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Can You Really Change Your Visit Visa to a Work Visa in Europe? (2026 Update)

Many of you visit Europe on a tourist visa and later try to know the answer: Can I stay and work if I find a job?. We know that It’s one of the most searched immigration questions online, especially among job seekers and international workers particularly if you are from asia, Africa, south and north America etc. remember that The answer isn’t a simple yes or no but acutally depends entirely on the country where you move on tourist visa, this specific country visa rules, and of course your qualifications.

So in this blog, we’ll break down which European countries may allow you to convert or switch your visa status legally, which ones don’t, and what realistic options you actually have when you move to a European country on a visit, visit particualry that country that we mentioned below in our list.

Before going to discuss the country, the main question in your mind is:

Is It Legal to Convert a Tourist Visa to a Work Visa?

Well, in most European countries, you cannot directly convert a tourist visa into a work visa while staying there. Typically, tourist visas are issued strictly for travel purposes, and working is not allowed.

However, some countries provide exceptions, or we can say some options, such as:

You can apply for a work permit from inside the country.
You can switch visa types if you receive a job offer
Some countries offer you Special talent or shortage occupation programs e.g germany but they still ask you to go back and apply from your home country and then come back.

Sweden

Sweden is actually one of Europe’s most flexible countries for visa conversion, as per our knowledge and research. The fact is, Sweden operates differently from most of Europe. If you enter visa-free or on a short-stay visa and find a job, you can submit your work permit application from within the country.

Requirements for a tourist visa to convert in Sweden

Your Valid passport
You must have a Job offer meeting Swedish salary standards (around 29,680 SEK minimum monthly)
You must have your Health insurance even during your application processing
Proof you can support yourself while waiting, which can be around at least SEK 100,000 in savings that help you to support yourself in your first 4-6 months

Author note about Sweden trousit convering visa

If I tell you the chances of getting a work visa in Sweden if you have a tourist visa in Sweden, then it’s not moderate. While talking about the process, then its between 3 to 6 months. The best thing for you is that their entire application is online, transparent, and you can track its progress.

While talking about the requirements in terms of salary, etc., then in some areas or professions you can have some flixiblities e.g., healthcare, IT, etc., that mean if you belong to this field and get a job their then you will have less strict requiemrent as compare to others.

Remember that you cannot work until the permit is approved. You’ll need savings to survive the waiting period, which I already mentioned in the requirements sections for you. Find more information on their official site, Migrationsverket’s

Ireland

Although Ireland isn’t in Schengen but a part of the EU, which gives it more flexibility. The fact is, Ireland is looking for talent, particularly in tech, healthcare, and engineering. So if you are from this field, you can take advantage.

Requirements

You have a job offer from the company
You meet the minimum salary requirements
Your company has at least 50 percent hiring from EEA nationals.
Your employer must complete the market labour test, but for critical skills jobs, your employer is exempt from this.

Author note about critical skills

Remember that Critical Skills Employment Permit holders have the easiest path compared to other common permits. The fact is that for your General Employment Permits, you may face stricter scrutiny and require labor market testing (the employer must prove no EU citizen could fill the role). The mean if this role is not fulfilled by any EU citizen, then you can be considered for this job and are able to convert your visit or tourist visa in Ireland.

Here, critical skills include ( ICT professionals, health care inludining doctor and nurses, engineering, and financial service jobs, etc.)

Author note about salary requirements

If you apply for a critical skills, then your salary should be 38 thousand euro and if you apply for a common work permit, then it should be around 34 thousand euros. A difference of 4 thousand euros between them. However, you have to keep in mind that from March 1 2026 they salary requirements will be higher mean for critical skills, it will be around 40,904 euro more or less, and for a common worker, it will be around 64 thusand as per the market rate in Ireland.

Author note about the application process

Its take around 3 months to get this visa, and the visa success ratio is higher if you are included and apply through critical skills. When you move their then don’t wait longer to apply for this visa or convert your visa, because if you overstay even one day while waiting, you’ll face a 10-year ban, so better to apply as early as you get a job. The application fee is around 1 thousand euro but if you get refused, you will get a refund after some minor deduction. So if you have stamp 1, 1G, 2, 2A, or 3 permission, you can simply apply even if staying in Ireland. You can apply at employement permit online.

Author keynote after getting the permit

Once your permit is approved or you change your status within Ireland, you must register with your local immigration office to get your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card, which is a standard process. Remember that you have to pay the fee for this card, which is around 3 hundred euros.

