Our guide below provides comprehensive information to help you navigate the steps independently. Once you have obtained your license, we’ll be here to support you with your next steps—send us your CV, and we’ll help you unlock exciting career opportunities in Scandinavia. No matter your route, you are one step closer to a brighter future. Welcome to Scandinavia!
If you choose to start the application process on your own, please be aware that we cannot assist you. Once you have submitted your application to the authorities, we are not permitted to become involved in any part of the application process. This is due to regulations that restrict our involvement once the application has been officially submitted. We encourage you to review the requirements and guidelines carefully to ensure a smooth application process.
We wish you the best of luck with your application, and we look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you as a future colleague in the Scandinavian market.
Here, you’ll find answers to common questions when considering working as a doctor or nurse in Sweden. Discover how to apply for a license and find a job in Sweden, along with how to best prepare yourself before starting a role within Swedish healthcare.
There are many reasons to choose to spend time working abroad. Some doctors and nurses have long wanted to travel, others wish to make extra income, and some want to seize the chance to enhance their qualifications abroad. By working in another country, you experience new routines in a different cultural setting, undergo personal growth, and develop your professional skills while facing new challenges and gaining fresh perspectives on healthcare.
There are many opportunities to work within the healthcare sector in the Nordic countries, with exciting career options for qualified professionals seeking new challenges in Sweden. You can advance your career with knowledge and experience from Swedish institutions and gain insights into a new healthcare system.
Some people travel alone, while others bring their families. Some stay for a short period, while others relocate for longer or even permanently. How long you plan to stay in Sweden affects how you should prepare, so thorough planning is essential before you pack your bags.
You’ll need Swedish licensure for several professions before you can work in Sweden. The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) issues Swedish authorisations and specialist certificates. You must apply for a license if you wish to work as a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, midwife, dietitian, physical therapist, chiropractor, speech therapist, optometrist, dentist, or psychologist.
You have the right to work in your home country as a licensed doctor or nurse. To work abroad, you must apply for authorisation in the country where you plan to work.
If you are an EU/EEA citizen trained as a doctor or nurse in the EU/EEA and wish to work in Sweden, the EU directive on the recognition of professional qualifications in regulated professions entitles you to be licensed in Sweden. This directive means you can work as a doctor or nurse in Sweden if you hold an approved authorisation from an EU/EEA country. However, you must still apply for Swedish approval, as “doctor” and “nurse” are protected titles that require Swedish licensure.
Hold a speciality certification from another EU/EEA country. You may work as a specialist in Sweden, provided the speciality is recognised within the EU directive and exists in Sweden.
To obtain Swedish licensure, you must apply to the National Board of Health and Welfare and demonstrate the necessary professional qualifications and proficiency in Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian. This requirement applies even if you are a citizen of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, or Norway.
- Be a citizen of a Nordic country or an EU/EEA country.
- Hold a doctor or nurse degree from a Nordic or EU/EEA country.
- Complete and submit the application form electronically.
- Pay a fee
- Provide documentation verifying your identity, birth details, education, professional experience, and current professional status to the National Board of Health and Welfare.
- Include copies of any required documents specified by the National Board of Health and Welfare.
- Attach any supplementary documentation as requested.
You must fulfil all documentation requirements, including form requirements, as the National Board of Health and Welfare will not start processing your application until all necessary documents have been received.
Once licensed, the National Board of Health and Welfare supervises your professional practice. Should you pose a risk to patient safety, your scope of practice may be limited, or your licensure revoked.
On the National Board of Health and Welfare’s website, you’ll find a list of all healthcare professions in Sweden that require Swedish authorisation. The “Your Europe” website provides information on authorisation applications and the recognised specialities in EU countries.
If you have qualifications from a country outside the EU/EEA, you can find practical information about applying for Swedish licensure on the National Board of Health and Welfare’s website.
On July 1, 2021, Sweden introduced a basic service training (BT), a preliminary period within specialist training (ST). This new medical education leads to licensure immediately after graduation, replacing the general internship (AT) phase. The BT period applies to those with medical qualifications from another country.
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