https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Sweden in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The Swedish parliament voted through a bill to abolish permanent residency for many future applicants – but some groups, including work permit holders, will still be able to receive permanent residency. https://www.thelocal.se/20260609/swedish-parliament-to-vote-on-bill-to-abolish-future-permanent-residency-for-refugees Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:02:26 +0200 swedish-parliament-to-vote-on-bill-to-abolish-future-permanent-residency-for-refugees Sweden's work permit salary threshold is as of June 1st set at 90 percent of the most recent median salary. But the threshold is about to increase again in just a week. https://www.thelocal.se/20240529/when-will-sweden-raise-the-work-permit-salary-threshold Wed, 29 May 2024 09:41:25 +0200 when-will-sweden-raise-the-work-permit-salary-threshold It's taken them more than two years, but Sweden's government has finally published the list of jobs that will be exempt from the new higher minimum salary for a work permit which comes into force on June 1st. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.se/20260525/explained-swedens-new-higher-minimum-salary-for-a-work-permit Mon, 25 May 2026 17:18:00 +0200 explained-swedens-new-higher-minimum-salary-for-a-work-permit Ukrainians in Sweden under the Temporary Protection Directive will soon be able to apply for a different type of residence permit without leaving Sweden. https://www.thelocal.se/20260526/sweden-opens-new-residence-permit-paths-for-ukrainians-in-sweden Tue, 26 May 2026 09:02:01 +0200 sweden-opens-new-residence-permit-paths-for-ukrainians-in-sweden Sweden's government has decided to exempt only 27 professions from the new higher salary threshold for a work permit, with business groups complaining the list was less generous than expected and would make Sweden poorer. https://www.thelocal.se/20260522/swedish-government-exempts-27-professions-from-work-permit-salary-threshold Fri, 22 May 2026 11:43:25 +0200 swedish-government-exempts-27-professions-from-work-permit-salary-threshold With the collapse of the Swedish parliament's pairing system, the opposition would, if it really wanted, have a real chance of blocking or amending the migration laws the government wants to pass before the election. But it's unclear how willing it is to do this. https://www.thelocal.se/20260518/what-laws-could-swedens-opposition-block-after-collapse-of-pairing Mon, 18 May 2026 15:57:02 +0200 what-laws-could-swedens-opposition-block-after-collapse-of-pairing The Sweden Democrats would be willing to allow young people who have already received deportation orders the chance to remain in Sweden, after the Moderate Party shifted on the issue. https://www.thelocal.se/20260519/sweden-democrats-join-u-turn-on-letting-to-be-deported-teenagers-stay-in-sweden Tue, 19 May 2026 10:27:45 +0200 sweden-democrats-join-u-turn-on-letting-to-be-deported-teenagers-stay-in-sweden If American politics has you thinking of leaving the US – or indeed if you want to move to Sweden for love, work, adventure or any other reason – there are some hurdles to overcome first. Here's a look at the various routes available to US citizens. https://www.thelocal.se/20201103/how-americans-can-move-to-sweden-usa-permit Tue, 03 Nov 2020 17:08:44 +0100 how-americans-can-move-to-sweden-usa-permit Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell has said that he hopes a soon-to-be-announced "safety clause" to reduce teen deportations will help young adults who have already received a deportation order as well as those awaiting a decision. https://www.thelocal.se/20260515/swedish-migration-minister-wants-new-law-to-help-teens-facing-deportation Fri, 15 May 2026 16:07:23 +0200 swedish-migration-minister-wants-new-law-to-help-teens-facing-deportation Although Sweden may be a less popular retirement destination than other European countries like Spain or Portugal, there are many pensioners who plan on retiring in the Nordic country. What are the rules for foreigners? https://www.thelocal.se/20231023/reader-question-how-can-i-retire-to-sweden Mon, 23 Oct 2023 11:42:52 +0200 reader-question-how-can-i-retire-to-sweden Sweden's legal watchdog has sharply criticised a government bill that would abolish permanent residency for refugees and introduce other measures to tighten Swedish migration law to the strictest level allowable under the EU's