Latest news with #JohanForssell
Local Sweden
2 days ago
- Politics
- Local Sweden
How many Swedish citizenship applicants have been called to in-person ID checks?
Just over 2,000 letters have so far been sent out to Swedish citizenship applicants, inviting them to book a mandatory in-person identity check at the Migration Agency. Advertisement The ID checks are part of Sweden's new security measures for citizenship applications, which were rolled out by the Migration Agency in April on the government's request. But because the routines for the appointments hadn't yet been set up by the time the new security checks came into effect, Sweden went almost two months without the agency being able to approve any citizenship through naturalisation cases at all. In late May they finally got under way, and so far just over 2,000 appointment letters have been sent out to applicants, a Migration Agency spokesperson told The Local. 'They are being sent out on a daily basis,' he said. The letters, seen by The Local, include information on how to book an appointment through the 'Min Sida' page on the Migration Agency's website, as well as details of which documents the applicant should bring to the appointment. TAKE A CLOSER LOOK: What's in the appointment letter for Swedish citizenship? Applicants have eight weeks from the date the letter is sent to book an appointment or contact the Migration Agency, otherwise they risk their application being denied. Advertisement The letter is sent out by post once an applicant reaches the final stages of their citizenship application. The booking page is currently open to everyone, but only those who have received the letter inviting them to book a time slot should do so. The extra security checks, which also include applicants being sent an 11-page questionnaire with additional security questions, is the result of an order from the government and its far-right Sweden Democrat allies in January for the Migration Agency to take "forceful measures" to "as far as possible" prevent people who pose a threat to security or use a fake identity from being granted citizenship. Experts had previously guessed that security checks would be tightened as a pretext of slowing down the awarding of new citizenships until stricter rules are in place in 2026 – a slowdown strongly hinted at by the government in an opinion piece in the DN newspaper in November. Sweden's Migration Minister, Johan Forssell, later denied that the underlying intention was to slow down citizenship applications, telling the TT news agency that the point was only "to prevent people who pose a threat to security from being granted Swedish citizenship". Advertisement However, the extra checks are still expected to cause delays. In October 2024, the agency predicted that it would conclude 87,000 applications each year in 2025 and 2026, thanks to increased staff at the agency – a first step towards reducing the heavily criticised long waiting times for Swedish citizenship. But the new security checks forced the agency in April to lower its previous estimate by more than a quarter: to 64,000 concluded citizenship cases in 2025 and 65,000 in 2026. According to the Migration Agency, 75 percent of recently concluded cases involving adults received a decision within 24 months.
Local Sweden
5 days ago
- Business
- Local Sweden
Swedish Migration Minister: 'Sweden can't wait for international talent'
Sweden's Migration Minister Johan Forssell has highlighted nine ways the country is trying to improve the situation for foreign talent in an opinion piece in Dagens industri, co-authored with representatives from major Swedish companies. Advertisement 'If Sweden is going to be a leading country for innovation and a hub for cutting edge expertise, we need to take concrete steps to actively attract and retain top international talent,' Forssell wrote in an opinion piece titled "Sweden can't wait for international talent", co-authored with members of the business council he set up late last year. The council is made up of experts from companies and organisations such as Katarina Berg from On (previously Spotify), MajBritt Arfert (previously Ericsson), Masih Yazdi (previously SEB) and Ellinor Johansson from Embracer. 'The debate has had a singular focus on asylum seekers,' they wrote in the opinion piece. 'We want to broaden that picture and shift the focus from low- to high-skilled labour. Immigration is also about Sweden's competitiveness. It's about people who want to work, invest and build a future in our country.' Forssell and the business council listed nine measures which they believe strengthen Sweden's ability to position itself as a destination for foreign talent. New fast-track for highly qualified labour migrants and researchers The first of the nine measures is the fast-track for work permit holders and researchers which was implemented in 2024. This scheme, the brainchild of former Migration Agency director Mikael Ribbenvik, who described it to The Local as his 'baby', has cut the processing time for complete applications from over 100 days to an average of 18. Make it easier to change jobs Under current rules, anyone who changes jobs – even if that's a promotion within the same company – needs to apply for an entirely new work permit. In the opinion piece, Forssell writes that the government is putting forward legislation to change this. This legislation, based on an EU directive, was announced earlier in June and has a suggested implementation date of May 21st, 2026. Advertisement Longer permits for trial employment As part of the same proposal mentioned above, the government is also working on changing the rules so it can grant longer permits even if the work permit applicant has only got a contract for a six-month trial period. Better service for employers The government has also instructed the Migration Agency to improve the support it provides to employers when it comes to work permits, including information before and after an application and also, the opinion piece reads, by 'developing the digital tool used by the applicant and the employer'. Digital passport controls for workers and students Another measure which is already in force is the Migration Agency's digital ID checks for people from certain countries, which allows applicants to show ID using the digital ID app Freja instead of having to travel with their passport in person to a Swedish embassy. 