Social work and care jobs in Sweden for English speakers

Citizens of EU and EEA countries and Switzerland do not: they can move and start work straight away. Everyone else needs a work permit before moving, based on a job offer: the employer starts the application with the Swedish Migration Agency and you complete it.

Since 1 June 2026 the salary must be at least 90% of the Swedish median salary at the time you apply: SEK 34,470 a month before tax, based on the median of SEK 38,300 that Statistics Sweden published in June 2026. The figure moves each June, some occupations are exempt down to 75%, and pay, insurance and terms must also match the collective agreement or what is normal in the trade.

Not for every job. Many international employers, tech companies, universities and research labs work in English, and every ad on this page asks for English, either as a requirement or a merit. Many also ask for Swedish, and each card says which.

It is the Swedish personal identity number, used by banks, employers, healthcare and BankID. You get one from the Swedish Tax Agency, Skatteverket, when you register as moving to Sweden for a year or more; shorter stays get a coordination number instead.

Usually as a monthly amount before tax, not a yearly one. Most people pay municipal income tax of roughly 29 to 35%, depending on where they live, and state income tax only on high incomes.

The legal minimum is 25 days of paid holiday a year, and many collective agreements give more. Most people take three or four weeks in a row in the summer.