Many more permits issues to non EU citizens to work in Sweden

Sunday, 08 April 2012
During the first quarter of this year, the number work permits issued to foreigners (non-EU workers) to work in Sweden increased by 20 percent. Highly educated are said to be the ones recruited as never before by Swedish companies. However, there were declines in the industries that now have stricter rules.

Figures which the Swedish news network, TT, analysed show that 3833 workers from outside the EU obtained a Swedish work permit in the first quarter of this year. That is up from 3205 permits the same period last year, an increase of 20 percent.

The increase has been driven by demand for computer specialists, engineers, civil engineers and architects. The largest countries of origin of the workers are India, China and Ukraine.

Since December 2008, Swedish employers were made to decide who they want to employ which means that they could go abroad to look for skills even if those skills lay here at home idle.
The Swedish Immigration Service only issue work permits for certain controlled area.
Inappropriate use of labour occurred in the berry picking areas and this made the government to issue tougher guidelines as such permits in that section has declined sharply.

From January this year, there was the same rules - including that employer must show that salaries, insurance, taxes and charges are payable in three months - in eight industries which have been problematic. These are cleaning, hospitality and construction - all of which decreases sharply during the first quarter.

Swedish economy fared relatively well from the crisis in the world, and that Swedish companies demanded more highly trained scared skills in a large number.

Number of work permits granted to non EU work force
Occupational group	1st quarter 2011	1st quarter 2012	Change in percent
Computing professionals	691	1018	+47
Engineers and technicians	66	167	+153
Architects, engineers and others	135	201	+49
Artistic, entertainment and sports professionals and others	173	212	+23
Housekeeping and restaurant services workers	345	312	-10
Kitchen and restaurant helpers	211	197	-7
Cleaner with several	222	198	-11
Building and construction workers	110	88	-20

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