How to Start a Business in Sweden as a Foreigner

Can foreigners start a company in Sweden?

Yes. Swedish company law does not require owners to be Swedish citizens or residents. What differs is your right to live and work here while running the company.

• EU/EEA citizens: free to move to Sweden and start a business without any permit. You register with Skatteverket once you settle here to get a personnummer.
• Non-EU/EEA citizens moving to Sweden: apply to Migrationsverket for a residence permit for self-employed people before you travel. You will need to show that you run the business, that it can support you, and that you have funds for the first two years.
• Owning from abroad: possible for anyone. If nobody who can sign for the company is resident in the EEA, the company must appoint someone resident in Sweden to receive official documents on its behalf.

Without a personnummer you can apply for a coordination number (samordningsnummer), which lets you appear in Swedish registers and deal with the tax authority.

Choosing a company form

A sole trader business is tied to your Swedish personal identity number, which makes it impractical for most newcomers. If you already run a company abroad and want a light presence, the branch (filial) is often faster than forming a subsidiary — but the foreign parent remains fully liable.

Step-by-step registration

1. 1. Check your right to run a business in Sweden

   EU/EEA citizens can start and run a company in Sweden without a permit. Citizens outside the EU/EEA who will live and work in Sweden normally need a residence permit for self-employed people from Migrationsverket, applied for before moving. You can own a Swedish company from abroad without living here, but the board must meet the residency rules or you must appoint an authorised representative resident in Sweden.

2. 2. Choose a company form

   Most foreign founders choose an aktiebolag (AB) because liability is limited to the share capital and the form is well understood by Swedish banks and customers. An existing foreign company that only wants a presence can register a filial (branch) instead.

3. 3. Check the company name

   Bolagsverket keeps the company name register. Search the register before you apply, and prepare two or three alternatives — a name that is too similar to an existing one is the most common reason an application is delayed.

4. 4. Pay in the share capital and get a bank certificate

   For an AB, the SEK 25,000 is paid into a company bank account before registration and the bank issues a certificate (bankintyg) confirming it. The money belongs to the company afterwards and can be used in the business. Opening a Swedish business account as a non-resident is often the slowest part of the process, so start it early.

5. 5. Register with Bolagsverket

   File the registration through verksamt.se, the joint government service. You submit the memorandum of association (stiftelseurkund), the articles of association (bolagsordning), the board, and the bank certificate. When the registration goes through you receive your organisationsnummer — the company's ten-digit identity number used in every contract, invoice and register in Sweden.

6. 6. Register for F-tax, VAT and as an employer with Skatteverket

   F-skatt tells your customers that the company pays its own taxes, and Swedish B2B customers will expect it. Register for VAT (moms) at the same time, and as an employer if you will pay salaries. You also register the beneficial owner (verklig huvudman) with Bolagsverket.

7. 7. Set up accounting and invoicing

   Every Swedish company must keep accounts under the Bookkeeping Act and file an annual report. Most small companies use a bookkeeping service such as Fortnox, Visma, Lexware or sevdesk, together with an accountant for the year-end.

8. 8. Start building a customer base

   With the organisationsnummer in place you can invoice, hire and sign agreements. The remaining work is commercial: finding the Swedish companies who need what you sell, and the right people inside them.

Costs and timelines

Fees are set by Bolagsverket and Skatteverket and change from time to time — check the current amounts with the authority before you file.

Taxes and employer duties in brief

• Corporate income tax: 20.6 percent of taxable profit.
• VAT (moms): 25 percent standard rate, with 12 percent (food, hotels, restaurants) and 6 percent (books, passenger transport, some cultural services) reduced rates. VAT is reported monthly, quarterly or yearly depending on turnover.
• Employer contributions: around 31.42 percent on top of gross salary for most employees, plus preliminary income tax withheld from the employee's pay.
• Accounting: bookkeeping is mandatory from day one, and an aktiebolag files an annual report with Bolagsverket.

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm your own situation with Skatteverket or a Swedish accountant.

Getting your first Swedish customers

The registration is the easy half. Swedish B2B buyers are relationship-driven, expect clear pricing, and check that a supplier has F-tax before signing. A practical approach for a newcomer:

• Build a list of companies that genuinely match what you sell, by industry and size, rather than buying a broad contact list.
• Find the right person in each company — in Sweden the decision maker is often a function head rather than the CEO, even in small companies.
• Research each company before you reach out: what they do, who their customers are, and what problem you actually solve for them.
• Keep every conversation, note and follow-up in one place so nothing is lost while you are also setting up the company.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner start a business in Sweden?

Yes. There is no requirement to be a Swedish citizen. EU/EEA citizens can start a company freely. Non-EU citizens who intend to live in Sweden and run the business themselves usually need a residence permit for self-employed people from Migrationsverket, while ownership from abroad is possible without one.

Do I need to live in Sweden to own a Swedish company?

No. You can own a Swedish aktiebolag while living abroad. The rules do require sufficient representation inside the EEA: if nobody authorised to sign for the company is resident in the EEA, the company must appoint a person resident in Sweden who can receive official documents on its behalf.

How much share capital do I need for a Swedish AB?

A private aktiebolag needs at least SEK 25,000 in share capital. This is not a fee — the money belongs to the company after registration and can be used in the business.

How long does it take to start a company in Sweden?

The Bolagsverket registration itself typically takes from a few days up to a few weeks through the e-service. In practice the realistic timeline for a foreign founder is one to three months, because opening a Swedish bank account and obtaining a personal or coordination number usually takes longer than the registration.

What does it cost to register a company in Sweden?

Registering a new aktiebolag with Bolagsverket costs SEK 2,400 through the e-service or SEK 2,700 on a paper form, plus SEK 250 for registering the beneficial owner. On top of that comes the SEK 25,000 share capital, which stays in the company.

What is an organisationsnummer?

The organisationsnummer is the ten-digit identity number Bolagsverket assigns to your company. It works like a company registration number and is used on invoices, in contracts, in the VAT number and in every Swedish business register.

Can Americans start a business in Sweden?

Yes. US citizens can own and register a Swedish company. To move to Sweden and run it themselves, they normally need a residence permit for self-employed people, applied for at a Swedish embassy or consulate before travelling.

Do I need a Swedish bank account?

For an aktiebolag, yes in practice — the share capital must be paid in and certified by a bank. Banks apply strict identification rules, so expect to provide passports, ownership structure and a business plan, and to visit a branch in person.

What taxes will my Swedish company pay?

Corporate income tax is 20.6 percent of profit. Standard VAT is 25 percent, with reduced rates of 12 and 6 percent for certain goods and services. Employers also pay social security contributions on salaries, around 31.42 percent for most employees.

Is it easy to start a business in Sweden?

The administration is straightforward and largely digital: the registration is a single online filing and the authorities publish their guidance in English. The harder parts for a newcomer are banking, identification numbers and building a Swedish customer network.