On June 1st, the government and the Sweden Democrats announced their relief measures for young adults affected by the so-called "teen deportation" problem. Now the text of the law which includes those relief measures has been completed and the law has been submitted to the next step in Sweden's parliamentary process.
The issue of "teen deportations", which The Local first reported on in 2022, has been affecting young people who live in Sweden and whose parents have the right to be in Sweden, but who themselves do not meet the requirements for their own residence permit.
This means that when they turn 18 and are no longer treated as dependants of their parents, or if a parent switches away from a work permit (under which dependants can be up to 21 years old) to another type of residence status, they have risked deportation from Sweden.
In March the Tidö parties – which comprise the three government parties and the far-right Sweden Democrats – announced a u-turn on the issue, after several heart-rending cases got heavy coverage in the media, and in June they announced their relief measures.
It is these measures which have now been put forward in a formal bill to go through the parliamentary process.
The new law will change the Aliens Act to raise the age for a dependent from 18 to 21. This means that:
- Young adults who have been refused a permit and ordered to leave Sweden will be able to apply again for a permit as a dependant without first having to leave the country;
- Young people between the ages of 18 and 21 who have already been deported and left Sweden will be able to apply for a residence permit as a dependant from abroad; and
- Anyone who has had a residency permit in Sweden as a dependant at some point in the previous three years can apply for a permit on other grounds, such as work or study, without first having to leave Sweden.
These changes are included in a new law on stricter requirements for family reunion. The bill will be debated in parliament on August 12th and the vote on it will take place on August 13th.
If approved, it will come into force on October 1st.