“If Sweden is going to be a leading country for innovation and a hub for cutting edge expertise, we need to take concrete steps to actively attract and retain top international talent,” Forssell wrote in an opinion piece titled "Sweden can't wait for international talent", co-authored with members of the business council he set up late last year.
The council is made up of experts from companies and organisations such as Katarina Berg from On (previously Spotify), MajBritt Arfert (previously Ericsson), Masih Yazdi (previously SEB) and Ellinor Johansson from Embracer.
“The debate has had a singular focus on asylum seekers,” they wrote in the opinion piece. “We want to broaden that picture and shift the focus from low- to high-skilled labour. Immigration is also about Sweden’s competitiveness. It’s about people who want to work, invest and build a future in our country.”
Forssell and the business council listed nine measures which they believe strengthen Sweden’s ability to position itself as a destination for foreign talent.
New fast-track for highly qualified labour migrants and researchers
The first of the nine measures is the fast-track for work permit holders and researchers which was implemented in 2024. This scheme, the brainchild of former Migration Agency director Mikael Ribbenvik, who described it to The Local as his “baby”, has cut the processing time for complete applications from over 100 days to an average of 18.
Make it easier to change jobs
Under current rules, anyone who changes jobs – even if that’s a promotion within the same company – needs to apply for an entirely new work permit.
In the opinion piece, Forssell writes that the government is putting forward legislation to change this. This legislation, based on an EU directive, was announced earlier in June and has a suggested implementation date of May 21st, 2026.
Longer permits for trial employment
As part of the same proposal mentioned above, the government is also working on changing the rules so it can grant longer permits even if the work permit applicant has only got a contract for a six-month trial period.
Better service for employers
The government has also instructed the Migration Agency to improve the support it provides to employers when it comes to work permits, including information before and after an application and also, the opinion piece reads, by “developing the digital tool used by the applicant and the employer”.
Digital passport controls for workers and students
Another measure which is already in force is the Migration Agency’s digital ID checks for people from certain countries, which allows applicants to show ID using the digital ID app Freja instead of having to travel with their passport in person to a Swedish embassy.
“This means simplified processing, and according to the Migration Agency has saved trips equivalent to 86 journeys around the world.”
Make it easier for researchers and doctoral students
Researchers and doctoral students have been adversely affected by Swedish migration policy in recent years, with the SULF university union recently criticising the Migration Agency for "false advertising and mixed messaging about migration policy", accusing it of misleading applicants about their immigration prospects.
In the opinion piece, Forssell and the business council write that the government is “preparing proposals that, among other things, involve improved opportunities to apply for a permanent residence permit and extended permit periods to seek employment after completing doctoral-level research or studies".
Set a common national direction
As part of Sweden’s plans to better position itself to foreign immigrants, the authors of the opinion piece argue that Sweden needs a “common direction”, which it suggests should be titled “Work in Sweden”.
They add that the government has already started working on this “long-term cross-agency” initiative, which is designed to ensure more coordination between different government agencies.
Sweden’s brand
Forssell and the business council also call for more marketing of “brand Sweden”, which among other things includes a government order to the Swedish Institute to develop a strategy for a “stronger and more positive image of Sweden,” focusing on innovation and quality of life.
Partnerships with business sector
Finally, the last measure listed in the opinion piece is increased partnerships with the business sector, with the authors writing that “business and politics need to have a close dialogue.”
As part of this, they state that the government will hold “regular advisory talent forums” with relevant groups in order to make sure that reforms meet the needs of Swedish companies.
What do you think? Do you agree with Forssell's nine measures or is there anything else you would add? Let us know in the comments (please note that the iOS app is currently experiencing tech glitches which cause some comments to disappear – we're working on fixing this and in the meantime comments should all be visible on desktop computers and the Android app).
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