Ukrainians can switch permit without leaving Sweden

Since 11 June 2026, you can apply for another kind of residence permit without leaving Sweden first. This is for people who hold protection under the massflyktsdirektivet (the EU mass-flight directive), which mainly covers people who fled Ukraine.

Normally you must apply for a new permit from outside Sweden. From 11 June 2026, people on the directive are exempt from that rule. You can apply from here.

Which permits you can apply for

You can apply from inside Sweden for these permit types:

• Work permit (arbetstillstånd).
• Permit to run your own business.
• Research permit.
• Studies in higher education.
• EU Blue Card (EU-blåkort, a permit for highly qualified work).

Family members can apply as your dependants at the same time.

The normal rules still apply

This change is about where you apply from, not an automatic new permit. You must still meet the normal requirements for the permit you want, and those requirements are different for each type.

Apply before your current permit ends

Timing matters. If your directive permit runs out while Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) is still handling your new application, you can still get the new permit. The condition is that you met the requirements and applied before your current permit ended.

How long the directive lasts

Protection under the massflyktsdirektivet is temporary. On 30 July 2026 the Council of the EU (the ministers from the EU member states) decided to extend the protection by one more year, until 4 March 2028. The decision was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 4 August 2026 and entered into force the day after, on 5 August 2026.

Protection under the directive now runs until 4 March 2027. The EU extension covers the time after that, from 5 March 2027 until 4 March 2028. It does not extend your Swedish permit on its own.

Migrationsverket has not yet published how or when you apply to extend your Swedish permit past 4 March 2027. Last time, the deadline was 4 March 2026. Check the end date on your own permit and follow Migrationsverket's page for updates.

A new requirement if you are applying for protection now

The decision also adds a new condition. A person applying for protection must meet their military obligations in Ukraine, and show proof of that if needed. The condition has applied since 31 July 2026.

This condition does not apply to you if you already held protection in an EU country on or before 30 July 2026. The exemption holds as long as you keep that protection in the same country without a break.

Leaving Ukraine legally counts as proof, for example with an exit stamp in your passport. If you do not have that proof, you need an official document instead, showing that you are exempt from your military obligations or that you have met them. The document can be on paper or digital, for example in the Ukrainian Reserv+ app.

What to do now

If you are on the directive and want a work, study, business, or research permit, you can now apply from inside Sweden. Check the requirements for that permit first.

This article describes the rule. Only Migrationsverket can tell you which permit you qualify for and what applies in your case.