Applications for work permits - opinions issued by Unionen

Work permits requirements

The Swedish Migration Agency’s website provides information on the rules for obtaining a work permit and the requirements when employers hire somebody from a non-EU country. There are also step-by-step instructions for hiring a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, and regarding how employers should formulate an employment offer so that the person can apply for a work permit.

Opinions issued by Unionen

The Swedish Migration Agency makes decisions about work permits based on, among other things, the opinion of the relevant trade union regarding the offer of employment.
Unionen only provides opinions where the applicant is offered a white collar job in the private sector.

Unionen issues an opinion regarding work permits in the following cases:

• Offers of employment where the employer – or a group relocation and the recipient of the service - is covered by a collective agreement with Unionen
• Opinions are also provided regarding applications for ICT permits if the group entity or the company within the same group in Sweden has a collective agreement with Unionen

Digital service for opinions issued by unions

From November 1 2022 Unionen handles opinions regarding work permits through the Swedish Migration Agencys digital service.

You can find the digital service on the Swedish Migration Agencys website.

When Unionen issues an opinion regarding work permits

Please do the following if your application for work permit meet the requirements above for when Unionen issues an opinion:

1. Follow the instructions on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency for work permit application. 

2. Check that you have filled in the following:

• Market based salary (Uncertain about the salary situation? Read more: Unionen's market salaries and salary statistics (in Swedish).
  Please note: It is important that the fixed monthly salary (basic salary) appears in the application and an variable salary and/or other compensations are accounted for separately.
• Health insurance
  When there is collective agreement with Unionen: Collectum and/or Alecta.
• Life insurance
  When there is collective agreement with Unionen state one of the following insurance plans: Collectum, Alecta, Bliwa, Länsförsäkringar, Folksam, Movestic, SEB Pension och Försäkringar AB, Skandia, SEB Trygg Liv Gamla or Idun Liv Försäkring AB
• Redundancy insurance
  When there is collective agreement with Unionen: Fora and/or AFA.
• Occupational pension insurance
  When there is collective agreement with Unionen: Collectum and/or Alecta.
• Describe the applicant’s main work duties, educational background and career history
• The prospective place of employment of the applicant
• Collective agreement
  State if there is a collective agreement with Unionen
• The name of the company and its corporate ID number
• Name, email address and telephone number of contact person

3. Apply for an opinion through the digital service on the Swedish Migration Agencys website. 

Unionen usually provides its opinion within 10 days. A friendly reminder: Unionen only provides opinions where the applicant is offered a white collar job in the private sector.