Residency and visas in Sweden

Residence and work permits in Sweden are decided by the Swedish Migration Agency, Migrationsverket, and the rules differ sharply between citizens of EU and EEA countries and everyone else. A founder from outside the EU who plans to run the company from Sweden, or a foreign employee the company wants to hire, usually needs a permit before moving, and the conditions depend on the type of permit applied for. For a founder from outside the EU and EEA, the Migration Agency’s page for self-employed people asks among other things that you run the business and own at least 51 percent of it, and that you have at least SEK 200,000 in a bank account in your name. Processing can take time, so the application belongs early in the plan, alongside the company registration rather than after it.

A firm offering this service helps you choose the right route, assembles the employment offer or business plan the application rests on, and keeps the payroll and tax registrations in step with the permit. It cannot decide the outcome, which rests with the Migration Agency.

When you compare firms, ask which permit types they have handled for people in your position, whether they work with an immigration lawyer for difficult cases, how they keep you informed while the case is pending, and what happens when an extension falls due.

Five firms on Accountanty help with residence and visas in Sweden: four accounting firms and one corporate service provider. Three belong to large networks and two are small, all five focus on foreign clients and four work in English. All five are in Stockholm. To pay staff once permits are granted, see payroll in Sweden.