The government is proposing a new law for the reception of asylum seekers. The idea is that all asylum seekers, including those who have been rejected, will live in reception and return centers.
Today, asylum seekers have the right to settle wherever they want in Sweden. This became possible when the EBO Act was introduced in the mid-1990s. However, according to the Tidöpartierna, the law has had negative consequences, such as exclusion, overcrowding and segregation.
In a system where 14 people can live in a two-room apartment, where the children have to do their homework outside in the stairwell, it won't be good, and there are important reasons why we are now changing this, says Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M).
Do not leave the county
Today, around 8,000 people are registered in the Swedish Migration Agency's reception system and, according to Forssell, most of them already live in the Swedish Migration Agency's accommodation.
The new law will also restrict how asylum seekers are allowed to move around the country. As a general rule, they will not be allowed to leave the county where they have been placed. They will also be subject to presence checks or reporting obligations. For example, those who have been rejected will have to report to the accommodation three times a week.
This is to ensure that they actually live in the place they have been assigned, says SD's migration policy spokesperson Ludvig Aspling.
Anyone who does not comply with the obligations may lose their right to benefits, and in some cases the asylum application may be considered withdrawn.
Coming into effect this fall
Johan Forssell emphasizes that asylum seekers have previously "disappeared by the thousands" during the asylum process.
This new law will make it easier to get in touch to provide support, help and advice - and to ensure that those who are going to return home actually do so and do not go underground.
The proposals also mean that asylum seekers will not have the right to work while their asylum application is being processed. However, if a decision has not been issued after six months, asylum seekers who meet other requirements will be able to obtain permission to work.
The legislative amendments are proposed to enter into force on October 1, 2026.
