AT-UND Sweden: The Right to Work While Your Permit Application is Processed

What is AT-UND?

AT-UND stands for arbetstillstånd under handläggningstid — the right to continue working in Sweden while a work permit application is being processed by Migrationsverket. It is not a permit in itself. It is a legal status that arises automatically when certain conditions are met, allowing the employee to stay employed without interruption between the expiry of one permit and the grant of the next.

Who qualifies for AT-UND?

AT-UND applies when all of the following conditions are true:

• The employee currently holds a valid Swedish work permit (not a visa or tourist entry).
• A new application for extension or job change was submitted to Migrationsverket before the current permit expired.
• The application relates to work in Sweden (extension, employer change, or role change on an existing permit).

First-time applicants applying from outside Sweden do not receive AT-UND. They must wait for the permit decision before traveling to Sweden to begin work.

How long does AT-UND last?

AT-UND continues until Migrationsverket issues a final decision — including any decision following an appeal. There is no fixed upper limit. In practice, given current processing times of 30–90 days for extensions, most AT-UND periods last 1–3 months. If an appeal is filed, AT-UND can extend for a year or more while the Migration Court considers the case.

What HR must do

AT-UND is not documented on a card or certificate. If an employer or a third party (a bank, a landlord) asks for proof of the right to work, the evidence is:

• The employee's current residence/work permit card (showing it was valid on the date the application was submitted)
• The Migrationsverket application receipt (kvittens) confirming the submission date

HR should retain copies of both documents in the employee's case file and be ready to present them to auditors.

What breaks AT-UND

• Late application: If the extension application is submitted even one day after the current permit expires, AT-UND does not apply. The employee loses the right to work immediately upon permit expiry and must stop working.
• Withdrawal of the application: If the employee or employer withdraws the pending application, AT-UND ends on the withdrawal date.
• Final refusal without appeal: If Migrationsverket refuses the application and no appeal is filed within the 3-week window, AT-UND ends when the appeal deadline passes.

The single most important action: file early

The entire AT-UND framework exists to protect employees and employers from administrative gaps — but it only works if the application is filed before expiry. Migrationsverket recommends applying at least 2 months before expiry. Most compliance professionals recommend 4 months to account for document gathering delays.

Settio surfaces a deadline alert 4 months before every permit expiry date, giving HR time to collect documents and submit without pressure.