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What happens to the permit
A work permit applies to the employer and occupation in the decision. If the employment ends early, through dismissal or resignation, the employee no longer meets the requirements for the permit. According to Migrationsverket, the employee may then stay in Sweden for three months after the last working day to look for a new job, as long as the permit is still valid.
- New job found within three months: whether a new application is needed depends on how the current permit is restricted. A permit restricted to both occupation and employer needs a new application for any new employer; a permit restricted only to occupation needs one only for a new occupation.
- No new job within three months, or the permit expires first: without another right to stay, the permit can be revoked and the person must leave Sweden.
What the employer reports
Migrationsverket's employer guidance on changes during the employment does not set a general duty for the employer to report that a permit holder's employment has ended. What it does require:
- If the employment has not started within four months of the permit being granted, the employer must report it to Migrationsverket by email ([email protected]), with the employee's name, date of birth or personal identity number, citizenship and the reason.
- Employers with a reporting duty set in the permit decision must report worsened terms in writing within one month.
EU Blue Card holders themselves must report to Migrationsverket if their employment ends or they change jobs; not reporting can lead to a refusal or revocation.
Separately, Skatteverket's rules for employers of third-country nationals say to keep a copy of the employee's residence permit for 12 months after the employment ends.
Redundancy situations
- The Employment Protection Act (lagen om anställningsskydd, LAS) applies to employees in public and private employment, with a few listed exceptions, none of which is about work permits. Its rules on notice and grounds for dismissal apply as for any other employee.
- The three-month period to look for work runs from the last working day, so the timing of the last day matters. Make sure the employee knows the date.
- Help the employee understand their options: a new job and, where needed, a new application, or leaving Sweden.
Moving to a new employer
An employee who changes employer can start the new job once the new application has been made, provided it was made before the current permit expires. The new employer must have advertised the job in Sweden, the EU/EEA and Switzerland before the start. Planning the application before the last day with the old employer avoids a gap.
What not to do
- Do not assume the old permit still covers the employee after it has expired or been revoked: check their right to work, as you did when they were hired.
- Do not tell the employee they can stay without a valid permit or a pending application. Only Migrationsverket decides the right to stay.
- Do not throw away the permit copy when the employment ends: keep it for 12 months.
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.
More in our guide toWork permit mistakesAI immigration compliance
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