Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

2022 SWEDISH ELECTION

EXPLAINED: How do Sweden’s political parties want to reform work permits?

Sweden's ruling Social Democrats enacted the first stage of their work permit reform plan on June 1st, and have announced further plans to tighten up the work permit system. But where do Sweden's other political parties stand on labour migration?

Published: 9 June 2022 15:05 CEST
EXPLAINED: How do Sweden's political parties want to reform work permits?
File photo of Sweden's parliament. Photo: Carl-Olof Zimmerman/TT

The Social Democrats

As Sweden’s ruling party, the left-wing Social Democrats’ position is the most clear. In their first work permit reforms, which came into effect on June 1st, they introduced a new talent visa for certain highly-educated workers, as well as a new rule stating that work permit applicants must have a signed work contract in order for their application to be accepted.

Aside from these reforms, they have also called for a reintroduction of arbetsmarknadsprövning – a system scrapped in 2008 where prospective labour migrants wanting to work in Sweden would only have their work permits approved if they were filling a position where there is a national shortage. If this were to be approved, work permits would be dependent on unions, employers, and authorities confirming that they lack workers in the profession in question.

Social Democrat migration minister Morgan Johansson, has previously stated that reintroducing arbetsmarknadsprövning is the “only way” to clean up the system.

In addition to this, the Social Democrats announced plans to propose raising the salary threshold for work permits from the current 13,000 kronor limit to around 27,000 kronor, although the final figure will be decided following negotiations in parliament.

The Moderates

The right-wing Moderates do not want to reintroduce arbetsmarknadsprövning or the requirements suggested by the Social Democrats, but suggest instead that the should be a lower salary threshold should be raised to 27,540 kronor per month, which is 85 percent of the average Swedish salary (32,000 kronor per month). Seasonal workers such as berry pickers would be exempt from this requirement.

The Christian Democrats

The Christian Democrats want to see this lower limit raised to 35,000 kronor (they had previously stated that it should be 30,000 kronor), with exceptions for professions facing a shortage of staff, such as seasonal workers and certain healthcare staff.

In addition to this, both the Moderates and the Christian Democrats pushed for the new requirement which came in in June for workers to have to financially support any family members who accompany them to Sweden, as well as banning labour migration for personal assistants.

Their argument is that low-salaried jobs should be filled by unemployed people already in Sweden, rather than by bringing in workers from abroad. They also believe that it will make it harder for people to abuse the system.

The Sweden Democrats

The Sweden Democrats have previously proposed introducing a 35,000 kronor salary limit, alongside the Christian Democrats. This proposal suggested the reintroduction of arbetsmarknadsprövning for anyone earning under 35,000 kronor, with free labour migration over that figure.

The Centre Party

The Centre Party describes itself as “one of few parties in the Swedish parliament who protect the current system”, stating that it believes that individual companies know best when it comes to the kind of skills they need.

The party are against both arbetsmarknadsprövning and the introduction of a higher salary threshold, believing that introducing both policies would lead to a national skills shortage in Sweden.

The Liberals

The Liberals, like the Centre Party, are positive towards the current work permit system and are not in favour of increasing the salary threshold for work permit applicants. Similarly, they – like the Centre Party – do not want to stop labour migration for personal assistants.

The Liberals also believe that foreign students in Sweden should automatically be given a one-year residence permit after finishing their studies in order to look for work in the country.

The Green Party

The Greens have previously stated to Arbetet magazine that they “are not entirely against raising the 13,000 kronor salary threshold somewhat”, but that it must still be possible for those here on a work permit to, for example, work part-time alongside their studies.

They are not in favour of reintroducing arbetsmarknadsprövning, as they believe that employers should decide which skills they need rather than the state.

The Left Party

The Left Party is in favour of reintroducing arbetsmarknadsprövning as well as a requirement that immigrants coming to Sweden on a work permit must work full-time.

The Left Party does not want to introduce a requirement that workers must be able to support their families, and are against proposals to introduce a 35,000 kronor minimum salary for work permits.

Member comments

  1. Hello.
    I have a question.
    Does the new work permit law, affect both EU and non-EU new employees?
    Thank you in advance.

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

INDIANS IN SWEDEN

My Swedish Career: ‘People in Sweden are warm and welcoming’

IT consultant Debjyoti Paul tells The Local of the Indian society he co-founded in Helsingborg, and why local Swedes' reputation as closed off and reserved may not be true.

