New petition calls on Swedish government to protect track changers' work permits
spårbyte
('track change'), an immigration path which has previously meant that rejected asylum seekers could receive a work permit without having to leave the country to apply, provided they met all the other work permit requirements.
But
no transitional rules have been put in place
, which means that even people who have chosen this path in the past won't be able to extend their current temporary work permit when it's due to expire, unless they first leave Sweden and apply from abroad.
A
new petition is now urging the government
to quickly roll out transitional rules to protect the immigration status of those who already live and work in Sweden.
'Many of us are employed in key sectors such as construction, restaurants, healthcare, and IT. We pay taxes, support ourselves, and contribute to the economy. Suddenly being expelled is not only unjust but also a major mistake for Swedish society,' reads the petition, which had by noon on March 18th gained more than 2,000 signatures.
The Migration Agency estimates that around 4,700 people living in Sweden will be affected by the abolition of track changes, which will not only force former asylum seekers who have used this option to leave the country, but also their families.
'Despite the economic crisis, inflation, and bankruptcies in 2023, we have managed to live and work with dignity in Sweden. Many of us have families, children who were born and raised here, and strong ties to Swedish society. Forcing us to leave now is not only cruel but also unnecessary,' argue the petition writers, who have also set up a Facebook group.
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The rule change will only affect people who have switched from the "asylum track" to the "work permit track". It won't affect people who have changed their permits on other grounds, or asylum seekers who have changed to a permit for studies or research.
The Migration Agency's deputy task manager for work permits, Hanna Geurtsen, said in a statement that the agency would examine whether applicants have other grounds for a residency permit or whether there are reasons for not enforcing deportation.
'But most people who have been granted a residence permit on the basis of work through a so-called change of track will have to leave Sweden when their current permit expires,' she said after parliament voted through the government's bill.
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