Combating the ‘shadow society’

To establish a sustainable asylum and migration policy, the Government prioritises combating the ‘shadow society’. Sweden will take further action to follow through on expulsion orders made by Swedish administration.

Those who do not have the right to remain in Sweden must leave. The aim is to prevent people who are not entitled to stay or live in Sweden from doing so, and thereby address the associated problems. With the aim of reducing the incentive to stay in Sweden after a refusal-of-entry or expulsion decision, the Government will investigate whether the statutory limitation period should be extended or eliminated. The limitation period currently determines how long an expulsion decision applies, and thus when it is possible to re-apply for a residence permit.

The Swedish Police has been tasked by the Government with prioritising and streamlining internal controls of aliens, thus enabling to monitor who is residing in the country. This is an important element in combating the shadow society. It is also important to collect more biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial images. This will make it difficult to apply for residence permits using multiple identities, help verify the identities of individuals and their right to remain in Sweden and improve the ability to identify individuals who constitute a security threat.

The Government also intends to establish a system for increased exchange of information and reporting obligations for municipalities and public authorities that can be assumed to come into contact with individuals who are not entitled to stay in Sweden.