Your Partner's Career in Sweden: Work Rights, Degree Recognition and Swedish Classes

A move works best when the partner can build a life in Sweden too, not only the person with the job. The rules help: family members of work permit holders may work as part of their own permit. What takes time is getting qualifications recognised, learning Swedish and finding a network.

The right to work, from day one

Adult family members of work permit and EU Blue Card holders may work as part of their own residence permit, with no separate work permit or job offer needed. How the family permit works: moving with your family.

Getting a foreign degree assessed (UHR)

• The Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) gives a free statement of what a foreign education corresponds to in Sweden.
• It takes about two to four months on average, counted from when the application is complete.
• Non-EU citizens can apply once they have a Swedish residence permit (or a Swedish personnummer).
• Completed upper secondary education and post-secondary vocational education of at least one year can be assessed too. Education for regulated professions is assessed by other authorities.

Licensed professions: doctors, nurses and others

Healthcare professions are regulated and need a Swedish licence (legitimation) from Socialstyrelsen. For a doctor trained outside the EU/EEA, the route is:

1. Socialstyrelsen assesses the education.
2. A proficiency test.
3. A course in Swedish laws and regulations.
4. Clinical training.
5. The licence application, with proof of Swedish (for example at C1 level), or equivalent Norwegian or Danish.

Swedish is needed from the proficiency test onwards, so start the language early. Each profession has its own route on Socialstyrelsen's licence pages. If the partner later gets their own work permit, doctors, dentists and nurses with foreign degrees who are becoming licensed in Sweden have a lower salary requirement since June 2026 (see the new rules).

Learning Swedish: SFI and more

• SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) is free and your home municipality must offer it to people living in Sweden from the second half of the year they turn 16, who lack basic Swedish.
• The right to SFI lasts three years from when you are first admitted (for people admitted before 1 January 2026, from that date), with extensions for special reasons such as parental leave or illness.
• Swedish opens up far more jobs, so start early.

Finding work

• Arbetsförmedlingen (the Swedish Public Employment Service) has job listings and information in English.
• Many jobs are filled through contacts. Professional associations, alumni groups and expat networks help.
• Employers can help a lot: a partner programme with introductions, career coaching or a paid Swedish course costs little compared with a failed relocation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my partner need a work permit to work in Sweden?

No. If your partner has a residence permit as the family member of a work permit or EU Blue Card holder, they may work without a separate work permit.

How do I get my foreign degree recognised in Sweden?

Apply to UHR for a free assessment of your foreign education. It takes about two to four months on average once complete, and non-EU citizens can apply once they have a Swedish residence permit. Regulated professions such as healthcare need a licence from the relevant authority.

Is SFI free?

Yes. Swedish for Immigrants is free, and municipalities must offer it to residents from the second half of the year they turn 16. The right lasts three years from when you are first admitted.

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: Family members of employees (right to work)
• Migrationsverket: Family of workers applying later
• Migrationsverket: EU Blue Card
• Migrationsverket: Salary requirement for work permits (in Swedish)
• Lagen.nu: Education Act (2010:800), chapter 20, section 7 (in Swedish)
• UHR: Apply for an assessment of foreign education
• Socialstyrelsen: Licence for those trained outside the EU/EEA
• Skolverket: The right to SFI
• Arbetsförmedlingen: In English