Photo in CV – Should You Include One in Sweden?

Photo in CV – yes or no? It is one of the most common questions among Swedish job seekers. Unlike countries such as Germany, France or Spain, where a portrait photo has long been almost standard, the Swedish norm is considerably more neutral. The short version: you do not need to include a photo in your CV in Sweden, and in many cases it is smarter to leave it out.

What is the Swedish norm?

On the Swedish job market, it has historically been relatively common to include a photo in the CV – but it has never been a requirement. In recent years the trend has clearly moved away from the photo. More and more recruiters and HR specialists now recommend leaving the photo out, and the underlying reasons are multifaceted: discrimination legislation, ATS technology and a broader movement towards more competency-based recruitment.

There is no Swedish law that prohibits you from including a photo in your CV, but equally there is none that requires it. What matters more is what is strategically sensible for you and the specific role you are applying for.

The risk of discrimination – what does DO say?

The strongest argument against including a photo is the risk of unconscious bias. A recruiter may – without even being aware of it – be influenced by your appearance, perceived age, gender or ethnic background. All of these are factors that have no bearing on whether you can perform the job well.

The Equality Ombudsman (DO) has in several cases highlighted that visual information in the recruitment process can lead to discrimination. If a candidate suspects they have been discriminated against and there is a photo in the application, it also becomes harder for the employer to prove that the image did not influence the decision. This creates an unnecessary legal grey area.

Municipalities, regions and government agencies have taken this on board and are increasingly applying anonymised recruitment, where name, photo and sometimes even age are removed from the application. If you are applying for a job in the public sector, you should expect the photo to be removed anyway – and it can also signal that you are unfamiliar with how the process works if you submit an image.

ATS systems cannot read images – and that can work against you

Another important factor in 2026 is how automated recruitment systems handle your CV. Most large Swedish employers and recruitment firms now use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to manage incoming applications. The problem with photos is that ATS systems generally cannot interpret images. In the worst case, an embedded photo can disrupt the document's formatting and cause the system to misread your text or miss important information.

If you want to understand more about how ATS affects your application and how to optimise your CV for these systems, you can read our guide on ATS-friendly CVs in 2026.

When can a photo actually be justified?

There are exceptions where a photo may be relevant or even expected:

• Creative industries and media – in fields such as TV, film, modelling and acting, a photo is often part of the application for practical reasons.
• Roles where personal representation is central – for example TV presenters, speakers or brand ambassadors.
• Your LinkedIn profile – here a professional photo is strongly recommended and expected. But LinkedIn is not your CV document.
• Employers who explicitly request one – if the job advertisement specifically asks for a photo you may include one, but this is uncommon in Sweden.

Outside these exceptions the main rule remains the same: leave out the photo and let your skills speak for themselves.

If you choose to include a photo – here is how to do it right

If you do decide to include a photo, quality is essential. A poor photo creates a worse impression than no photo at all.

• Choose a professional portrait – shoulders up, neutral or subtly professional background.
• Make sure the lighting is good – natural light from a window works excellently.
• Dress in a way that suits the industry – formal attire for law and finance, more relaxed but neat for tech and creative roles.
• Avoid selfies, holiday photos, filters and group photos – if you crop yourself out of a group photo it shows clearly.
• Place the photo in the upper right corner of the CV – avoid letting it disrupt the flow of the body text or interfere with ATS parsing.

What should you focus on instead?

Rather than spending time finding or taking the perfect CV photo, you should invest that energy in what actually determines whether you progress in the recruitment process: clear structure, relevant keywords and concrete achievements. A well-formatted, ATS-friendly CV with well-considered content will always beat a CV with a beautiful photo but weak content.

Feel free to browse our CV templates and example CVs for inspiration on what a modern, professional Swedish CV can look like – without a photo.

Summary: advice for the Swedish job market in 2026

• There is no requirement for a photo in a CV in Sweden.
• The trend is clearly moving towards leaving out the photo, particularly in the public sector.
• A photo increases the risk of unconscious discrimination based on appearance, age or ethnicity.
• ATS systems cannot read images and a photo can disrupt the automated screening of your CV.
• Exceptions exist in creative industries and roles where visual representation is central.
• If you include a photo – keep it professional and of high quality.

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