Moving to Sweden With Your Family on a Work Permit (2026 Rules)

Most people offered a job in Sweden don't move alone. The good news: a work permit, EU Blue Card or intra-corporate transfer (ICT) permit lets your family come with you, and on a work permit or EU Blue Card your partner's own permit includes the right to work. But family rules changed on 1 October 2026, and that affects the money you need to show, especially when you extend.

Who can come with you?

Your permit	Partner	Children
Work permit (employee)	Spouse, registered partner or cohabiting partner (sambo)	Unmarried children under 21, and in some cases older unmarried children who depend on you financially
EU Blue Card	Spouse, registered partner or sambo	Unmarried children under 18
ICT, researcher, self-employed	Spouse, registered partner or sambo	Unmarried children under 18

A sambo must show that you have lived together, for example with population registration certificates, a joint lease or proof that you bought a home together.

Apply together, or later

• At the same time as the worker: the family is included in the worker's own e-service application.
• Later: the family submits its own application through the e-service for family members of workers. At the time of writing, 75% of complete applications were decided within about two months, and incomplete ones within about 11 months.
• A first application is made from outside Sweden, and the permit must be granted before the family travels to Sweden.

Fee (2026)	Amount
Each adult family member	SEK 1,500
Each child	SEK 750

Family permits can run as long as the worker's permit, but never longer than each person's own passport. Renew passports that are close to expiry first.

Your partner can work

Adult family members get the right to work in Sweden as part of their permit, and so do children who turn at least 16 during the year. See your partner's career in Sweden for how to get foreign degrees recognised and start job hunting.

What changed on 1 October 2026

New family reunification rules took effect on 1 October 2026. For families of workers, the main changes are:

• The maintenance requirement now also applies at extension, not only to the first application. You must show you can support the family.
• Higher amounts on the general page. Migrationsverket's page on the maintenance requirement for the person in Sweden lists, per month after tax and rent: SEK 8,116 for a single adult and SEK 13,408 for a couple, plus SEK 4,337 (age 0 to 6), SEK 5,205 (7 to 10), SEK 6,074 (11 to 14) or SEK 6,941 (15 and over) per child, reduced by any child allowance. From 2 October 2027 the higher amount applies to every application.
• Which income counts: Migrationsverket's news for workers says family members' income can count, with limits. A subsidised job and unemployment benefit don't.
• Transition: if your family's permits were granted before 1 October 2026, the old amounts still apply to an extension registered by 1 October 2027.
• Families of ICT and EU Blue Card holders staying a year or less must now have comprehensive health insurance.
• When the worker applies for permanent residence, family members must apply for their own permits to keep living with them.

Check the amount before you apply. When we checked on 15 October 2026, Migrationsverket's permit page for employees listed SEK 6,243 (single adult) and SEK 10,314 (couple) for 2026, while its page on the maintenance requirement listed the higher amounts from 1 October 2026. Check both pages for your case. All changes: Sweden's family rules from 1 October 2026.

The government's June 2026 proposal also brought a new two-year waiting period before family reunification for people with temporary residence permits. According to the government, people who moved to Sweden to work, researchers and doctoral students are not covered by it.

Housing for a family

Where housing is assessed, the home must be big enough for everyone: for two adults without children, at least one room plus a kitchen or kitchenette, with more rooms for children (two children can share a bedroom). There is no minimum floor area, but the home must be secured for at least a year ahead. Living as a lodger or with parents doesn't count. In practice, finding family-sized housing is often the slowest part of the move. See housing for international hires.

After arrival: registering the family

• People who plan to live in Sweden for at least a year are in most cases registered in the population register, and family members moving with you must visit a service office in person for an identity check.
• Bring the marriage certificate (or an extract from the civil or family register), children's birth certificates and any custody ruling. A child's application is made jointly by the guardians; if one can't come, the other can represent the child, for example with written consent.
• Register the whole family in the first weeks. Details: registering after arrival.

Having a baby in Sweden

A baby born in Sweden may need a residence permit too, depending on the parents' citizenship and permits (not if a parent is a Swedish citizen). Apply through the e-service for family members of workers or self-employed people. Parents share 480 days of parental benefit per child, but the income-based level needs a qualifying income (SGI) for at least 240 days before the expected birth. See healthcare and social insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my spouse work in Sweden if I have a work permit?

Yes. Adult family members of work permit and EU Blue Card holders may work as part of their own residence permit. They don't need a separate work permit or a job offer.

How much money do I need to bring my family to Sweden?

You must be able to support your family. Migrationsverket's page on the maintenance requirement lists SEK 8,116 a month after tax and rent for a single adult, SEK 13,408 for a couple and SEK 4,337 to 6,941 per child from 1 October 2026. Its permit page for employees listed SEK 6,243 and SEK 10,314 for 2026 when we checked, so confirm the amount for your case.

Do the October 2026 family rules apply to my extension?

The maintenance requirement now applies at extension too. If your family's permits were granted before 1 October 2026 and you apply to extend by 1 October 2027, the old amounts apply.

Can my family join me later?

Yes. They apply through the e-service for family members of workers. According to the government, the new two-year waiting period for family reunification doesn't cover people who moved to Sweden to work.

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

9 official sources

• Migrationsverket: Work permits for employees and their families
• Migrationsverket: EU Blue Card
• Migrationsverket: Family of workers applying later
• Migrationsverket: New rules for family members accompanying employees
• Migrationsverket: Maintenance requirement for the person in Sweden
• Regeringen: New family reunification rules (June 2026)
• Migrationsverket: Having a baby in Sweden
• Skatteverket: Moving to Sweden with family
• Försäkringskassan: Parental benefit (in Swedish)