Authorisation to work in Sweden
Planning to work in Sweden in a regulated profession? Here you can find out whether you need Swedish authorisation, how to apply, and which documents you need to submit. Relevant for professionals working in healthcare, teaching, electrical trades and veterinary professions.
How to apply for authorisation in Sweden
The Swedish authority responsible for your profession assesses your qualifications and decides whether you meet the requirements to work in Sweden.
To work in a regulated profession, you must document that your education and professional qualifications meet the Swedish requirements. You apply for Swedish authorisation (legitimation) through the relevant Swedish authority for your profession.
Before working in Sweden, make sure you are familiar with the rules, professional standards and requirements that apply to your profession.
Read about recognition of foreign qualifications at uhr.se
Which Swedish authority should you apply to?
The Swedish authority you need to apply to depends on your profession. Examples include:
- The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) for healthcare professions
- The Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket) for veterinarians and veterinary nurses
- The Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) for school teachers
- The National Electrical Safety Board (Elsäkerhetsverket) for electrical work
Documentation required for Swedish authorisation
The documentation requirements vary depending on the profession. For example, nurses with Danish or Norwegian citizenship who are authorised to practise in another Nordic country may be required to submit:
- A certified copy of a passport or ID document
- A certified copy of degree certificates and course descriptions in the original language, including information about course content, practical training and duration
- A certified copy of proof of professional qualifications in the original language
- A certified copy of an employer certificate in the original language describing your work experience and responsibilities
- A certificate describing the level of your educational qualifications
Read more about the requirements for nurses at the National Board of Health and Welfare, where you can also find information about how to submit your application.
Read about application for a license at Socialstyrelsen
Working as a teacher in Sweden
If you are trained as a teacher in Denmark and want to work in Sweden, you must have Swedish authorisation to obtain a permanent position and issue grades. This also applies to pre-school teachers in Sweden.
In many cases, you can work on a temporary contract while your application for Swedish authorisation is being processed.
Teacher authorisation was introduced in Sweden in 2011 to ensure the quality of teaching in Swedish schools. However, some professions are exempt from the requirement, including mother tongue teachers and vocational trainers.
Read more about the requirements for teachers with foreign qualifications and how to apply for Swedish authorisation at Skolverket.
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