Montenegro

We have another option for you that you consider moving there on a tourist visa and then convert inoto work visa or permit. The country name is Montenegro. Although Montenegro isn’t in the EU, but very possible to join the EU in the near future, as they already applied to join eu and will probably join in the next two to three years.

Requirements and Process

You must enter Montenegro legally based on a tourist visa
You get a job, have a business, or open a business.
Your employer must register you in the social security system decision by the country.
You have to submit your application within your legal time period or before the expiration of your residence permit.
Your employer must have a labor market test, just like other countries we mentioned above.
You must go for a biometric within 10 days of your entry in Montenegro.

Author note about the visit visa conversion in Montenegro

Montenegro is a small country, so your Job opportunities will be limited compared to Western Europe. So the best option for you is to have your own business or have specialized skills that the local market needs.

While talking about visa processing time, then its standard 3 months approx. So if you are an entrepreneur and want to do business, even a small business in Montenegro, you can apply or convert your tourist or visit visa into a work permit in Montenegro.

Spain

Spain doesn’t officially have an option to convert your tourist visa into a work visa, especially if you arrived and applied within the first few months. However, Spain has a unique system called “arraigo” (roots), but it rarely applies to tourists who’ve only been there a few months.

Author note about Arraigo

You generally need to have lived in Spain irregularly for 2-3 years to qualify for arraigo through social or labor roots. If you are tourists with valid visas, direct switching is nearly impossible unless you’re an entrepreneur or highly qualified professional with exceptional circumstances.

However, if you are there even with a tourist visa and staying there longer, as we already explain then you can consider applying for a work permit, or it can be kind of converting your visa into a work visa.

The simply mean if you moved to Spain for a tourist or visit visa, and then you overstayed in Spain, and it’s been more than 2 years, and you have strong ties in any way, you can apply or convert your visa into a normal work permit.

Requirement for this visa

You are staying in Spain for more than two years and have a pardon
You don’t have a criminal record in either Spain or your country.
You must have a job offer of at least 20 hours per week.
Your salary must meet SMI, and your employer must have up-to-date tax and the entire social security obligation, etc.

Author note for you

This option is for those who came to Spain on a tourist visa and make over stay of two or more year then want to convert or apply for a residence permit. The aim is to bring people into the system so that they can work legally and become a part of the Spanish social system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely for a foreign company while on a tourist visa and then switch?

No. Remote work for foreign clients doesn’t qualify you for a work permit. You need local employment with spanish, Swedish, or Irish employer, etc.

How to convert a tourist visa into a work visa in Ireland?

You simply have to find an employer willing to sponsor you. Apply for your employment permit before your tourist permit expires. Once approved, you can switch categories without leaving.

Does Portugal still allow a visit visa or a work permit?

Portugal was no doubt include top of my list for European countries where you can convert your visit visa into work. however in 2025, they are not accepting such application e.g., legal entry or locking your file based on your legal entry. Maybe in the upcoming year protugal again open this option, but until today, 2026, you cannot convert your visit visa into a work visa in Portugal.

What happens if my application is rejected?

You must leave immediately. Overstaying after rejection leads to bans from that country where you are living, which is typically 1-5 years, depending on the country and circumstances.

Can I switch from a tourist visa to a study visa?

Some countries allow this (Sweden, Portugal, Ireland), but most require home-country applications. Check individual country rules.

Does marriage to an EU citizen change things?

Yes. Family reunification has completely different rules and is almost always possible from within the country. This is the one universal exception mean if you are married to eu citizen of any country, you will have a different situation in terms of staying in the country where you married.

Can I travel to other Schengen countries while waiting?

It is Risky to travel because your application is tied to one country. Leaving may be seen as abandoning it. Best to stay in that country until you get a visa or a sticker in your passport.

Do I need a lawyer?

Not required, but good to have for complex cases, especially when you move to a country where you have to do a lot of documents, and you are not aware of everything, then a lawyer work more better than you do on your own.

Can I switch from a tourist visa to a work visa while I’m still in Europe?

This depends entirely on which country you’re in. Most European countries will tell you no and send you back home to apply properly. But a few exceptions exist in 2026. Sweden and Ireland both allow it if you find a job and apply before your 90 days are up. Spain has an option too, but it’s very different mean you actually have to overstay your visa and live there for two years first before you can apply under something called “arraigo.” Montenegro, which isn’t in the EU, also allows the switch. This applies to those who are already in Spain and overstayed, even on a tourist visa, which we can say that.

