Migration and asylum

To enhance the value of Swedish citizenship, the Government considers that the requirements that must be met to become a Swedish citizen need to be more stringent. For this reason, on Friday 5 May, Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard convened a press briefing along with the Sweden Democrats group leader in the Riksdag, Linda Lindberg. At the briefing, they outlined what measures the Government intends to take to strengthen Swedish citizenship.

Today, Inquiry Chair and Judge Fredrik Fries presented his inquiry report to Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard. The Inquiry proposes introducing requirements of Swedish language skills and knowledge of Swedish society as conditions for being granted a permanent residence permit.

The memorandum ‘An increased maintenance requirement for labour immigration’ was today circulated for comment. In the memorandum, the Government proposes that to be granted a work permit, a labour migrant must have a wage amounting to at least 80 per cent of the median wage.

The Government has decided to reintroduce border control at Sweden’s internal borders from 12 May to 11 November 2023. The decision is based on the Government’s assessment that there is a serious threat to public order and internal security. The current decision expires on 11 May.

Today, the interim report of the inquiry En ny ordning för asylsökandes boende (A new system for asylum seekers' accommodation), SOU 2022:64, has been circulated for consultation.

The Government has decided to provide a grant of USD 75 000 to the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) to conduct a survey. The survey targets adult Ukrainian citizens in Sweden who have been registered under the Temporary Protection Directive, and will include questions about their situation in Sweden.

At Thursday’s government meeting, the Government tasked the Swedish Migration Agency with making it easier for people with visa exemptions to show their original passport when applying for a temporary residence and work permit.

On 26–27 January, Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer and Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard will lead the first informal ministerial meeting of the Presidency in Sweden. The agenda includes EU migration policy, the fight against organised crime and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The Government has presented Sida’s appropriation directions for 2023. The agency’s mandate includes reform and reconstruction support to Ukraine, a strong role for the business sector in development cooperation, advancement of work on migration issues and increased climate aid.

The Government has today decided that the Swedish Migration Agency will take measures to strengthen work on residence and work permit with­drawal. The aim is to ensure that the system of regulated immigration is not abused.

The Government has decided to prolong border controls at Sweden’s internal borders from 12 November 2022 to 11 May 2023. The decision is based on the Government’s assessment that there is a serious threat to public order and internal security in Sweden. The current decision on internal border controls expires at midnight tonight.

The Government has decided that the group of people who are entitled to a residence permit with temporary protection in Sweden will be expanded to include those who left Ukraine prior to the invasion. This applies to those who travelled to and stayed in Sweden between 30 October 2021 and 23 February 2022.

Migration, EU–US relations, and security and defence will be on the agenda when Prime Minister Stefan Löfven meets his European Council colleagues on 28–29 June.

As head of the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union, Lars Danielsson represents the Government on a range of important EU issues in Brussels. This work offers him an insight into the EU’s political dynamics shared by few others.

In 2016–2017 the EU took several important measures to handle the acute refugee situation and strengthen the present asylum system. Its common borders have been strengthened, work on return and resettlement has been intensified and the EU is continuing to combat ruthless human trafficking, as well as the root causes forcing people to flee. Refugee flows have decreased but many people are still risking their lives to come to Europe. Work for a sustainable, humane and functioning common migration and asylum policy therefore needs to continue.

National statement delivered by Ambassador Olof Skoog on behalf of Sweden at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on ‘The situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian question,’ 20 February 2018, New York.

On 7 December, the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU hosted two panel discussions on women and girls in EU migration policy. The discussions provided input to political decision making processes in the field of migration.

This year Sweden and Afghanistan celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. The excellent relations were reaffirmed during the visit of H.E President Ashraf Ghani to Stockholm on 4 December 2015.

Preparations ahead of the European Council meeting were influenced by the attacks in Paris when the General Affairs Council met in Brussels on 17 November. State Secretary Hans Dahlgren represented Sweden.