'This means simplified processing, and according to the Migration Agency has saved trips equivalent to 86 journeys around the world.' Make it easier for researchers and doctoral students Researchers and doctoral students have been adversely affected by Swedish migration policy in recent years, with the SULF university union recently criticising the Migration Agency for "false advertising and mixed messaging about migration policy", accusing it of misleading applicants about their immigration prospects. In the opinion piece, Forssell and the business council write that the government is 'preparing proposals that, among other things, involve improved opportunities to apply for a permanent residence permit and extended permit periods to seek employment after completing doctoral-level research or studies". Advertisement Set a common national direction As part of Sweden's plans to better position itself to foreign immigrants, the authors of the opinion piece argue that Sweden needs a 'common direction', which it suggests should be titled 'Work in Sweden'. They add that the government has already started working on this 'long-term cross-agency' initiative, which is designed to ensure more coordination between different government agencies. Sweden's brand Forssell and the business council also call for more marketing of 'brand Sweden', which among other things includes a government order to the Swedish Institute to develop a strategy for a 'stronger and more positive image of Sweden,' focusing on innovation and quality of life. Partnerships with business sector Finally, the last measure listed in the opinion piece is increased partnerships with the business sector, with the authors writing that 'business and politics need to have a close dialogue.' As part of this, they state that the government will hold 'regular advisory talent forums' with relevant groups in order to make sure that reforms meet the needs of Swedish companies. What do you think? Do you agree with Forssell's nine measures or is there anything else you would add? Let us know in the comments (please note that the iOS app is currently experiencing tech glitches which cause some comments to disappear – we're working on fixing this and in the meantime comments should all be visible on desktop computers and the Android app).
Local Sweden
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
How many people were granted Swedish citizenship in May?
No more than 15 naturalisation applications were approved during Sweden's recent citizenship freeze, statistics reveal. But the processing of cases is hopefully picking up pace. Advertisement A total of nine citizenship applications through naturalisation were approved in the month of May, according to figures from the Migration Agency. In April, as The Local was the only Swedish news site to report, six such applications were granted. To put it into perspective: between January and March, Sweden approved more than 4,200 naturalisation cases every month, on average. 'Naturalisation cases' are the standard kinds of applications by an adult foreigner who wishes to become a Swedish citizen and they make up by far the majority of cases. A total of 962 citizenship through notification cases (an easier route available mainly to children and Nordic citizens) were approved in May, as well as 68 applications for retaining one's citizenship (for example Swedes born abroad) and 36 so-called citizenship declarations (for people who don't know whether they are citizens). The figures include applications granted by the Migration Agency itself and those granted in court. Courts were able to process appeals as normal in April and May. Statistics for the month of June will be publicly available from mid-July. As The Local reported at the time, the Migration Agency was unable to approve citizenship through naturalisation cases for almost two months in spring, because it hadn't yet fully set up its routines for the in-person identification required of applicants after the government ordered the agency to step up security checks as of April 1st. All nationalities were affected by the freeze, despite Migration Minister Johan Forssell's pledge to The Local's readers in January that work permit holders and people from countries without security risks would be unaffected by extra security delays. Here's a table which shows how many citizenship cases have been granted in 2025, per nationality: In the second half of May, the Migration Agency said it had begun contacting citizenship applicants to book in-person identify checks, effectively ending the freeze. Applicants who are at the final stages of their application will receive a letter inviting them to book a time for a 'personal appearance' at any of eight Migration Agency offices: Malmö, Växjö, Gothenburg, Norrköping, Örebro, Sundbyberg, Sundsvall or Boden. Those who haven't been invited to such a visit should not book a time. It was initially reported that certain nationalities with biometric passports would be exempt and would instead be able to confirm their identity digitally via the Freja app, but as The Local has previously reported, the technological solution for that isn't yet in place, so for the time being, all applicants have to turn up for a personal meeting, regardless of their nationality. Advertisement The extra stage in the process, which also includes applicants being sent an 11-page questionnaire with additional security questions, is the result of an order from the government and its far-right Sweden Democrat allies in January for the Migration Agency to take "forceful measures" to "as far as possible" prevent people who pose a threat to security or use a fake identity from being granted citizenship. Experts had previously guessed that security checks would be tightened as a pretext of slowing down the awarding of new citizenships until stricter rules are in place in 2026 – a slowdown strongly hinted at by the government in an opinion piece in the DN newspaper in November. Forssell later denied that the underlying intention was to slow down citizenship applications, telling the TT news agency that the point was only "to prevent people who pose a threat to security from being granted Swedish citizenship". Advertisement However, the extra checks are still expected to cause delays. In October 2024, the agency predicted that it would conclude 87,000 applications each year in 2025 and 2026, thanks to increased staff at the agency – a first step towards reducing the heavily criticised long waiting times for Swedish citizenship. But the new security checks forced the agency in April to lower its previous estimate by more than a quarter: to 64,000 concluded citizenship cases in 2025 and 65,000 in 2026. According to the Migration Agency, 75 percent of recently concluded cases involving adults received a decision within 24 months.
