Author
Up until 20 July 2016, the vast majority of residence permits granted to persons in need of international protection or with humanitarian grounds were all permanent. They could, in principle, only be withdrawn if a person spent a major part of their time in another country or if a person was charged with a serious crime that involved deportation. Occasionally temporary permits were granted, mainly for medical reasons or for temporary hindrances to expulsion.
A new system was introduced in July 2016[1] initially with the adoption of a temporary law.[2] The government expressed that the law was proposed in order to deter asylum seekers from coming to Sweden.[3] After a Cross-party Committee of Inquiry, on 22 June 2021 the Swedish Parliament voted in favour of introducing the proposed changes to the Aliens Act, which came into force on 20 July 2021. According to the changes introduced, temporary residence permits are the general rule for beneficiaries of international protection; while resettled refugees are granted permanent permits. Residence permits should remain limited to three years for refugees and 13 months for subsidiary protection status holders, in both cases extendable by two years subject to a new assessment. Beneficiaries of international protection can get permanent residence permits after having a temporary permit for at least three years, but need to demonstrate their ability to provide for themselves and, already as of the age of 15, so-called ‘good conduct’, i.e. can be expected to have an honest, non-criminal, lifestyle.[4] The condition to provide for oneself does not apply to children, persons who are eligible for retirement pensions, or if there are other particular reasons.
On 9 April 2025, an official inquiry presented its first report on the discard of permanent residence permit and certain adjustments to match the minimum level as established in the EU Pact on migration and asylum.[5]
The Inquiry proposed establishing an arrangement with only temporary residence permits for refugees or persons eligible for subsidiary protection, resettlement (i.e., quota refugees), long-term residents and aliens who were granted residence permits based on exceptionally distressing circumstances, and for certain cases of impediments to enforcement. The Inquiry proposed that those covered by the proposals on phasing out the possibility of being granted a permanent residence permit should be able to obtain Swedish citizenship if they have reasonable prospects of obtaining the right of permanent residence.
The Inquiry also proposed introducing provisions that would make it possible to reject an asylum application in all situations where this is allowed under the APR. The Inquiry proposed introducing provisions that make it possible for the Swedish Migration Agency to declare an asylum application manifestly unfounded in all situations permitted under the APR.
On 26 September 2025, the same official inquiry as mentioned above presented its final report,“Changning of permanent residence permit for certain Aliens (SOU 2025:99)”.[6]
The Inquiry proposed introducing a special act on the revocation of permanent residence permits. The act would cover all aliens who have been granted permanent residence permits based on their refugee status, are eligible for subsidiary protection, have resettled in Sweden (i.e., as quota refugees), are long-term residents of Sweden or have been granted permanent residence permits on the grounds of exceptionally distressing circumstances or in cases of certain impediments to enforcement. The main rule according to the proposed act is that a permanent residence permit covered by the act should be revoked and replaced by a temporary residence permit, if the relevant conditions are met. The Inquiry proposed introducing an exemption according to which permanent residence permits would not be revoked for aliens who have initiated the process to obtain Swedish citizenship within a certain period of time and have not been denied citizenship through a decision that has become final and non-appealable.
On 21 November 2023, the Swedish Government instructed an official report of the Government to present an overview of the legal possibilities to deny and withdraw residence permits due to “vandel” / dishonourable conduct or other reasons. The inquiry presented its findings on 1 April 2025. The inquiry proposes, among other things, that a fundamental requirement of good conduct be reintroduced into the Aliens Act for the assessment of whether an individual should be permitted to enter or reside in Sweden. It also proposes that an individual’s conduct may constitute grounds for refusing or revoking a residence permit not based on EU law. Beneficiaries of international protection are thereby not included in the personal scope of the proposed new requirement for good conduct. Examples cited include unwillingness to pay debts, abuse of the welfare system, or other forms of non-compliance with regulations. It may also concern close associations with criminal networks or violent extremist organisations. The amendments are proposed to enter into force on 1 July 2026. [7] In October 2025, the Government proposed additional legislative changes to also include cases regarding family reunification when the applicant does not fulfil the requirement of good conduct and when the residence permit is not based on EU law.
If a person is considered to be a refugee, they will receive a refugee status declaration. If they are considered to be a person in need of subsidiary protection, they will receive a subsidiary protection status declaration.
Convention refugees are granted a three-year temporary permit with the right to Family reunification. Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection are granted an initial period of 13 months temporary residence permit. A condition for family reunification is that the sponsor should have “well-founded” prospects of being granted a residence permit “for a longer time”. The residence permit can be extended another two years if protection grounds persist. The temporary residence permit gives holders the right to live and work in Sweden for the duration of the permit. During that period the person has the same right to medical care as a person with a permanent residence permit.
A temporary residence permit may be granted when the circumstances in the case are exceptionally distressing.[8] The circumstances regarding the applicant’s health condition, their private life in Sweden, and the situation in their country of origin should be taken into account when assessing this ground for a residence permit. The initial temporary permit is granted for thirteen months and could be prolonged for two years if the grounds persist.
666 first time applicants were granted permits for exceptionally distressing circumstances in 2025.[9]
Temporary residence permits give the person the right to live and work in Sweden for thirteen months. During that time, they have the same right to medical care as a person with a permanent residence permit. The person’s family is eligible for residence permits to join the sponsor in Sweden only in exceptional cases.
In 2025 the Swedish Migration Agency granted residence permits in 1,957 first time asylum applications, in comparison to 3,459 in 2024 and 4,197 in 2023. [10]
The vast majority of beneficiaries of international protection applying for a renewal of their temporary residence permits have had it granted. In 2025, the Swedish Migration Agency received 59,475 applications and took decisions in 57,539 cases. However, this statistic includes 36,968 decisions to renew temporary protection permits. The acceptance rates in cases examined on the merits was 99%. Besides Ukrainians, who were granted temporary protection, the majority of decisions concerned Syrians (4.982 decisions, of which 4,636 were granted, or 97 % of those tried on the merits), Afghans (3,670 decisions, of which 3,402 were granted, or 95 % of those tried on the merits), Eritreans (2,566 decisions, of which 2,476 were granted, or 99 % of those tried on the merits), Stateless persons (1,653 decisions, of which 1,563 were granted, or 98 % of those tried on the merits). The average processing time for applications to extend residence permits based on protection status was 164 days in 2025.[11]
[1] For further details see AIDA, Country Report Sweden, 2021 Update, May 2022, available here, 101.
[2] Lag om tillfälliga begränsningar av möjligheten att få uppehållstillstånd i Sverige, 2016:752, available here.
[3] Government of Sweden, Temporary restrictions regarding the possibility of being granted a residence permit in Sweden, 22 June 2016, available in Swedish here.
[4] SOU 2020:54, En långsiktigt hållbar migrationspolitik, available in Swedish here, page 25-28.
[5] Utmönstring av permanent uppehållstillstånd och vissa anpassningar till miniminivån enligt EU:s migrations- och asylpakt (SOU 2025:31), available here.
[6] Ändring av permanent uppehållstillstånd för vissa utlänningar (SOU 2025:99)
[7] Government, ”Skärpta och tydligare krav på vandel för uppehållstillstånd”, SOU 2025:33 , 1 April 2025, available in Swedish Skärpta och tydligare krav på vandel för uppehållstillstånd – Regeringen.se.
[8] Aliens Act Chapter 5, Section 6.
[9] Swedish Migration Agency, Monthly statistical report December 2025.
[10] Swedish Migration Agency Monthly statistical report, December 2025.
[11] SMA Monthly report 2023.