Background & Purpose
The Swedish government wants to ensure that people who have been ordered to leave Sweden actually do so, and to prevent them from easily returning. The previous rules were seen as not effective enough in this regard.
Proposals & Debate
The government proposed several changes, including extending the time before a removal decision expires and making re-entry bans longer, up to five years. They also wanted to stop the 'track change' system, which allowed rejected asylum seekers to apply for new permits without leaving Sweden. Opposition parties put forward their own proposals, but these were rejected by the Parliament.
The Decision
The Swedish Parliament approved the government's proposals, meaning stricter rules for those ordered to leave the country and for re-entry bans will be put in place. All alternative suggestions from opposition parties were voted down.
Does this affect you?
- Foreign nationals with removal orders: They will face longer re-entry bans and a longer period before their removal decision expires.
- Rejected asylum seekers: They will no longer be able to apply for work or residence permits from within Sweden if their asylum application is denied.
- Swedish Migration Agency: They will implement the new rules regarding removal decisions and re-entry bans.
In Practice
- A decision to remove someone from Sweden will now expire after 5 years, instead of 4, once the person has left the country.
- Re-entry bans, which prevent someone from returning to Sweden, can now last up to 5 years, instead of the previous 1 year.
- If a person has a re-entry ban, their removal decision will only expire when the re-entry ban itself ends.
- The 'track change' system, which allowed rejected asylum seekers to apply for work or residence permits from within Sweden, will be abolished.