A commission of inquiry formed by the Swedish government has proposed sweeping changes to asylum policy, including the complete abolition of the possibility of granting permanent residence permits to asylum seekers in the country.
The proposal also included reducing the right to a public defender during the asylum process and granting the Immigration Service the right to reject asylum applications in more cases than it does today.
This comes as part of a government investigation into bringing Swedish asylum laws into line with the minimum standards permitted by EU law, a requirement included in the Tidø Agreement between the government parties and the Sweden Democrats (SD).
Immigration Minister Johan Forschel said after receiving the investigation's findings that the proposals were "important to maintain low levels of asylum-seeking migration," adding that permanently barring permanent residency would have a "significant impact."
The current general rule is to grant temporary residency to asylum seekers, but the law allows for this to be converted to permanent residency later. Today's investigation proposes to completely abolish this possibility, including for refugees under UN quotas (quota refugees), who receive permanent residency from day one.
Currently, there are approximately 45,000 people in Sweden with temporary residence, including relatives of asylum seekers (family reunification cases).
Under the proposals, refugees would still be able to apply for citizenship after a number of years, provided they meet language, work, and good behavior requirements, a move the immigration minister described as a way to increase the incentive to integrate.
The investigation also proposed abolishing the right to a public defender during the Migration Agency's review of a protection application, with legal support limited to one hour of consultation. The right to a lawyer would remain in place only when the rejection decision is appealed before the Migration Court.
The amendment will reduce lawyers' allowances, which amounted to 170 million kroner last year.
Recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into Asylum Laws in Sweden
The possibility of obtaining permanent residence permits is completely abolished for asylum seekers.
After a number of years in Sweden, they should be able to obtain Swedish citizenship if they are found to have good prospects for permanent residence and meet the requirements for citizenship.
The Migration Agency should be given the right to reject asylum applications in more cases than it does today.
Asylum seekers' right to a public defender is waived during the Migration Agency investigation.
The amendments are proposed to take effect in the summer of 2026.