Work permit mistakes
Work permit mistakes that end in deportation.
Most work permit refusals and deportations come from a handful of mistakes: a salary or insurance below the permit terms for even a few months, an extension filed late, a job or employer change without a new permit, or terms that do not match the collective agreement. In Sweden this is known as kompetensutvisning. Each mistake is visible months before it costs someone their permit.
In short
What to know
Salary drift
A raise skipped, unpaid leave or a reduced role can drop pay below the permit terms.
Talent deportation in SwedenLate extensions
Filing after the permit ends loses the right to keep working while the case is decided.
Extending a Swedish permitJob changes
A new employer or occupation in the first two years usually needs a new permit first.
Changing jobs on a permitMissing insurance
Insurance at the collective agreement level must be in place from the first day.
Free permit health check
Guides
Every guide on this topic
- Migrationsverket Employer Audits: What to Expect and How to PrepareMigrationsverket's follow-up checks verify that work permit holders get the salary and insurances the permit was granted on. What is checked, what to keep, and the consequences.
- Changing Roles Within the Same Company on a Swedish Work PermitWhen a permit holder gets promoted, moves teams, or takes on a different role at the same employer, the permit conditions may need updating. This guide explains when HR must act and when no action is needed.
- What Happens to a Work Permit When Employment Ends in SwedenWhen a work permit holder leaves a job, voluntarily or through redundancy, the permit no longer has a basis. This guide explains what happens to the permit, the three months to find new work, and what HR should do when a permit holder's employment ends.
- Kompetensutvisning: Sweden's Talent Deportation Problem and How to Avoid ItKompetensutvisning, Sweden's talent deportations over employer mistakes, has hit developers and even Spotify staff. What it is, what the June 2026 rules changed, and how HR teams can prevent it.
- Sweden Work Permit Rejected: What Employers Need to KnowA Sweden work permit rejection isn't just bad news for the employee, it exposes your company to serious legal risk. Here's why permits get rejected and what to do next.
- Swedish Employer Obligations for Work Permits: The Complete GuideSwedish employer obligations for work permits go far beyond filing the application. This guide covers every duty HR teams carry from offer to permit expiry, with the 2026 law update.
- Germany Blue Card Job Change: What Employers and Employees Must DoSince November 2023, a Germany Blue Card job change no longer needs approval: notify in the first 12 months, nothing after that. Here's exactly what employers and employees must do.
- Highly Skilled Migrant Netherlands: What Employers Must Monitor After HiringA 2025 Hague court ruling showed what happens when Dutch employers underpay highly skilled migrants. Here's what IND sponsor obligations require, and what salary drift can cost you.
Show all 12 guides
- Work Permit Netherlands: Hidden Compliance Risks That End CareersDutch companies hire the best international talent, then quietly lose them to salary drift and missed IND notifications. Here's what's really happening and how to stop it.
- Employment Permit Ireland: Employer Compliance Obligations in 2026Ireland raised employment permit salary thresholds on 1 March 2026, and they now apply at every renewal. Here's what employers must do to stay compliant, and what fines and jail time are at stake.
- Work Permit Ireland: What Happens When Your Employer Gets It WrongLost your Irish work permit because your employer made a compliance mistake? Here's what happened, what rights you have, and how Ireland's Reactivation Employment Permit can help.
- What is Särskild Avgift? Sweden's Employer Sanction Fee ExplainedWhat is särskild avgift? The fee a Swedish employer pays for employing someone without the right to stay or work: SEK 118,400 or 236,800 per person since June 2026, who decides it, and how to avoid it.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is kompetensutvisning?
The Swedish name for skilled workers losing their permit, often over small mistakes in salary, insurance or advertising the job, made by the employer years earlier.
Can a permit be revoked after approval?
Yes. If the salary, insurance or terms fall below what the permit was granted on, the permit can be revoked or refused at extension.
How do I find these mistakes in time?
Run the free permit health check, or let Settio watch salaries, expiry dates and job changes for every permit holder.
Free tools and more
Informational only. This guide is not legal advice. Always verify requirements with official government sources before acting. Facts checked 10 October 2026. About this information