For individuals who have earned qualifications from another EU or EEA member state

If you have training or experience in such use of pesticides from your home country, you may also work in this field in Sweden. Different requirements are imposed depending on whether you are intending to establish yourself in Sweden or work here only temporarily.

Temporary professional practice

In order to use Class 1 and 2 plant protection products and Class 1 biocide products on a temporary basis within Public Health Agency areas of use, it is required that you are established in another country within the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland where the profession is also regulated. The Swedish Public Health Agency is responsible for the professional application of the following pesticides in the stated areas of use:

• Plant protection products in and around warehouses and other storage areas.
• Biocide products in homes and premises for general purposes.

If the profession is not regulated in your home country, the requirement instead is that you must have applied plant protection products or biocidal products for at least one year in one or more other EEA countries or Switzerland during the previous ten years.

If you meet the above requirements and you only work in Sweden for short periods, you do not need a permit from the Public Health Agency and do not need to submit an application. In cases of temporary professional practice, you must, in Sweden, use the professional title that you use in your home country. This title must be written in the language of your home country.

Establishment in Sweden

If you move to Sweden or plan to work here for a longer period of time, this is regarded as establishing your business in Sweden. Recognition of your professional qualification is necessary in order to establish yourself as a user of plant protection products and/or biocide products in Sweden. The Public Health Agency is responsible for approval and for granting permission for professional use regarding the following pesticides and areas of use:

• Plant protection products in and around warehouses and other storage areas.
• Biocide products in homes and premises for general purposes.

Information on how to apply

If you wish to apply to have your professional qualifications for the use of plant protection products and/or biocide products approved in Sweden, send an email to the Swedish Public Health Agency in which you include the following information:

• First and last name
  Address
• Phone
• E-mail
• Date of birth YYYY-MM-DD
• Possible address in Sweden
• Country where you were educated or gained your professional experience
• Estimate of how long you will be operating in Sweden
• Other information, for example work duties you will carry out in Sweden
• Attach proof of qualification from your educational programme or a certificate stating that you possess professional experience in the use of plant protection agents and/or biocide products.
• Also attach a copy of your passport or other document that proves your age.

When you have submitted your application, you will be sent an email confirming that it has been received. The Swedish Public Health Agency may ask you to supplement your application.

Support and guidance from other government agencies

The Swedish Council for Higher Education is responsible for the national advice centre concerning the Vocational Qualifications Directive and can help individuals who wish to work in a regulated profession in Sweden.

Text in Swedish:

Att arbeta inom ett reglerat yrke inom EU/EES (uhr.se)

The Swedish Board of Agriculture bears the same responsibility as the Public Health Agency when it comes to the use of plant protection products within:

• agriculture, forestry, park maintenance or gardening
• on land for residential buildings
• in school yards and yards for preschools
• on playgrounds to which the public has access
• within sports and leisure facilities
• in planning and construction work
• on road areas and embankments
• on gravel surfaces and other highly permeable surfaces
• on surfaces made of asphalt, concrete or other hardened materials.

Requirements for approved training and equipment (jordbruksverket.se)

The Swedish Work Environment Authority bears corresponding responsibility in the areas not covered by the Swedish Board of Agriculture or the Public Health Agency.

Permission to use biocides in authorisation class 1 So – rat poison, etc (av.se)

Requirements for a use permit

In Sweden, there is no general professional identification for working with pesticides. Permits are required to use pesticides that have been classified as:

• Pesticide class 1 So
• Pesticide class 1 SoX
• Pesticide class 1 L
• Pesticide class 2 L
• Pesticide class 1 AV

The letter designation indicates which government agency/authority is responsible for processing the application for permission to use and for offering training courses:

• So or SoX (Public Health Agency)
• L (Swedish Board of Agriculture)
• AV (Swedish Work Environment Authority)

Requirements for training and qualifications

Training and some experience are required in order to obtain a user permit.

The Swedish Public Health Agency is responsible for training and processing applications for user permits for Class 1 and 2 plant protection products and Class 1 biocide products. In order to obtain a permit, you need:

• To have completed training organized by the Public Health Agency and have passed the knowledge test.
• Practical experience of working with pesticides.

For pesticides belonging to Class 3, no user permit is required.