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. In total, 48,639 people applied for a first-time work permit in 2018, an increase from around 38,400 the previous year. The Migration Agency reached a decision on 51,430 cases, although not all of these had been submitted the same year. Of these decisions, almost 80 percent (40,341) were accepted. This figure includes not only the foreign workers themselves but also partners and relatives included on the same permit, and permit applicants who fell into special categories, such as those on temporary permits and self-employed people. When considering only the people who received a permit to work for a Swedish company, a total of 20,841 foreign professionals were granted work permits in 2018. The number of permits granted remained fairly steady each month but ranged from 1,055 in February to 3,537 in March. 11,749 work permit recipients moved to Stockholm, 3,261 to Västra Götaland, and 1,771 to Skåne. - The Local -