How to Immigrate and Work as a Doctor in Sweden?

How to immigrate to Sweden as a doctor? 

The title of doctor is protected by Swedish law. In case you wish to immigrate to Sweden as a doctor, you must get a license or official authorization to practice medicine there. Every foreign national who gets his/her medical degree from a foreign country and not in Sweden needs a license to work as a doctor there. The procedures you have to follow are different for EU and non-EU nationals.

The National Board of Health and Welfare is responsible for evaluating or assessing your degree and determining whether you are eligible to work as a doctor in Sweden.

You must know that non-EU doctors who want to Sweden to get a license can follow two ways. This section brings the two ways. It’s up to you to choose the appropriate one by your conditions.

This is the procedure or path you have to follow:

Procedure for non-EU doctors moving to Sweden (way 1)

This section brings you the first way you can use to move to Sweden as a doctor. You’d better read the whole section once or twice to know if you can fulfill the requirements and pass them.

Gather the supporting documents for assessment.

The first step is to send your degree and documents to the Swedish official for assessment. They evaluate the m and determine they are equivalent to Swedish diplomas in terms of quality and quantity. They decide whether you are qualified to work as a doctor in Sweden. If their answer is positive, you can continue the rest of the process explained in this section.

This is a list of the supporting documents you have to gather:

1. Application form.
2. A copy of your passport’s first page. If you have a Swedish ID card, submit a copy.
3. A copy of your diploma of completed education.
4. Transcripts or a certificate that shows the courses you have passed
5. If you have changed your first or last name, provide a certificate.

In case your supporting documents or requirements are not in English or Swedish, you must have them translated into one of these languages through a verified translation office. It must have a heading, stamp, and contact details.

After you gather the documents, you can email them to the Swedish officials or post them to

their postal address:

Postal address:

Socialstyrelsen

Behörighet

106 30 Stockholm

Email address:

[email protected]

If you decide to email the documents, you must prepare the PDF format of them.

Whether you post or email the documents, the Swedish official will email you and confirm they have received the documents. You must have a password and access the email you insert in your application, and check it regularly. Also, be careful of the spelling of the information you put in the application form. If they are wrong or incorrect,

In case you do not possess one of the documents mentioned in the above list, you must explain why you do not have it and send the document you have or its equivalent.

The assessment is free, and you do not have to pay any fee at this stage.

It takes the National Board of Health and Welfare about 3 months to assess your application. If they approve your application, it means you can continue the rest of the process to immigrate to Sweden as a doctor

But if they refuse or reject your application, it means you can not immigrate to Sweden as a doctor in this way. You must take another way to immigrate to Sweden as a doctor. For instance, you can take a college or university degree and study in Sweden or take a training course with them.

Take the Swedish language proficiency test.

After you receive a positive response on the assessment of your application and degree, you can take the Swedish language proficiency test. You must pass this stage, and there is no other way. It evaluates your language proficiency to ensure you can complete the other steps. You must know Swedish to pass it.

Umeå University is the responsible center for holding the language test and sending the results to the National Board of Health and Welfare. The language test is made of a theoretical part and a practical part. You must pass the theoretical part to be allowed to pass the practical part.

You can take the theoretical part only 5 times and the practical part only 3 times. If you can not pass the test the first time, you have 5 years to take another test. If you pass the theoretical part but not the practical part, you only have 5 years to pass the practical part, and it starts counting from July 1, 2019.

The Sweden University website has more or further information about the language test, how to prepare for it, and the location to take it.

How to register for the Swedish language proficiency test?

You must sign up or register for it on the Umeå University website. Then you must take the test at the university and wait for the results. After you take it and get the passing score, you can continue and go to the next step.

Take the Swedish law and regulations course.

The Umeå University will send the language test result to the National Board of Health and Welfare. After you receive a response from the National Board of Health and Welfare that you have passed the test, you must take a web course in Swedish laws and regulations. There is no need, and you do not have to pay any fee, and it’s free of charge.

You must sign up for the course on the Umeå University website. You can choose to take or pass the course in a part-time or full-time format. The university has more information about the starting dates and available seats.

You should know that the university doesn’t hold the course during the summer. Once you register for the course, the university will inform you of the first available date to start it.

Take clinical training in Sweden.

The training period is to prove you have practical knowledge, skills, and information to practice medicine. Also, you will get familiar with the Swedish healthcare system procedure and how it works.

It’s your responsibility to find a hospital, clinic, or another place to take your clinical training with them. After you find the place and persuade its officials to take your training with them, you must apply for authorization to take the training. If you pass the language proficiency test, the State health care providers issue the authorization to take the training with this center.

You must complete the Application form for special authorization (in Swedish) to receive it.

