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AT-UND is what Migrationsverket calls the proof that a person who has applied for asylum is exempt from the requirement to have a work permit (undantag från kravet på arbetstillstånd). It lets them work while waiting for a decision. It is shown on their application card and can be checked with a QR code.
Who gets AT-UND
Under the new Reception Act, in force since 1 October 2026:
- an asylum seeker can be given access to the labour market only if Migrationsverket has not decided the case within six months of the application being registered, and the delay is not the applicant's fault,
- the other conditions must also be met. For example, the exemption does not apply to someone without identity documents who does not help clarify their identity, or someone who is likely to be transferred to another EU country, and
- people in an accelerated procedure are not given access, and access already given is withdrawn.
People who already had AT-UND on 1 October 2026 generally keep it, but Migrationsverket says it can end in some cases.
How to check it
- Since 12 June 2026, new asylum seekers get an application card under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. It shows whether the person has AT-UND. The card is not an identity document.
- Older LMA cards (asylum seeker cards) are not valid from 1 October 2026. Holders had to exchange them for an application card.
- Scan the QR code to see whether the card is valid, whether the person has AT-UND and for how long. Without a QR reader, use the web address on the back of the card.
What the employer must do
- Report the employment to Migrationsverket on form 152011 (in Swedish), sent to the reception unit where the person is registered, and report when the employment ends.
- Check the card regularly, even if the person has shown AT-UND before. Employers have an obligation to keep checking the right to work.
- The exemption ends when the person leaves Sweden or a decision granting protection becomes final, and in some other cases. Employing someone without the right to work can lead to a särskild avgift.
AT-UND vs working during a permit extension
HR teams often say "AT-UND" for something different: the right of a work permit holder to keep working while an extension is processed. Migrationsverket doesn't call that AT-UND. The rule is:
| Situation | Can keep working while waiting? |
|---|---|
| Work permit held for 6 months or more, extension filed before expiry | Yes |
| Work permit held for less than 6 months | No |
| Extension filed after the permit expired | No |
Full guide to the extension rule: right to work during processing and extending a work permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does AT-UND stand for?
It is Migrationsverket's name for the proof of exemption from the work permit requirement (AT for arbetstillstånd, UND for undantag) that some asylum seekers have while they wait for a decision.
Is an LMA card still valid proof of AT-UND?
No. Migrationsverket replaced LMA cards with application cards, and LMA cards are not valid from 1 October 2026. Check the application card and its QR code instead.
Can I keep working while my work permit extension is processed?
Yes, if you have had a work permit for six months or more and applied for the extension before your current permit expired. Otherwise this exemption does not apply, so check with Migrationsverket before you keep working.
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
7 official sources
- Migrationsverket: Employing a person with AT-UND
- Migrationsverket: New rules on the right to work for people applying for international protection (1 October 2026)
- Migrationsverket: Application cards and the migration pact (12 June 2026)
- Migrationsverket: LMA cards not valid from 1 October (2026)
- Migrationsverket: Waiting for a decision on an extension (work)
- Lagen.nu: Mottagandelag (2026:999), 5 kap. 5 §
- Lagen.nu: Utlänningsförordningen (2006:97), 5 kap. 3 and 4 §§
More in our guide toImmigration to Sweden
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