Sofia Svensson moved to the UK in 2014 for studies and is currently working as a researcher for the International Observatory of Human Rights. When she was there for five years she was able to apply for a permanent residence permit, called settled status.

- It felt very nice when my application was approved and stable as Brexit can no longer affect whether I can stay or work anymore, she tells SVT News.

Swedes who want to live in London and who do not have British citizenship must apply for the new permit in order to be allowed to remain in the country. This also applies to people who have a “permanent residency” before, which will not be valid after December 31, 2020.

For Swedes who haven't lived there for as long or for those who move to London this year, there is another residence permit that you can apply for and which over time can change into a permanent one.

Not clear what to expect in 2021

But what applies to those who move there after December 31, 2020, when the transition period is over and EU rules such as free movement no longer apply to the UK, are uncertain.

- What happens after the transitional period will depend on British decisions and we do not know that yet. We expect the UK government to produce migration legislation during the year, says Torbjörn Sohlström, Sweden's ambassador to the UK.

Sofia Svensson applied for the residence permit in 2019. After only a few days she learned that her application was approved. But she had to supplement with a diploma for an internship that showed that she had lived in the country continuously for the five years.

Until June 30, 2021, you can apply for a residence permit.

- You must have lived here during the period of free movement. You must be able to prove that you have the right to seek the permit. Even if you intend to wait with your application, you should save documentation so you can show it later, says Torbjörn Sohlström.

Almost 30,000 Swedes have applied for the new residence permits according to the Swedish Embassy in London's latest figure. It is believed that the number of Swedes who need to apply for permits in total can be 50,000.