Factsheet for measure
SE-2008-49/3830
– measures in Sweden
Changing tracks from asylum to work visa
Spårbyte
Background information
The policy was introduced to increase the availability of labour in Sweden, and make it easier for asylum seekers to continue staying in Sweden if they had already settled in the country and are in employment.
The removal of the policy aims enforce more the decisions to deny asylum applications. The policy also affects people who have already been granted a working visa following a rejection of their asylum application.
Content of measure
Until April 1st 2025, before this change, refugees who had previously applied for asylum and gotten rejected could "change tracks", meaning they instead applied for a working visa after they had gotten a rejection. The applicant had to submit their application for changing tracks within two weeks of being rejected.
The official reason for removing the possibility of changing migration track is to enforce the rejection of visa applicants, and not risk people staying in the country despite having their asylum applications rejected. The change of this policy is meant to encourage asylum seekers to return to their country of origin rather than providing second chances.
Use of measure
Approximately 2000-3000 of asylum seekers per year have applied for a working visa upon rejection of their asylum application. Until 2021, approximately 20,000 people had applied for a track change, and about 40% of applicants got their applications approved.
Target groups
Actors and funding
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Actors
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Funding
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National government
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No special funding required
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Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
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Trade unions
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Employers' organisations
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Role
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Consulted
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Consulted
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Form
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Direct consultation outside a formal body
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Direct consultation outside a formal body
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Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
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No involvement
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Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level
Involvement
Social partners were consulted in the inquiry into reform of the system. The peak-level unions, LO, TCO and SACO, and the employer organisations, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions all provided written input to the proposed reform in 2007. The same social partners also provided written feedback to the reform proposal to remove the policy, which was published in 2024.
Views and reactions
The reactions to removal of the policy was criticised by the white-collar peak-level union SACO. According to them, removing the second chance of applying for a working visa after an asylum application is rejected risks forcing more people into becoming undocumented migrants. Often the asylum process takes such a long time that the applicant has found a job, learned to speak Swedish and developed roots in the Swedish society.
The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise is also critical to the reform, stating that the removal of the policy would lead to employers using labour they have relied on for often several years.
The peak-level blue-collar union LO is positive to the change of policy. According to them, they were against the policy proposal back in 2008 when it was first introduced. They argue that the possibility of changing tracks put asylum seekers in a position where they would accept any job under any conditions for the chance to stay in Sweden, which has created a breeding ground for labour exploitation and wage dumping.
Sources
