Sweden Plans to Tighten Rules for Low-Skilled Labour Immigration

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Sweden's government is looking to impose tighter conditions for low-skilled labour immigration while shifting the focus to highly skilled foreign workers.
• The report suggests that legislative changes should enter into force on June 1, next year.
• Currently, Sweden is facing a shortage of workers in different sectors, especially qualified and highly skilled labour.

Sweden is planning to tighten conditions on low-skilled labour immigration while promoting highly skilled workers’ immigration.

Such proposals were presented through the report on new rules for labour immigration.

Despite the shortage of skilled and highly skilled workers, Sweden also needs low-skilled labour. However, according to the Ministry of Migration, many of these low-skilled positions could be filled by individuals already living in Sweden.

Authorities also noted there are extensive issues with abuse of the regulatory framework, in particular in low-skilled professions.

Among other things, the report suggests that the wage should be at the median level in order to qualify for a work permit in Sweden. However, it does not exclude the possibility of making exceptions for specific professions.

At the same time, the investigation also submits proposals to promote highly qualified labour immigration, for example, by exempting new graduates from the wage requirement for work permits.

Swedish Ministry of Justice

The report also proposes the abolishment of the so-called track change system. This implies removing the possibility of applying for a residence permit for work and a work permit from within the country after a final rejection decision on the asylum application.

Furthermore, the report recommends authorities should be able to exclude certain occupations from the possibility of obtaining a work permit.

Commenting on these proposals, the Swedish Minister of Migration, Maria Malmer Stenergard, said Sweden must be attractive for highly skilled workers.

This is an important step in the work to tighten the conditions for low-skilled labour immigration and, at the same time, facilitate and improve the rules for highly-skilled labour immigration. Sweden must be an attractive country for highly qualified labour.

Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister of Migration

This report proposes that the legislative changes should enter into force on June 1, 2025.

These proposals follow the country’s need for qualified workers in several sectors. According to Swedish authorities, the employment rate in the country decreased, while unemployment rose to 8.0 per cent, and it is expected to increase further in the coming years.

This implies that the Swedish labour market needed more qualified workers to fill out vacancies in various sectors within the country.

Referring to the shortage of skilled workers, the Swedish Minister of Employment, Johan Pehrson, last week declared that some parts of the country “are crying out for staff”.

Regarding highly educated occupations, Sweden needs workers to fill job positions such as midwives, civil engineers, system analysts and IT architects, software and system developers, police officers, nursing assistants, specialist nurses, primary school teachers, special needs teachers and educators.

Meanwhile, in terms of skilled workers, the country is facing a shortage of occupations such as mobile farm and forestry plant operators, bus and tram drivers, plumbers and pipefitters, manufacturing machine operators, construction workers, motor vehicle mechanics and repairers, and welders, among others.