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IMMIGRATION

Tighter rules proposed for labour migrants

The government and the Green Party (Miljöpartiet) want to tighten Sweden's labour laws to fight poor working conditions for migrants, with employers potentially risking prison if they don't provide accurate information about their workers.

Tighter rules proposed for labour migrants

Employers could risk prison or fines if they don’t cooperate with the Swedish Migration Board (Migrationsverket) by providing current and accurate information about the working conditions for migrants. Incorrect information could lead to a prison sentence of two years.

“This is very important,” Migration Minister Tobias Billström told Sveriges Radio (SR) of the new deal struck with the Greens.

“The Migration Board has not previously had such clear tools for getting through these changes, if you look at how the regulations have been designed, and these are going to take effect in April next year.”

The new rules mean that the Swedish Migration Board (Migrationsverket) will have increased access to the databases of other public authorities.

In the past, migrants coming to Sweden have been exploited by Swedish employers, with some being been paid slave-like wages, and others denied benefits to which they were entitled.

“There have been abuses in the system, but on the whole, it has worked well,” Maria Ferm, spokesperson for the Green Party’s migration policy, told reporters at a press conference with Billström, according to the TT news agency.

TT/The Local/og

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