Johan Forssell

On Thursday 16 April, Minister for Migration Johan Forssell and Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine for European Integration Ilona Havronska signed a declaration that confirms cooperation on the introduction of a Unity Hub for Ukrainians in Sweden.

Joint Statement by the ministers responsible for migration from the Nordic Countries.

Sweden should be an attractive destination for talent and international expertise. The Government has therefore approved a bill comprising proposals aimed at improving the conditions under migration law for researchers, doctoral candidates and students. The bill also aims to counter abuse of residence permits granted for studies.

The Government has decided on legislative amendments that will substantially increase the financial grant for voluntary repatriation as of January 2026. The legislative amendments also provide the Swedish Migration Agency with additional tools to offset the risk for cheating and abuse of the grant.

The Government and the Sweden Democrats today presented a new agreement to adjust the wage level for labour immigration to 90 per cent of the median wage in Sweden. The cooperation parties also plan to set out stricter requirements for family member immigration. The Government and the Sweden Democrats have additionally announced an upcoming inquiry aimed at curtailing abuses.

The Government has decided to extend the re-introduced border controls at Sweden’s internal border by six months, from 12 November 2025 to 11 May 2026. The decision is based on the assessment that there remains a serious threat to the public order and internal security.

Fighting work-related crime is a priority area for the Government. For this reason, the Government has approved a bill with proposals aiming to introduce more stringent conditions for labour immigration and counteract fraud and work-related crime, while still promoting immigration of highly-skilled labour.

On 24–26 November, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa and Minister for Migration Johan Forssell visited Syria and Lebanon.

On 10 October 2025, the Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer received Iraq’s Minister of Interior. In connection with the visit, the two ministers signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on law enforcement cooperation, focusing on cross-border organised crime.

The EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is set to start operations on 12 October 2025. The Government has therefore decided that legislative amendments adapting Swedish law to the new system will start to apply on the same day.

Opinion piece by Minister for Migration Johan Forssell in Dagens Industri, 26 June 2025.

On 3–4 June, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Head of the UNHCR Filippo Grandi is visiting Stockholm for talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa, and Minister for Migration Johan Forssell.

The Government has decided to appoint an inquiry to investigate and propose that Swedish citizenship be revoked in certain cases.

More than 600 leading Swedish and international companies, investors and decision-makers gathered in Stockholm on 19 February for the Join Sweden Summit, the Government’s international investment conference that set a new attendance record this year. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hosted the conference.

On Wednesday 19 February, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is hosting the Join Sweden Summit 2025, bringing together more than 600 international and Swedish companies, investors and decision makers. HRH Prince Daniel will open the conference and a number of Government ministers are also participating.

The Government has adopted a bill that aims to ensure that more people who have been issued with removal orders return to their country of origin.

Minister for Migration Johan Forssell received a report on the introduction of stricter requirements for Swedish citizenship. The report includes proposals aimed at tightening the status of citizenship and increasing individuals’ opportunities to actively participate in society.

Yesterday, Minister for Migration Johan Forssell was presented with a memorandum entitled Bättre migrationsrättsliga regler för forskare och studenter (‘Better migration regulations for researchers and students’). It contains proposals with a view to improving the migration regulations for foreign researchers and doctoral and other serious students, and to counteract abuse of residence permits for studies.

On 12 November, the Embassy of Sweden was officially inaugurated in Dublin. The Embassy has been long-awaited in Dublin, and its establishment has been met with great interest from both Swedish and Irish parties.