The Swedish government has bowed to pressure over the controversial so-called “teen deportations” and on Monday presented a new solution. Critics, however, remain unimpressed: the risk, they argue, is that today’s teenagers will simply become tomorrow’s 21-year-olds facing deportation orders.
The Tidö parties and the Sweden Democrats on Monday unveiled a new plan aimed at stopping the much-debated deportations of young adults. After months of criticism from the opposition and Swedish media, the age limit in certain family reunification cases will now be raised from 18 to 21, while a special “safety valve” will be introduced for young people who have already received deportation orders.
The issue came to public attention following a series of legal changes that tightened Sweden’s immigration rules. Residence permits are now temporary and must be renewed after three years. In 2023, the possibility of remaining in Sweden due to “particularly distressing circumstances” was also abolished. As a result, children of parents with residence permits must apply for their own permits once they turn 18.
Exception for young adults
The proposal presented on Monday would allow young adults between the ages of 18 and 21 to obtain residence permits based on their ties to their parents, even after reaching adulthood. The new rules will also apply to individuals who have received deportation orders from January 1, 2025, onward.
In some cases, people who have already left Sweden will be allowed to reapply, while those covered by the new rules will also be permitted to submit residence permit applications from within Sweden. Under normal circumstances, applicants must apply before entering Sweden or leave the country and apply from abroad before returning.
– This is a more legally complex situation, but we have been eager to find a solution for them as well, said Migration Minister Johan Forssell of the Moderate Party.
“An important reform”
Forssell described the decision as an important reform and stressed that it does not constitute any form of amnesty. Instead, he compared the measure to the so-called Upper Secondary School Act, a temporary law introduced for young migrants without asylum grounds who arrived during the 2015–2016 migration crisis.
– This is a good day for Swedish migration policy, Forssell said during the presentation.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also welcomed the agreement.
– We have agreed on a solution that I believe is a good one, he said.
The Sweden Democrats, however, are less enthusiastic. According to the party’s migration spokesperson Ludvig Aspling, they would have preferred not to include such a “safety valve” at all. At the same time, he emphasized that the measure concerns a relatively small group of individuals who are generally well established in Swedish society.
– It is very limited, and it concerns a small group that causes no problems, Aspling said.
Retreat after heavy criticism
The issue of teen deportations has become one of the most high-profile migration debates in Sweden this spring. Several cases involving young adults facing deportation despite their parents being allowed to remain in the country have sparked strong public reactions.
As early as March, the Tidö parties announced that the deportations would be paused pending new legislation. The Swedish Migration Agency subsequently halted certain rejection decisions while the government worked on a solution.
Political commentators have described the new agreement as a clear retreat from the government’s previous position. According to several analyses, it became increasingly difficult for the government to defend the deportations as individual stories gained widespread media attention.
Opposition: The problem is not solved
Despite the government’s change of course, the proposal continues to face criticism from opposition parties, which argue that the changes are either insufficient or too late.
Critics contend that while the reform postpones deportations, it does not necessarily resolve the situation for the young people involved. Once they turn 21, many may still face deportation unless they meet employment requirements or qualify for another type of residence permit.
– Raising the age limit for family reunification to 21 does not solve the problem unless the rules for studies and employment are changed. The risk is simply that teenage deportations will become deportations of 21-year-olds instead, said Centre Party migration spokesperson Niels Paarup-Petersen.
Left Party migration spokesperson Tony Haddou argues that the fundamental problem is that young people are unable to obtain permanent residence permits.
– We want these deportations of teenagers to be stopped permanently. But the government offers no guarantees that these young people will be allowed to stay, he said.
– And if you apply from outside Sweden, how obvious is it that you will be able to return?
To take effect after the election
The proposal is expected to be submitted to the Swedish Parliament during the summer and is scheduled to enter into force on October 1, 2026. This means that the reform will not take effect until after Sweden’s parliamentary election this autumn.
The issue therefore appears set to remain part of the election campaign in the months ahead.