how).
2. Get your ID card, bank account and BankID (how).
3. Driving: a Brazilian licence can't be exchanged for a Swedish one. It can be used for up to one year after you are registered. After that you need a Swedish driving licence. A licence that isn't in English, German or French and wasn't issued under the Geneva or Vienna road traffic conventions needs a certified translation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Brazilians give biometrics in Brazil or in Sweden?

Usually in Sweden. Brazilians don't need a visa for short visits, so after the permit is granted they can travel on the decision and then contact Migrationsverket to give biometrics for the residence permit card.

How do I receive my Swedish permit decision in Brazil?

Migrationsverket emails you and asks you to contact the Embassy of Sweden in Brasília. You can collect the decision in person by appointment, send someone with a power of attorney, or have it sent by SEDEX to an address in Brazil.

Is there a social security agreement between Sweden and Brazil?

No. Brazil is not on Skatteverket's list. People employed by a Swedish company are covered by Swedish social insurance and pay into the Swedish system from the start.

Moving for work? How Settio helps

Settio helps employers and immigration and relocation agencies run the whole move in one place, so the person moving can focus on settling in:

• Before the move: one plan for the permit and the move, with every step and deadline. A partner and children get their own steps in the same household.
• After arrival: the employee portal shows the newcomer their next steps on their phone, in their language, from registering after arrival to help for settling in.
• When the permit runs out: permit monitoring flags the extension in good time.

HR teams and agencies can start for free. Moving yourself? Try our free tools for life in Sweden.

Sources

10 official sources

• Government Offices of Sweden: List of third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when entering Sweden
• Embassy of Sweden, Brasília: Delivery of residence permit decisions
• Migrationsverket: Your application has been approved
• Migrationsverket: Work permits for employees
• Migrationsverket: Salary requirements for a work permit
• Migrationsverket: EU Blue Card
• Skatteverket: New in Sweden and will be employed here
• Skatteverket: Countries with social security agreements
• Riksdagen: Sweden–Brazil tax treaty (SFS 2020:44)
• Transportstyrelsen: Foreign driving licences