law. https://www.thelocal.se/20260508/swedens-legal-watchdog-slams-draft-bill-abolishing-pr-for-refugees Fri, 08 May 2026 12:24:37 +0200 swedens-legal-watchdog-slams-draft-bill-abolishing-pr-for-refugees Paola Claudio and her family did everything they could to plan ahead with the Migration Agency so that Paola's studies wouldn't be interrupted. But despite their best efforts, she got a last-minute order to leave the country – just in time for exams. https://www.thelocal.se/20260424/teenager-makes-round-trip-to-mexico-to-avoid-being-deported-from-sweden Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:35:51 +0200 teenager-makes-round-trip-to-mexico-to-avoid-being-deported-from-sweden Sweden's parliament has passed a bill which aims to simplify residency rules for foreign researchers and PhD students but also limits how much paid work they can do. Here are the main points. https://www.thelocal.se/20260428/key-points-new-law-easing-permit-rules-for-researchers-and-phds-in-sweden Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:54:51 +0200 key-points-new-law-easing-permit-rules-for-researchers-and-phds-in-sweden When Migration Minister Johan Forssell announced that Sweden was pushing ahead with phasing out permanent residency, he framed it as targeting asylum migration. But the changes will also affect some Long-Term Resident (LTR) applicants, many of them skilled workers. https://www.thelocal.se/20260417/it-feels-unfair-high-skilled-workers-hit-by-abolition-of-permanent-residency Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:26:53 +0200 it-feels-unfair-high-skilled-workers-hit-by-abolition-of-permanent-residency Anna Metreveli, a Russian PhD student in sociolinguistics, had her application to switch to a new residence permit rejected on the grounds that she did not leave Sweden to reapply, which has left her education and her son's right to specialised education and healthcare in the country up in the air. https://www.thelocal.se/20260420/phd-student-refused-swedish-permit-and-told-to-apply-from-abroad-despite-sons-disability Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:28:36 +0200 phd-student-refused-swedish-permit-and-told-to-apply-from-abroad-despite-sons-disability Sweden's government has faced growing criticism over its plans to require migrants to adhere to "honest living", with rights groups and legal experts saying the proposed measure is discriminatory. https://www.thelocal.se/20260417/sweden-rights-groups-blast-honest-living-criteria-for-migrants Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:44:17 +0200 sweden-rights-groups-blast-honest-living-criteria-for-migrants Sweden's government is currently racing to get some of the most important laws in its "paradigm shift on migration" passed by parliament before September's election. Here are the dates when key votes are scheduled. https://www.thelocal.se/20260224/when-is-swedens-parliament-set-to-vote-on-new-migration-laws Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:32:51 +0100 when-is-swedens-parliament-set-to-vote-on-new-migration-laws Business groups have called on Sweden's government to decide on the jobs exempted from the new minimum salary for work permits "as soon as possible", warning that the continuing uncertainty makes it hard to recruit, hampering expansion plans. https://www.thelocal.se/20260413/swedish-businesses-call-for-work-permit-exemption-list-as-soon-as-possible Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:51:37 +0200 swedish-businesses-call-for-work-permit-exemption-list-as-soon-as-possible The Local Sweden's editorial team held a live Q&A with members about Sweden's proposed changes to permanent residency status. We've pulled out some of the key questions and our team's responses. https://www.thelocal.se/20260410/your-questions-answered-on-swedens-proposed-permanent-residency-changes Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:03:33 +0200 your-questions-answered-on-swedens-proposed-permanent-residency-changes So you’ve been admitted into a Swedish university as a bachelors or masters student and you’ve accepted the offer. Now what? If you’re a non-EU/EEA student, you’ll have to apply for a student residence permit. Waiting times can be long, so it’s a good idea to apply as soon as possible. Here’s how. https://www.thelocal.se/20230324/explained-how-to-get-a-student-residence-permit-in-sweden Fri, 24 Mar 2023 15:47:42 +0100 explained-how-to-get-a-student-residence-permit-in-sweden