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Two numbers, two purposes
Sweden uses two types of personal identity numbers for individuals. Understanding which one an international employee will receive, and when, is essential for smooth payroll setup and onboarding.
Personnummer
A personnummer (personal identity number) is given by Skatteverket when a person is registered in the Swedish Population Register (folkbokföring) for the first time. Someone who plans to live in Sweden for one year or more should generally be registered. A citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA must also have a Swedish residence permit.
The employee notifies the move through Skatteverket's "Moving to Sweden" e-service (at the earliest 14 days before moving), then visits a state service centre in person for an identity check after arrival. Skatteverket says it takes about five weeks for a case to be assigned to an administrator, and the decision comes by post.
Samordningsnummer
A samordningsnummer (coordination number) is an identifier Skatteverket can give to someone who is not, and has never been, registered in the Population Register. Skatteverket says that someone who plans to stay in Sweden for less than one year should not be registered, and if they will be employed here, they need a coordination number instead.
A coordination number can be assigned:
- When the person applies themselves: they must plan to stay less than one year, have a connection to Sweden and be able to show that they need the number
- When the person applies for F-tax approval
- At the request of a public authority, university or college
The person must visit a service centre in person for an identity check before a number can be issued (in certain circumstances a Swedish embassy can do the check).
How to tell them apart
Both numbers start with the date of birth. In a coordination number, 60 is added to the day of birth, so someone born on the 3rd has 63 in that position.
Which one will your employee get?
| Personnummer | Samordningsnummer | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | People registered in the Population Register | People who are not registered |
| Typical case | Planning to live in Sweden one year or more | Staying less than one year, for example for work |
| How | Notify the move, then an identity check at a service centre | Own application, F-tax application or an authority's request, plus an identity check |
| How long it lasts | Given at the first registration | Active for five years, then marked inactive automatically (it can be reactivated) |
HR actions
- Ask early how long the employee plans to stay in Sweden, since that decides which number applies.
- For a stay of a year or more, encourage the employee to notify the move as soon as it is allowed and to book the identity check soon after arrival.
- For a shorter stay, help the employee apply for a coordination number and book the identity check.
- Plan payroll and onboarding for the weeks before the number arrives.
From samordningsnummer to personnummer
If someone who already has a coordination number is later registered as living in Sweden, Skatteverket replaces the coordination number with a personal identity number.
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.
More in our guide toSettling in SwedenRelocating to Sweden
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