After you complete the training with the hospital or clinic, your employer and supervisor will complete a certificate for your clinical training (in Swedish). You need it to apply for a license to work as a doctor in Sweden. But the introduction part of the certificate contains helpful information for employers and foreign doctors or interns. You should read and understand the introduction before starting training with the Swedish employer.

Your training duration is 6 months, but you can an authorization to take a 7 months training. You will not receive any financial aid for the training from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.

There is no way to skip the clinical training, and you must pass it. Your previous work experience doesn’t count for the training period.

You can work as a doctor before you begin the training and after you pass the language test. But you must apply and receive permission from the Swedish officials.

This is the form you have to complete to get the permission: Application form for special authorization (in Swedish)

Application to receive your license

After passing all of the above stages and training, you must apply for a license to work as a doctor in Sweden.

Follow these steps to apply for a license:

1. Complete the Application form to obtain a license.
2. Pay the application fee.
3. Send the required documents by mail.

You need these documents for your application:

1. A completed application form.
2. A copy of the first page of your valid passport.
3. A copy of your certificate of Swedish proficiency.
4. A certificate that you have passed clinical training or internship.

You must deposit the fee to the bank giro account 790-3750. Submit a receipt of your payment to the application form.

The fee is SEK 2 900 if you have done the internship in Sweden and SEK 870 if you have not done the internship in Sweden. You might be able to pay with another currency, but it depends on the bank. Ask the bank whether it’s possible to pay with another currency or not.

You must post your application plus the documents to this address:

Socialstyrelsen

Behörighet

106 30 Stockholm

The processing time is about 2-4 weeks, and the Swedish officials will inform you of the results. They will insert your information in the National Board of Health and Welfare Register of licensed healthcare professionals (HOSP). Employers can search your name on this portal to know whether you have the license to work as a doctor in Sweden or not.

After you apply for a work permit and receive it, you will receive a social security number. You must inform the National Board of Health and Welfare, so they update your information.

Look for a job offer and apply for a work permit to the Swedish officials.

After you get your license, you can look for a job with a Swedish employer. You need and must get a work permit to work in Sweden. The Swedish employer can apply for a work permit, so you need an employer who is willing to hire you.

You can find more information about Sweden’s work visa from the Visa Library article or watch the video the Visa Library team has prepared on our YouTube channel.

Procedure for non-EU doctors moving to Sweden (way 2)

The other way to immigrate to Sweden as a doctor is to pass a training or internship in Sweden before reaching the National Board of Health and Welfare.

You should know that the places you can take training or internship in Sweden are limited, and the competition is tough to enter them. Also, some Swedish universities require an assessment or decision from the National Board of Health and Welfare to grant admission. You must know the Swedish language and have a proficiency certificate to get admission to the universities.

In case you wish to learn more information about the internship/training with the university, you must contact them to find more information.

Moreover, remember that after completing your training in Sweden, you must follow the procedure explained in the above section for non-EU/EEA nationals. You do not qualify to pass the path that people who have studied in Sweden must follow to get their license.

Apply to a Swedish university for supplementary studies.

The first step you must pass is to find a Swedish university offering supplementary studies for foreign doctors.

These are the universities that offer supplementary studies for forcing doctors:

• Karolinska Institutet
• Gothenburg University
• Linköpings University
• Lund University
• Umeå University

Visit their website and find the section for “Supplementary education for you with a foreign degree from a country that is located outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland.”

The page contains the requirements to apply for the program. You must fulfill them and apply to the university. One of the essential requirements is a Swedish language proficiency certificate.

After the university agrees and grants admission, you must apply for a Sweden student visa to take the supplementary studies. You must pass the supplementary studies inside Sweden and may not take it abroad or online.

The supplementary studies duration is about 1-3 years, and you need a visa to stay legally in Sweden and pass the training.

Apply for a Sweden student visa.

After you get the admission letter from the Swedish university, you can apply for a Sweden student visa. You need a visa as a non-EU national to complete the training in Sweden.

You must gather the supporting documents and apply them to the Swedish officials. You can learn more about Sweden’s student visa from the Visa Library article or watch the video we have made or prepared on our YouTube channel.

After you receive or obtain your student visa, you can move to Sweden and begin your supplementary studies.

Take the medical internship (TA) in Sweden.

After you pass the supplementary studies, you must pass a medical internship (AT) in Sweden. You must work with a clinic or hospital under the supervision of your employer. You may not apply for a license after completing the supplementary studies.

You must look for an employer that is ready to hire you as an intern.

You must work for 18 months as an intern with the employer. If you want to work part-time, you must work for 36 months for the employer.

The quality of your internship must be like this:

• At least 9 months in internal medicine and surgical subspecialties.
• At least 3 months in the field of psychiatry
• At least 6 months in internal medicine (general practitioner). This one must be completed at the latest of your medical internship period.

