Better service helps contributes to a competitive Sweden
On 29 January, the Swedish Migration Agency’s new way of working with work permits will be launched. Central to the new approach is a developed service for employers who recruit highly qualified workers.
In the budget and policy specification for 2023, the Swedish Migration Agency received a mandate to promote highly qualified labour immigration to Sweden. To fulfil this mission, the Swedish Migration Agency is now introducing a new working method for handling work permit cases.
“The new way of working aims to make it easier for companies to quickly obtain the labour they need. To succeed, we need to concentrate our efforts and focus our service offerings where they are needed most – early in the process and in a way that is highly responsive to employers’ individual needs. At the same time, to play our part in creating a fair labour market with equal terms, we must succeed in the agency’s mandate to exert control,” says Maria Mindhammar, Director-General of the Swedish Migration Agency.
The Swedish Migration Agency will now prioritise service to employers that recruit highly qualified workers by introducing a new way of sorting applications for work permits based on occupation and industry and separating out applications that are ready for a decision. This means the agency more efficiently can identify complete applications for highly qualified workers and make faster decisions in these cases. The requirements for obtaining a work permit remain unchanged.
Complete applications from highly qualified workers will be processed within 30 days. (For other applications, the time limit is governed by ordinances.)
Service for employers
To make it easier to submit complete applications, the Swedish Migration Agency offers an extra service to employers that employ highly qualified workers.
Employers that contact the Swedish Migration Agency can get help by phone and e-mail. The service may also involve in-person meetings with employers that employ highly qualified workers.
In addition, the Swedish Migration Agency will offer support for major establishment projects with large recruitment needs, where there is a need for clear and quick answers to ensure that applications are complete from the start.
“We will continue to engage with industry and employer organisations to meet their information needs. The goal is to increase the proportion of complete applications”, says Maria Mindhammar.
Read more about the services available to employers that recruit highly qualified workers.