According to the changes made to the immigration laws, Utlänningslagen (2005:716) approved by the Swedish parliament on 22/06/2021. Effective from 20/07/2021, the conditions for granting a permanent residence permit to non-EU/EEA citizens under the category of work and business in Sweden will see major changes affecting workers and their family members.
What are the new requirements to be eligible for permanent residence permit?
To obtain a permanent residence permit after July 20 as an employee, you must:
- Have had a work permit for 4 years within the past 7 years
- Be able to support yourself
- Expected to live a decent life “förväntas leva ett skötsamt liv”
- The requirements about employment and income will soon be announced by the Swedish Immigration Agency after the rules are ready.
To obtain a permanent residence permit as a self-employed persons, you must:
- Be able to support yourself
- Expected to live a decent life “förväntas leva ett skötsamt liv”.
Self-employed persons after 2 years of having a business license can get a permanent residence permit. You apply for a permanent residence permit at the same time as you apply to renew your residence permit.
If you do not meet the requirements for a permanent residence permit, you may still be able to extend your business residence permit for the next 2 years. You can then reapply for a permanent residence permit the next time you apply for a residence permit extension.
New and stricter requirements for you and your family members
Requirements for you:
- You must show that your income is sufficient to support your family
- You should have a home of sufficient size and standard for you and your family to live in.
If your family has applied for a permanent residence permit, the application will only be considered after these requirements have been met.
Requirements for a permanent residence permit for your family:
Your family members do not get a permanent residence permit just because you get it, nor can they get a permanent residence permit before you. However, they can apply for a permanent residence permit at the same time as you.
To obtain a permanent residence permit, your family members must
- Have had a residence permit in Sweden for at least three years
- Be able to support themselves (if they are 18 years and older)
- Live a decent life “förväntas leva ett skötsamt liv” if they are 15 years or older.
If your family does not meet the requirements for a permanent residence permit, they can still get an extended residence permit as relatives to you. They can apply for a permanent residence permit the next time they apply for an extension to their residence permit.
The new regulation mentioned above has no transitional rules. This means that if you have applied for a permanent residence permit and have not received a decision by July 20 2021, your application will be subject to these new regulations.
We will continue to update the latest regulations from Migrationsverket regarding any new changes!
~VNSW Consulting
