Navigating Immigration System Changes: Key Considerations For Hiring Foreign Nationals In Sweden

In the three months since Sweden implemented its upgraded immigration system, adjudications have been made in less than 30 days—improving upon previous processing times that could take up to six months—and overall responding to an underlying talent attraction issue in the country.

While the updated model has been a step in the right direction to increase Sweden's competitiveness, talent shortages remain a significant issue within the tech and public sectors. In the IT industry alone, it is estimated there will be a shortage of 18,000 professionals in the coming years.

While sourcing talent from abroad remains the main solution for meeting this demand, companies have also shifted their strategies to look more at what the local market can offer. In recent years, it has become increasingly popular for Swedish companies to hire foreign nationals who are already in Sweden on a work permit, especially in shortage industries such as IT and manufacturing and production.