Sweden reformed its labour immigration rules in 2008. The reform is designed to create a demand-driven, effective and flexible system which will make it easier for people to come to Sweden and work, and for Swedish companies to recruit labour from outside the EU/EEA area . The Swedish system recognizes that we need workers of all skill levels and in many different branches and sectors. The reform is therefore designed to allow workers of all skill levels to migrate to Sweden under one general framework and with access to a wide range of rights. The reform has been praised by the OECD as one of the most liberal among the organization´s members.

The reformed Swedish labour migration rules thus provide the individual migrant with a chance to increase his or her income while reflecting our understanding that migration is a necessary element of Sweden´s own development potential. Sweden needs labour migrants and will increasingly do so. There are labour shortages in Sweden that cannot be filled by persons living in Sweden or in other EU countries, i.e. Swedish employers have difficulties in finding employees with the right skills. The Swedish population is also ageing, just as the populations of most European Union members and OECD countries. The growing numbers who are retiring leave significant gaps in our labour market. Although migration alone cannot solve the challenges of an ageing population, it can be one of several instruments to prevent labour shortages and maintain well-being and quality of life.

Since the Swedish system is entirely demand driven and not restricted to certain sectors or skill levels, it is the employers who assesses whether someone has the skills and competence required for the line of work in question. The authorities do not participate in the job matching process or assess employers’ views in these matters. It is the immigration authorities’ responsibility to assess the offered terms of employment and make sure that these terms are in accordance with Swedish standards. The occupation and skill level of the migrant are however important factors in this assessment and can be an indicator of a non-genuine job offer.    

Given the fact that the Swedish system has proved to be effective, flexible and open there are good reasons to maintain the Swedish approach to labour immigration while addressing the weaknesses and vulnerabilities that have been identified so far. Therefore, Sweden is currently looking into the possibility of introducing more control measures in work permit cases. These new stricter control measures aim to address misuses of the system by untrustworthy employers and to prevent workers from countries outside of the EU/EEA area from being exploited.

The Swedish labour migration reform is a first step towards an enabling legal migration framework that encourages mobility and contributes to development in both countries of origin and in Sweden, as well as increasing the opportunities for the women, men and children who migrate.