Local Sweden
17-06-2025
- Business
- Local Sweden
Sweden raises work permit salary threshold to almost 30,000 kronor
Statistics Sweden has released fresh median salary figures, pushing up the work permit salary threshold for all new applicants with immediate effect. Advertisement Sweden's median salary rose to 37,100 kronor in 2024, according to new figures posted by Statistics Sweden at 8am on June 17th. This means there's a new minimum monthly salary non-EU workers have to earn to be eligible for a work permit, as the work permit salary threshold is tied to 80 percent of the median salary. It previously stood at 28,480 kronor before tax, but as of June 17th it's gone up to 29,680 kronor. Salaries also need to be in line with industry standards or collective bargaining agreements to qualify for a work permit. It's the most recently published median salary at the time of your application (not the time of a decision) that determines how much you need to earn in order to be eligible for a work permit, so the new figure does not affect applications which are already in progress. The next median salary update will be published by Statistics Sweden in June 2026. Are there any plans to raise the salary threshold further? Yes. The government plans to raise the work permit threshold for new permits to 100 percent of the median salary at the time of application, with exemptions for some categories of workers. This is still winding its way through the legislative process, which means it is not yet a done deal. The proposed starting date for the widely criticised proposal was originally June 1st, 2025, but that deadline wasn't met. Sweden's Migration Minister Johan Forssell told The Local in May that 'no formal decision' has been made on where the final salary threshold will actually end up. The government in February asked the Migration Agency to present a list of which professions should be exempt from the salary threshold by August 1st, suggesting that the original plan to roll out the new threshold on June 1st will be postponed until at least the autumn. Advertisement This isn't the first time that we've seen an indication that the government hasn't fully committed to raising the threshold to 100 percent of the median salary. In January, Employment Minister Mats Persson said that his party, the Liberals, would even be willing to lower the threshold. There would be a one-year grace period for work permit renewals, so the current rule (80 percent of the median salary) would continue to apply for any applications for extensions submitted to the Migration Agency for twelve months from the date the law is implemented.
Local Sweden
16-06-2025
- Business
- Local Sweden
Sweden set to raise work permit salary threshold this week
Sweden's yearly median wage is set to be released on Tuesday, which means the salary threshold for work permit holders is also expected to rise with immediate effect. Advertisement Sweden's number-crunching agency, Statistics Sweden, is expected to release the new median salary figure when it publishes its annual statistics on the Swedish labour market at 8am on June 17th. The Local will publish it as soon as we have it. The median salary currently stands at 35,600 kronor (technically that's the median in the year 2023, and the figure to be released on Tuesday is for the year 2024). In the past five years, it has risen on average 940 kronor every year, with higher increases in recent years, so you can almost certainly expect it to increase on Tuesday as well. Last year the median salary went up by 1,400 kronor. So why does this matter? Well, the work permit salary threshold – the minimum a non-EU foreigner has to earn to be eligible for a work permit – is set at 80 percent of the median salary. That means it is currently 28,480 kronor a month before tax, and it will likely rise on Tuesday. In other words, any work permit applicants (both first-time applications and extensions) applying before June 17th have to earn at least 28,480 kronor a month to qualify. If you apply on June 17th or later, whatever the new figure is will apply to you. Advertisement Salaries also need to be in line with industry standards or collective bargaining agreements, so the salary threshold is only the minimum for work permits. It's the most recently published median salary at the time of your application (not the time of a decision) that determines how much you need to earn in order to be eligible for a work permit, so the new figure will not affect applications already in progress. Are there any plans to raise the salary threshold further? Yes. The government plans to raise the work permit threshold for new permits to 100 percent of the median salary at the time of application, with exemptions for some categories of workers. This is still winding its way through the legislative process, which means it is not yet a done deal. The proposed starting date for the widely criticised proposal was originally June 1st, 2025, but that deadline wasn't met. Sweden's Migration Minister Johan Forssell told The Local in May that 'no formal decision' has been made on where the final salary threshold will actually end up. Advertisement The government in February asked the Migration Agency to present a list of which professions should be exempt from the salary threshold by August 1st, suggesting that the original plan to roll out the new threshold on June 1st will be postponed until at least the autumn. This isn't the first time that we've seen an indication that the government hasn't fully committed to raising the threshold to 100 percent of the median salary. In January, Employment Minister Mats Persson said that his party, the Liberals, would even be willing to lower the threshold. There would be a one-year grace period for work permit renewals, so the current rule (80 percent of the median salary) would continue to apply for any applications for extensions submitted to the Migration Agency for twelve months from the date the law is implemented.