Published: 12 April 2024 06:49 CEST
My Swedish Career: 'People in Sweden are warm and welcoming'

Working as an IT consultant for Sogeti, Debjyoti was moved around to various countries as part of different projects throughout his career. In 2014, he finished a job in England, after which he was sent to Sweden to work with companies such as Ikea in designing new systems and upgrading their old systems.

However, once he arrived in Helsingborg he missed the Indian culture.

“Once you are away from home, you want your culture, your tradition, you want to remain in touch with your roots and you want your family, especially the younger generations, to also have some kind of attachment with the traditional stuff,” he tells The Local.

As a result, Debjyoti helped set up Sambandh, a society to connect the more than 2,000 Indians based in Helsingborg, many drawn there, as Debjyoti, by Ikea’s IT development hub in the city.

The society aims to help Indian newcomers have a smooth integration process in Sweden, by providing information and translation assistance.

“We also focus on helping them with basic stuff like how to open an account in the bank, guidance on getting a driving licence in Sweden, so that it is easier for them to seamlessly integrate locally. We also help with information about the school system and the healthcare system,” says Debjyoti.

“It is not easy for a new person coming in here and knowing all this, especially as most of the things are written in Swedish.”

More than 2,000 Indians live in Helsingborg. Photo: Sambandh

The society also regularly collaborates with the Indian embassy to organise an “Indian Embassy Consular Camp” which allows Indians in Helsingborg to use the embassy’s services without having to travel for five to six hours to Stockholm.

The name of the community comes from the Hindi word sambandh, meaning relationship, which is similar to samband, the Swedish word for connection. Sambandh has grown to over 400 members, welcoming everyone no matter their background.

“We only have one event which is specific to our members, that is our members’ picnic, which happens every summer. Other than that, all our events are open to all and we invite all other communities. We advertise locally and try to get people from different backgrounds into our events,” says Debjyoti.

“We even have certain religious events, but even those events are open to all, open to people from all religions. We love the attention that we get from different communities, from people from different backgrounds, different countries, different religions, speaking different languages,” he says. “So if you are at any of our events, you will see so many different kinds of people.”

Holi or Indisk Fiesta is another event that is celebrated by the society with the aim of welcoming springtime. Along with that they celebrate World Environment Day to inspire their younger members to care for their surroundings.

“We encourage our kids to participate in World Environment Day. They make small projects, they plant trees, they talk about and learn about recycling stuff. We make them aware of the environment and everything that day,” he says.

Sambandh organises, among other things, an event called Indisk Fiesta. Photo: Sambandh

Sambandh’s sports club also plays an important role, keeping the society’s members fit and healthy.

“There is a typical habit within the Indians. Once we have families, we get more focused on our kids and we spend all our energy on our kids’ education, kids’ sports activities, kids’ cultural activities. We forget about ourselves. So, we encourage our members to participate in sports. In India, sports like cricket and badminton are very popular, but with the help of local sports bodies, we encourage our members to participate in sports like padel, which is more popular in Sweden.”

When Debjyoti and his family moved to Sweden in 2014, their son was just one year old, and he got a place in a local preschool. Both Debjyoti and his wife thought it would be best to settle down since it would be difficult for their son to be moved around from country to country due to their work. He also says that Sweden is a great country to raise a child in.

“Gradually we liked Sweden because of the work-life balance, the equality, and several other good stuff. Especially when you are a family with a kid, Sweden is like a paradise. So then gradually we made Sweden our home and we continued staying here.”

When they bought their home in Helsingborg, they received a warm welcome from their neighbours, and he said that they continue to do so.

“I bought a house outside Helsingborg in a village, and a lot of people advised me not to, because they felt local Swedish people are not very open. They don’t become friends very easily. But I had a completely different experience and I was so well supported by my neighbours,” says Debjyoti.

“They even mowed my garden when I was away for a month to India. And I returned the favour. When they were on their way to the recycling centre, they used to knock on my door: ‘Do you have anything to throw away? Then I can help you,’ and I was like, OK, what I heard is probably not true. People are warm, they are welcoming. So I actually have a very, very positive view of Swedes.”

As president of Sambandh, Debjyoti is tasked with keeping the society’s aim in the forefront.

“My main objective is to keep our objective in mind and make sure the organisation is driven in a way so that we become a melting pot for all the different communities, the local Swedish community, the other immigrant communities. And of course, so that our kids, our future generations, remain rooted to their traditions,” he says.

He hopes to see the younger generations take over Sambandh so that it keeps going and growing.

“We would love to have our younger generation to manage and drive these events because they are more exposed to the local culture because they are in the local schools and all, which is of course good. It is easier for them to integrate completely.”

SHOW COMMENTS