Which European country makes it easiest to switch from a tourist visa to a work visa?

If you want the smoothest process while still staying legal, Sweden is probably your best choice. Their online system is clear; you can track your application, and the rules are straightforward. Ireland is also a good option, especially if you work in tech or healthcare, because they process Critical Skills permits in just two to three months. Just know that both countries raised their salary requirements for 2026. Sweden now needs about 33,390 kronor per month, and Ireland needs just over €40,000 per year.

Can I legally look for a job while I’m in Europe on a tourist visa?

Yes, you can look. You can attend interviews, go to networking events, and meet with recruiters. That’s all fine. What you cannot do is actually start working. You cannot accept payment, even if it’s cash, which simple people think is easy to take, and you definitely cannot begin the job until your work permit is approved.

What happens if I overstay my tourist visa in Europe?

Overstaying is risky, and the consequences are serious. If you stay even one day past your visa, you can be fined, deported, and banned from re-entering the Schengen Area for one to five years. That ban applies to over two dozen countries. The only exception is Spain, where you can eventually regularize your status after two years of overstaying, but we can say that this is a hard and long way mean you have to survive those two years without legal work, without benefits, and always hoping you don’t get caught. For everywhere else, overstaying is just not worth it. Remember that in Ireland, one single extra day’s stay gives you an entry ban, so better to avoid overstaying in any of the above countries.

Why can’t I just switch my visa in countries like Germany or France?

Germany and France, along with Italy and most others, built their immigration systems around the idea that you apply from your home country. They want your paperwork reviewed at their embassy before you arrive, not after. There’s also the labor market test mean employers in many countries have to prove they couldn’t find a local person for the job first, and that process is handled through consulates. If you show up on a tourist visa and try to switch, you’re essentially skipping steps they consider essential, so they’ll just reject you and send you back.

What’s the smartest way to get a work visa for Europe without all this stress?

Honestly, the smartest way is to avoid the tourist visa-related stress, which I think common issue. You should apply for a job seeker visa before you ever leave home. Germany, Austria, Portugal, and Spain all offer these. You get six months to a full year to enter the country and look for work legally, with no pressure and no overstay worries. Once you find a job, you switch to a work permit without leaving.

Can I work remotely for my company back home while on a tourist visa in Europe?

This used to be a gray area that lots of people stretched, but countries are working on that to tackle this issue. France made it illegal in 2025, and others are watching closely. Officially, tourist visas are for tourism, not for working from a cafe while living in another country. If you want to work remotely from Europe, the best option for you is to apply for a digital nomad visa. Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, and Montenegro all have them now. They’re designed exactly for what you want to do, and you’ll be legal and worry-free.

How much money do I need to survive while my work permit application is being processed?

This is one of the most important questions people forget to ask. In Sweden, you should have at least 100,000 kronor saved up, because you might wait four to six months without being allowed to work. For Ireland, plan on €12,000 or more. Even in Montenegro, where things are cheaper, you’ll want €3,000 to €5,000 to get through the two to three months of processing.

Can I bring my family with me while I convert my visa?

It depends on the country and your permit type. In Sweden, your family can join you right away if you meet the income requirements. In Ireland, if you get a Critical Skills permit, you can come immediately. But if you get a General Employment Permit, you have to wait a full year. For Spain’s arraigo pathway, you usually have to get your own permit first, then apply to bring your family later.

Is trying to switch from a tourist visa worth it in 2026?

That depends on your situation. If you have a solid job offer in Sweden or Ireland, you meet their new higher salary requirements, and you have enough savings to wait out the processing time, then yes, it’s absolutely worth trying. If you’re thinking about Portugal, stop because they recently closed this option. If you’re hoping Germany or France will figure something out, they won’t. And if you’re planning to show up with no job and just hope for the best, please don’t. The countries that still allow this are few, and they’re looking for people who are prepared, not people taking chances.

Change Visit Visa to Work Visa in Europe: 4 Countries That Allow It (2026)

Can You Really Change Your Visit Visa to a Work Visa in Europe? (2026 Update)

Is It Legal to Convert a Tourist Visa to a Work Visa?

Sweden

Requirements for a tourist visa to convert in Sweden

Author note about Sweden trousit convering visa

Ireland

Requirements

Author note about critical skills

Author note about salary requirements

Author note about the application process

Author keynote after getting the permit

Montenegro