Ministry of Justice

We welcome the revision of the Directive on combating sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material and wish to declare the following.

The Government is announcing a new action plan to combat racism and hate crime. Through this concerted action, the Government is taking important steps in the efforts to free Sweden from racism and hate crime. The efforts in this area will be accurate, measurable and long-term. Schools, judiciary, welfare and working life will be in focus.

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 26 November, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed two bilateral agreements – one on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and one on extradition. This is to strengthen the cooperation to combat organised crime and reduce criminals’ to carry out criminal activities in our respective countries.

In its 2025 Budget Bill, the Government is presenting a range of initiatives to tackle men’s violence against women. The Government intends to propose strengthening support to victims of prostitution, and to allocate SEK 10 million for this purpose in 2025. The Government also intends to propose reinforcements to national telephone help lines for victims of violence, with the aim of preventing and combating men’s violence against women, intimate partner violence, honour-based violence and oppression, and prostitution and human trafficking. It is therefore proposed that the National Centre for Knowledge on Men’s Violence Against Women (NCK) at Uppsala University receive an additional SEK 7 million in 2025. The aim is to increase the national help lines’ response rate.

In the Budget Bill for 2025, the Government presented measures to stimulate voluntary repatriation that include increased financial assistance in 2026. This repatriation assistance will be aimed at certain individuals who already have the legal right to reside in Sweden. It will not apply to those who may obtain legal right in the future or people with a return decision.

On 7 October 2023, Hamas committed the worst mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson was joined by other ministers in a ceremony at Stockholm’s Great Synagogue on the evening of 7 October 2024 to honour the memory of the victims of the attack.

In the Budget Bill for 2025, the Government proposes several measures to overhaul integration policy. The Government proposes broad initiatives, including measures aimed at improving language skills for children and staff in preschools, schools, after-school care and care for older people. To better follow the development, it is proposed that funding be set aside to develop and implement more appropriate follow-up of integration.

Today, the Government decided to refer proposals to the Council on Legislation, including a proposal that all asylum seekers should stay in Swedish Migration Agency accommodation, instead of arranging accommodation on their own.

On 20 September, the task force for Jewish life in Sweden held its fifth meeting. The topic was rising antisemitism, with a special focus on social media and how it affects Jewish schoolchildren in Sweden.

The Government has presented a government bill to the Riksdag with proposals aimed at improving Sweden’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified workers.

The Government is now taking further steps in its overhaul of migration policy. In the Budget Bill for 2025, the Government proposes sweeping reforms for a responsible and restrictive migration policy.

Due to technical issues with Sweden’s state aircraft, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer were unfortunately re-directed back to Stockholm, Arlanda. This was purely a safety measure and neither passengers nor crew were in danger.

Swedish and Finnish ministers will undertake a number of joint visits on the afternoon of 16 September. Media representatives are welcome to take part in the visits. Contact the relevant press contacts for more information, see below. Note that the list is subject to change.

Today, Tuesday 10 September and in connection with the Statement of Government Policy, Mr Kristersson announced changes within the Government: two new ministers and four ministers who are changing ministerial posts.

How many people work at the Government Offices? What was the central government budget like last year? How many acts and ordinances were issued last year? The answer to these and other questions can be found in the Swedish Government Offices Yearbook 2023.

This compilation contains a selection of acts and ordinances – both new and amended – that enter into force around the second half of 2024.

The Government has decided to refer proposals to the Council on Legislation that aim to improve Sweden’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified workers.

Last year’s trend of fewer asylum seekers in Sweden and fewer residence permits granted continues. According to the Swedish Migration Agency’s prognosis, Sweden is on track to have the lowest number of asylum seekers since 1997 and, for the first time in over 50 years, Sweden has net emigration.

In the first half of 2023, the Government tasked the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) with conducting a survey aimed at people who have fled to Sweden from Ukraine. The Government has now received a follow-up report, which shows positive developments in almost all areas.