Social Democrats proposal could protect integrated residents from deportation in Sweden

Sweden's Social Democrats want to stop long-term residents from being deported. Party migration spokesperson Ida Karkiainen shared this plan with news outlet The Local. The party proposes a fast-track inquiry on residency for long-term established migrants. This move aims to protect young adults and former Brexit applicants facing deportation.

Karkiainen called Sweden's high refusal rate for British post-Brexit applicants unfair. She said current migration rules cause strange deportation decisions for long-term residents. Teenagers raised in Sweden often face deportation when turning 18 or 21. The proposed inquiry could take as little as two months to complete.

The party also wants to clean up recent migration laws. They plan to restore transitional rules for older citizenship applications. Migration Agency citizenship waiting times currently reach 54 months. The Social Democrats promise more funding to hire case officers and cut delays.

The party proposes a new temporary permit called an establishment residence permit. This permit would serve as a bridge to long-term residency and citizenship. They also plan to return to labor market testing for work permits. Unions and employers would negotiate international hiring needs and wage thresholds together.