Sweden Work Visa for Nurses and Doctors

Start Your Healthcare Career in Sweden

Sweden’s healthcare system needs skilled professionals, and nurses and doctors trained abroad can build a stable, respected career there, with good working conditions and a strong work-life balance. But before you can work as a nurse or doctor, you need a Swedish licence from the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen), and this includes learning Swedish. The licence and the work permit are two separate steps, so planning early makes everything faster. In total, 22 healthcare professions in Sweden need a licence, including midwives, specialised nurses and specialist doctors.

What You Need

If you were educated outside the EU or EEA, there are two routes to a licence. You can go through a five-step process with the Board, which usually takes two to four years, or complete extra training at a Swedish university, which usually takes one to three years. Good Swedish is required from the second step of the Board’s process, so start learning early. For the work permit, your salary must be at least 90 percent of Sweden’s median salary, which is SEK 34,470 a month, and match collective agreements.

How to Plan Your Move, Step by Step

First, check your profession on the Board’s website and ask it to assess your education. Next, start learning Swedish right away, because you need it for both your licence and most healthcare jobs. Then search for jobs on Platsbanken and EURES, using terms like “Sjuksköterska” (nurse), “Registered Nurse Sweden” or “Doctor Sweden”, and look for regions that recruit internationally and offer support. Finally, when you have a signed contract, you and your employer each complete your part of the online work permit application with the Migration Agency. Emig can also help you plan your route and prepare stronger job applications.

Check if you qualify →