Main ministry
The Ministry is responsible for migration and asylum policy. This covers refugee and immigration policy, return policy, support for repatriation and the policy area dealing with the connection between migration and development.
It also includes cooperation at the international level on these issues.
Other Ministries
The Ministry is responsible for labour market policy. It covers matters concerning employment offices, implementation of labour market policies, adaptation of work and rehabilitation focusing on working life, as well as other labour market issues relating, among other things, to people with disabilities and unemployment benefit.
It is also responsible for labour issues such as working hours, working environment, the organisation of work and labour legislation and continuing professional development.
Ministry of Education and Research
The Ministry is responsible for issues concerning child care, preschool classes, compulsory and equivalent types of school, independent schools, school-age child care, upper secondary school, local authority adult education, advanced vocational education, supplementary educational programmes, popular adult education, the university and higher education system, research, financial support to students and student welfare issues.
It is also responsible for civil society policy, youth policy and gender equality.
The Swedish Higher Education Authority (Universitetskanslersämbetet) and the Swedish Council for Higher Education (Universitets- och högskolerådet) are responsible for higher education institutions.
The Ministry is responsible for foreign and security policy and for issues relating to international development cooperation. It is also responsible for human rights policy, security and trade policies.
Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
The areas of responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs relate to social welfare: financial security, social services, medical and health care, health promotion and the rights of children and disabled people.
The Ministry of Finance is responsible for matters relating to economic policy, the central government budget, taxes, banking, security and insurance, international economic work, central, regional and local government. It is also responsible for interaction in the global economy. It covers international economic and financial cooperation and questions associated with the EU's monetary union.
decentralised entities
The Swedish Police
The Swedish Police is in charge of security, safety and crime prevention.
implementing agencies
The Migration Agency is responsible for migration, refugees, repatriation and citizenship. It grants work and residence permits. It is in charge of refusal of entry, deportation and retrieving of permits. It carries out reception of residence permit holders and communication with the local governments where non-EU nationals are registered.
The Swedish Institute is responsible for spreading information about Sweden and organising exchanges with other countries in the spheres of culture education, research and public life in general. In doing so, it seeks to promote Swedish interests and contribute to economic growth.
key legislation
- Temporary law limiting the possibilities of being granted a residence permit in Sweden (2016)
- The Introduction Act - amendments and supplementary measures
- 'A new legislation' requiring identity controls at Swedish borders
- Amendment to the right to assistance under the Reception of Asylum Seekers Act (2016)
- Administrative Court Procedure Act (1971:291), 1971.
- Administrative Act (1986:223), 1986.
- Guarantee Pension Act (1998:702), 1998.
- Aliens Act (2005:716), 31 March 2006 (Aliens Act).
- Aliens Ordinance (2006:97), 23 February 2006 (Aliens Ordinance).
- Proposition 1988/89:86 on a revision of the Aliens Act, 1989 (Prop. 1988/89:86).
- Proposition 1996/97:25 on Swedish migration policy from a global perspective, 1996 (Prop. 1996/97:25).
- Proposition 1999/2000:43 on the right of residence for the purpose of family reunification, 2000 (Prop. 1999/2000:43).
- Consult Swedish law online