Several legislative changes in the field of migration from 12 July

Responsibilities are clarified and screening begins

The proposal that is now entering into force clarifies that the Swedish Police Authority has the main responsibility for the so-called screening process regulated by the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.

The Swedish Migration Agency has also been appointed as a screening authority, and therefore the Migration Agency and the Police Authority have signed a joint agreement on cooperation. The agreement regulates how the screening will be carried out, who is responsible for what, and how follow-up will take place.

– In the areas where the Swedish Migration Agency and the Police share responsibility for the screening process, we have now agreed on how everything will work in practice. The agreement will apply from 12 July and until further notice, says Maria Mindhammar, Director-General of the Swedish Migration Agency.

The screening includes identity checks, security checks, vulnerability assessments, and a basic health check for which Sweden’s regions are responsible.

The screening process will begin at the Swedish Migration Agency’s centres in Boden, Märsta/Arlanda, Mölndal, and Malmö, where the Migration Agency now shares premises with the Swedish Police Authority.

The right to public counsel will be limited

From 12 July, the right to free legal advice will change as the law has been adapted to the EU’s minimum legal standards.

This means that a person applying for international protection (asylum) will have the right to two hours of free legal advice when the application process begins.

If the applicant appeals the Swedish Migration Agency’s decision, the applicant has the right to free public counsel in connection with the appeal.

This differs from the previous system, where a person seeking protection in Sweden could have the right to free public counsel from the moment the application was submitted.

Permanent residence permits will be phased out

The possibility of receiving a permanent residence permit (PUT) for people with asylum-related residence permits is removed. This means Swedish regulations will be adapted to the EU’s minimum level.

For those who have applied for asylum, received a temporary residence permit, and applied for a permanent residence permit, the Swedish Migration Agency will only examine whether the person meets the requirements for an extended residence permit.

People who already have a permanent residence permit will not be affected by this change.