How to Hire Truck Drivers from Abroad in Sweden (2026)

6 min

Is there a truck driver shortage in Sweden?

Sweden faces a persistent shortage of qualified heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers. Transportföretagen, the Swedish transport industry association, consistently reports that haulage companies need thousands of new C and CE category drivers each year to keep up with domestic freight, forest transport, and international logistics. High demand is concentrated in key freight hubs including Skåne, Västra Götaland (around the Port of Gothenburg), the Mälardalen region, and Northern Sweden (Norrland), where massive industrial and green transition projects have pushed transport logistics to its limit.

Despite this demand, hiring non-EU drivers directly into Sweden comes with major practical friction. Unlike some European nations where foreign driver licences and professional qualifications are easily converted, Sweden enforces strict safety and qualification standards governed by Transportstyrelsen. If you are looking outside the EU/EEA, you must understand from the outset that this is not a quick or simple hiring fix. Many Swedish hauliers first try to recruit within Sweden or from other EU member states. Hiring from non-EU countries is possible, but it requires careful planning around licence conversion and mandatory professional competence training.

Licence conversion and YKB: The main hurdle for non-EU drivers

The single biggest operational challenge when hiring a non-EU driver is qualification recognition. To drive a commercial heavy vehicle legally in Sweden, a worker needs two things: a valid driving licence for the vehicle class (C or CE) and a Professional Competence Certificate, known in Sweden as a YKB (Yrkeskompetensbevis).

Driving Licence Conversion: Driving licences issued by non-EEA countries are generally only valid in Sweden for up to one year, and non-EEA commercial licences (C/CE) cannot simply be exchanged for a Swedish licence. In most cases, a non-EU driver must pass both the theoretical exam and the practical driving test organized by Trafikverket to obtain a Swedish C or CE licence.
YKB (Yrkeskompetensbevis): Under EU rules enforced by Transportstyrelsen, a driver must hold a valid EU YKB card. If the driver completed their initial professional qualification in a non-EU country, that qualification is not recognized in Sweden. The driver must complete either the full 140-hour initial driver qualification course or pass the challenge test in Sweden to earn an EU YKB.

Because a non-EU worker cannot legally drive on Swedish roads without a valid licence and YKB, employers must decide how to handle this gap. Some employers hire candidates who already hold an EU licence and YKB issued by another EU state (for example, non-EU drivers who previously worked legally in Poland or the Baltics). Other employers bring the worker to Sweden under a work permit and pay for their local conversion exams and YKB training before placing them behind the wheel. You should consult Transportstyrelsen directly to verify current licence exchange rules for specific non-EU jurisdictions.

The legal route: Migrationsverket and job advertising rules

Work permits for non-EU nationals are processed by the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). The hiring process follows a strict sequence, and the employer initiates the procedure.

Job Advertising: Before offering a job to a non-EU candidate, you must advertise the position publicly on the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) portal, which connects to the EURES job board. The advert must remain active for a minimum of 10 calendar days. This step is mandatory to satisfy labor market test regulations.
Drafting the Employment Offer: The employer creates a digital offer of employment (anställningserbjudande) via the Migrationsverket online portal. The terms offered must meet or exceed Swedish standards.
Union Review (Fackligt Yttrande): Sweden relies heavily on collective bargaining. Once the employer drafts the employment offer, it must be submitted to the relevant trade union - for truck drivers, this is Svenska Transportarbetareförbundet (Transport). The union reviews the salary, insurance, and working conditions and issues an official opinion (yttrande). While the opinion is technically advisory, Migrationsverket heavily weighs it when evaluating the application.
Worker Application and Submission: After the union review is complete, the application is forwarded to the candidate. The worker completes their section, attaches proof of passport, and submits the application to Migrationsverket along with the processing fee.

Pay requirements, collective agreements, and housing

Work permits in Sweden are tied strictly to fair pay and comprehensive insurance coverage. You cannot use foreign recruitment to undercut domestic wages.

Pay Minimums: Your salary offer must meet the requirements of the relevant national collective agreement (Transportavtalet) or the standard wage for the trade in Sweden. Additionally, the salary must meet the national maintenance threshold for work permits, which requires an income equal to at least 80 percent of Sweden's median wage (currently set around 28,480 SEK per month, though you must verify the exact current threshold with Migrationsverket). For HGV drivers, full-time base salaries under Transportavtalet typically range from 29,000 SEK to 36,000 SEK per month before overtime, night shift supplements (OB-tillägg), and per diem allowances (traktamente).
Mandatory Insurances: The employer must provide four mandatory insurance coverages from the first day of employment: health insurance, life insurance, occupational injury insurance, and occupational pension insurance (tjänstepension). Failure to provide these precise insurances can lead to work permit rejections or revocation during future renewals.
Housing Obligations: Swedish law does not explicitly require transport employers to provide free long-term housing for general haulage drivers. However, because housing markets in major industrial areas and growth regions like Norrland are extremely tight, employers who assist with temporary accommodation for the first one to three months are far more successful in retaining recruits.

Timeline and expected cost breakdown

From the day you select a non-EU driver to the day they can legally operate a heavy truck in Sweden, you should expect a total timeline of 4 to 8 months. Processing at Migrationsverket typically takes 2 to 5 months depending on application volumes and whether your company uses an accredited legal provider. If the driver must also take Swedish driving tests and complete YKB modules upon arrival, add another 1 to 2 months before they can handle independent routes.

What this costs you, roughly

Migrationsverket Application Fee: 2,200 SEK per worker (paid to the authority).
Job Advertising and Admin: 0 SEK for Arbetsförmedlingen listing; internal administrative time for union submission and portal management.
YKB and Licence Conversion (if funded by employer): 15,000 SEK to 35,000 SEK per driver for test fees, driving school hours, and study materials.
Relocation and Initial Housing Assistance: 10,000 SEK to 25,000 SEK depending on location and travel distance.
Mandatory Insurances: Standard monthly payroll costs per Swedish collective agreement terms.

Ethical recruitment and employer liability

Sweden maintains strict standards regarding labor exploitation. Legitimate transport companies cover all official administrative fees, visa costs, and recruitment expenses associated with filling a role. Under no circumstances should a candidate be asked to pay an agency fee, placement charge, or illegal permit fee to secure a job offer in Sweden.

If a candidate reports that an intermediary charged them thousands of Euros for a job offer or a Swedish work permit, that candidate is being defrauded. Employers who knowingly or negligently participate in arrangements involving recruitment fees risk severe criminal penalties under Swedish law, reputational damage, and immediate rejection of work permit applications by Migrationsverket. Ensuring that your recruitment path is fully transparent and free of worker-paid fees is essential for protecting your business from legal liability.

Finding truck drivers through the Workuro registry

If you have decided that hiring foreign drivers is worth the administrative steps, you can use the Workuro registry to connect with candidates directly. Workuro is not a recruitment agency, takes no placement commissions, and does not charge per-hire fees. It is a straightforward registry where workers published their profiles and express interest in relocating to Sweden.

Employers in Sweden pay for access to search the database. You can filter profiles by experience level, licence types held, and spoken languages. When you find drivers who meet your criteria, you contact them directly to conduct your own interviews and evaluate their background. Be aware that the Workuro registry is a young and growing platform; candidate numbers in specific transport sub-sectors build over time. You manage the hiring, union consultation, and Migrationsverket filings yourself, keeping full control over your recruitment pipeline.