WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE SWEDISH MIGRATION AGENCY

Any collaborative relationship is based on trust and accountability to be successful. 

Firstly, I would like to give credit where credit is due. The Migration Agency is in our opinion the best government authority that we work with. 

Why? 

  1. During the pandemic, it was clear that they have come a long way with the digitization
  2. In spite of Covid-19, it was business as usual
  3. While many countries had special Covid-19 rules and exceptions Sweden didn’t. We were surprised at that and sometimes we wished that they would have, yet they provided certainty in the process. Our expectations were set, there was no room left for interpretations, guesstimates, or wishful thinking. 
  4. They have seen the advantage of having certified partners like ourselves in order to get perfect applications. When we were offered, as the first company, to get the fast track service they said “You are our filter and you have a record of 100% perfect applications”. They understand the value of excellent input as it saves them time. 
  5. Professional and timely (for the most part) response times. 

So why do we have a great working relationship with the Swedish Migration Agency? 

Firstly, we have had 26 years to learn what is important to them. We give them what they need, in the format they want and we dig deep into the law. We basically don’t waste their time. 

Secondly, we provide answers to questions that we anticipate that they will have so they don’t have to ask. We do this to ensure that our clients get their talents on the ground without delay. 

Reading up on immigration during the 20th Century gives an interesting perspective on what we are doing. How the Swedish government recruited factory workers from all over Europe after the war and for decades after that. The role of the unions and their opinion on foreign workers. We also understand the underlying reasons why questions are being asked and why the documentation needs to be of a certain standard. 

While we would like to see a more business-oriented approach for immigration, that is in the hands of the government. The Migration Agency’s mission is to make sure that work permit applicants and their families should be fairly treated in Sweden. There’s a number of things that are in place to safeguard that. 

The FastTrack possibility is of course important to our clients. 

The difference between getting a decision within 10 days versus 4-9 months is of course essential. Few companies know what skills they will need way in advance, nor is a talent looking for a job that far into the future. Recruitment and planning is more á la minute. 

When we sub-certify client companies we do a due diligence on the finances; 

Are they fully registered as employers? Is a solid business plan in place? Are there any questions that the Migration Agency is likely to ask? 

After we send the application to the Migration Agency they do an even deeper search since they have access to data that we don’t. Sometimes, but very rarely, are we surprised that a company is denied the opportunity to have a fasttrack if they have a recurring need. Typically, the agency has access to data we don’t. It can be information from Europol or interpol or the Swedish secret service. Once, we came across a company that looked good on paper but they were selling work permits, that’s not something we can find out about unless it has gone to court, but the Migration Agency knows. What wasn’t mentioned to us was that they already had a number of denials and were under investigation. 

So, having great respect for the mission of the Migration Agency, we work with them to explain, present an application that is acceptable. 

Like our contact said at the meeting in 2011 when we were certified, “You are our filter and quality control” and we earn that status every day, with every application and for every client we commit to helping start a new life and help a company in Sweden. 

In the last year we have sent out frequent NewsAlerts with changes in travel restriction and other matters that are important for our clients that bring talent to Sweden. Do you want to get that too? Let us know!

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