New residence permit proposal for international recruits’ teenage children

A new proposal by a government inquiry could solve the current deportation issue for international recruits and their families who relocated to Sweden when the children were already teenagers.

Deportation of children of international recruits has become an issue in Sweden since the Aliens Act of 2021 came into force. As previously reported in our blog, once children turn 18, they are considered to be adult and therefore no longer eligible to receive residence permits as dependents if their parents have permanent residence permits. This change is increasingly catching out internationals working in Sweden who arrived with children between the ages of 14 and 17 years. As most 18 years in Sweden still attend high school, this is particularly problematic.

A recent government-appointed inquiry has proposed a law change which might put an end to so-called ‘teen deportations’, according to a report in Swedish news outlet www.TheLocal.se

“Children [of permit holders] who came to Sweden as children and were granted residence permits based on their relationship to their parents should be able to be granted an extension to their residence permit when they become adults, for a limited time, in certain cases,” according to Ingrid Utne, the head of the inquiry.

“This means that a young adult who still lives at home and who still has a clear reliance on their parents will have the possibility of being granted an extension to their residence permit for a transitional period.”

This proposal was put forward by the inquiry with a proposed implementation date of January 1st, 2027. However, this has not yet been formally proposed as a law.

The inquiry report proposes that the rules should be changed so that it is possible for young adults who were previously granted residence permits as children but who have turned 18 before their permit is renewed to be granted extensions. The adult child should “be part of the same household as the key person [i.e. the person in Sweden their permit is tied to] to qualify, and there should be a reliant relationship between the relatives,” which can be undertood to mean that they still live with their parents and receive financial support from them.

It also proposed that this period be considered a transitional period, and that adult children should be expected to fulfil the requirements for a permit on their own terms at some point. A specific age or time limit by which adult children should be able to qualify for a permit by themselves was not proposed.

Wondering about the options for your international recruits and their longer term options in Sweden?

For consultations on Swedish work and residence permits and available paths for international recruits and their families, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

(Photo credit: Lieselotte van der Meijs/imagebank.sweden.se)

Relocate to Sweden provides expert advice and hands-on help for companies recruiting internationally or transferring staff to Sweden. We help your international recruits with the entire relocation process including immigration, home finding, tax consultancy, registration with Swedish authorities, schools, health care and intercultural training. We also provide private relocation services. Email us at info@relocatetosweden.com or call us on +46 8 361011 if you would like help. You can also read more about our relocation services at www.relocatetosweden.com or follow us on social media for tips and advice.