Your employer is responsible for assessing your internship and approving it. After it is completed, you can apply for a license to practice medicine in Sweden.

Apply for a medical license to Swedish officials.

After you complete your internship with the Swedish employer, you can apply for a license. You must follow and pass these steps or procedures to apply for your license:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Pay the fees. You must pay SEK 2 900 to the bank giro account 790-3750.
3. Send the supporting documents by mail:

• A copy of your first page of the passport.
• A certificate achieved from the university that you have completed supplementary studies.
• A certificate that you have completed TA.
• the original AT book from your employer.

You must mail the application form to this address:

Socialstyrelsen

Behörighet

106 30 Stockholm

The processing time is about 2-4 weeks. After your license is ready, the officials will mail it to you. Then, your information will appear on the National Board of Health and Welfare Register of licensed healthcare professionals (HOSP). Employers can see that you are a registered doctor and have a medical license in Sweden.

You must apply separately if you have a specialty and want to apply for recognition.

Look for a job offer and apply for a work permit.

After you get your license, you can look for a job with a Swedish employer. You need and must get a work permit to work in Sweden. The Swedish employer can apply for a work permit, so you need an employer who is willing to hire you.

You can find more information about Sweden’s work visa from the Visa Library article or watch the video we have prepared on our YouTube channel.

Sweden work visa for immigrant  doctors

These visa options help you during the process of becoming a doctor in Sweden:

Sweden tourist visa

You must pass the recognition process and get a license to immigrate to Sweden as a doctor. Part of the process is done in Sweden, so you must be in this country. If you are not among the visa-waived countries, you can apply for a Sweden tourist visa. It lets you stay in Sweden and complete the procedure.

You can learn how to apply for a tourist visa by reading the article or watching the video on our YouTube channel.

Sweden student visa

One of the ways to get a medical license in Sweden is to take supplementary studies there. The process is explained in the below section. You can also study for a medical degree from the beginning in Sweden.

You need a Sweden student visa in these cases to complete your studies.

You can learn more about it from the Visa Library article or watch our prepared video on our YouTube channel.

Sweden work visa

Every non-EU person who wants to work in Sweden needs a work permit and a work visa. You must find an employer willing to hire you to apply for a work permit.

Learn more about Sweden’s work visa from the Visa Library article or watch the video on our YouTube channel.

Related jobs for immigrant doctors in Sweden

Sweden need skilled doctors, and there is a demand for them. These are some of the occupations that you might end up working in one of them.

When you look for a job, you can check the requirements for these jobs as you might be able to work in them:

• Medical Director
• Chief Medical Officer
• Physician Assistants
• Clinical Fellow
• Podiatrists
• Family Physician
• Anesthesiologists
• Clinical Professor
• Family and General Practitioners
• Professor Of Medicine
• Surgeons
• Cardiology Fellow
• Veterinarians
• Primary Care Physician
• Pediatricians
• Emergency Medicine Physician
• Gynecologist
• Internists
• Medical Resident
• Nurse Midwives
• Clinical Specialist
• Physician Assistant
• Anesthesiologist
• Pediatrician

Doctors’ Salaries in Sweden

Your salary as a doctor in Sweden is up to various factors:

• Work experience
• Education
• The clinic or hospital you work with
• The city you work in
• Occupation
• Tasks and responsibilities.
• Etc.

According to Salary Expert, the average salary of a doctor in Sweden is about 106,000 SEK per month. It says while the lowest salary is about 38,900 SEK, the highest salary is about 179,000 SEK.

According to Glassdoor, the average salary is about SEK 51,624 per month.

According to Salary Expert, the average salary is about 1.322.720 kr.

The position or expertise you have is a determining factor. Look at these jobs and their income to know the average salary:

Best cities to work as an immigrant doctor in Sweden.

There are always higher job opportunities in large cities for people. It’s true for doctors as there are more hospitals, clinics, and medical centers.

This is the list of the largest cities in Swede. You might be able to find a job in them easier. But you can also find other cities, and you should not limit yourself to this list.

If you like to live in large cities, this list helps you make a better decision:

• Stockholm.
• Gothenburg.
• Malmö.
• Uppsala.
• Upplands Väsby.
• Örebro.
• Linköping.
• Helsingborg.
• Jönköping.
• Norrköping.
• Lund.

How to become a doctor in Sweden? 

If you get your degree in a foreign country and not Sweden, you must pass the recognition process. You must send your degree plus the supporting documents and get a license to practice medicine in Sweden. The process is explained in the above section. 

Let’s sum up…

The Visa Library explained how to immigrate and work in Sweden as a doctor through this article. You learned about the requirements and the procedure you must follow to immigrate to Sweden as a doctor. The various ways are explained in detail.

If you have questions, write them down in the comment section. The Visa Library team will answer them.

Frequently asked questions about immigration to Sweden as a doctor.