Forced Migration in the OIC Member Countries:
Policy Framework Adopted by Host Countries
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The new law has been the subject of extensive criticism by service providers and civil society
groups who are concerned the new policies will affect the ability of recognized refugees to
integrate into Swedish society and become self-sufficient.155 The switch to temporary status
has been seen as a point of particular concern. Without the prospect of staying in Sweden
permanently, some stakeholders fear that refugees may be less willing to invest in integrating
into their new communities or learning Swedish, while employers might hesitate to hire
protection beneficiaries who may be required to leave the country in a year. The requirement
to demonstrate self-sufficiency to access permanent residency or reunify with family has also
come under criticism. Refugee advocacy groups and local authorities have expressed concerns
that refugees may feel pressure to take any job, rather than investing in learning Swedish or
waiting for their credentials to be recognized (which currently can take more than a year). The
self-sufficiency requirements also have the potential to increase the dependence of protection
beneficiaries on employers, creating the risk of exploitation.
Separately, the new policies may affect the efficiency of the Swedish asylum system itself by
increasing the processing and adjudication demands placed on asylum authorities. The switch
to temporary residency for protection beneficiaries is particularly of concern. For subsidiary
protection beneficiaries in particular, asylum authorities will now be required to reassess
each claim every thirteen months, whereas under the permanent residency system, claims
were only assessed once. The fact that the law only applies to applications after November
2015 also complicates procedures, as asylum authorities will now be required to assess claims
according to two different standards, making it more difficult to streamline procedures. The
Migration Agency has estimated that processing times for asylum applicants may rise further
as a result of the new law, possibly reaching 1.5 to 2 years. For forced migrants, longer
processing times can create hardship by exposing them to further uncertainty and delaying
their integration into their new communities.
3.5.3. Policies with an Impact on Poverty Alleviation
Despite extensive rights and social supports offered to asylum seekers and recognized
protection beneficiaries, many still find themselves at risk of poverty and social isolation and
struggle find employment and become self-supporting. Incomes remain low. A recent review
of data from the Swedish Tax Authority and the National Board of Health and Welfare found
that among refugees who arrived in 2004 and had been in the country for 10 years, median
income for adults was just SEK 13,000 (approximately USD 1600) per month.156
The government has thus invested in an extensive range of policies and support programs in
an effort to improve these outcomes. Refugees and other protection beneficiaries are given
financial support, called an "introduction benefit," of SEK 308 (approximately USD 40) per day
per person that is intended to cover basic living expenses during beneficiaries’ first two years
in Sweden. Beneficiaries are expected to learn Swedish and make an effort to find work while
receiving the introduction benefit (assistance in doing so is part of an individualized
"introduction plan"), and the benefit can be reduced if beneficiaries do not fulfill these
155 The concerns discussed here draw on the following: Interview with Jennie Larsson, Integration Researcher, Swedish
Employment Service, April 13, 2016; interview with Ewa Jonsson, Senior Advisor on Migration, and Alexandra Segenstedt,
Expert on Family Reunification, Swedish Red Cross, April 12, 2016; and interview with George Joseph, Director for
Migration, Caritas Sweden, April 13, 2016.
156 Kristoffer Örstadius, “Ten Years Later and Every Other Person Earns Less than 13,000 SEK per Month,” Dagens Nyheter,
March 4, 2015,
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