2025-11-192025/26:UbU4 · p.3UbUEducation
Sfi and vocational training
The possibility of combining Swedish-for-immigrants (sfi) with vocational training
What's at stake: Being able to combine sfi with vocational training has proven to be a route to both employment and integration, while also helping meet skills needs in the labour market. If the ability to combine the two forms of instruction is weakened, it risks creating lock-in effects, where newly arrived immigrants hesitate to take a job or vocational course for fear of losing their entitlement to sfi.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government should take specific steps to strengthen and safeguard the ability to combine sfi with vocational training, or whether the proposed tightening of sfi - with a clearer timeframe and more cohesive instruction - already provides sufficient conditions for such a combination without further initiatives.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions. The reason is that the proposed tightening - a clearer and more cohesive timeframe for sfi along with the possibility of an extension for special reasons - is judged by the committee to provide sufficient flexibility for different groups of students, so no further formal statement specifically safeguarding the combination with vocational training is considered necessary.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (S, V, MP)
The reservation (S, V, MP) calls for the government to take action to keep strengthening the possibility of combining sfi with vocational training. The reasoning is that an overly rigid time limit for sfi risks undermining flexibility and thereby the ability of sfi and vocational training to contribute to skills provision, jobs and integration, and that the system must remain flexible to avoid lock-in effects where people forgo work so as not to lose their entitlement to sfi.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 2 by S, V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/18/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 19/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 61/0/0/11 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motions 2025/26:319 by Åsa Westlund et al. (S) amendment 3, 2025/26:357 by Camilla Hansén et al. (MP) amendment 2, and 2025/26:3810 by Anders Ygeman et al. (S) amendment 75.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:319 av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S) yrkande 3, 2025/26:357 av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 2 och 2025/26:3810 av Anders Ygeman m.fl. (S) yrkande 75.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved the government's proposal to strengthen requirements in municipal adult education in Swedish for immigrants (sfi). The proposals entail essentially the following: The right to participate in sfi shall apply for three years from the time the person was first admitted to the education, with certain possibilities for extension. The municipality shall establish an action plan for its efforts to reach the persons in the municipality who have the right to sfi. A person who has the right to sfi shall have the right to participate in the education in another municipality than their home municipality, if the person based on their personal circumstances has special grounds. When a person is admitted to sfi, their knowledge shall be assessed, unless such an assessment is obviously unnecessary. The result of the assessment shall form the basis for the individual study plan. The individual study plan for a student in sfi shall contain information about the time the student was first admitted to the education. The purpose of the government's proposal is, among other things, to make sfi education more efficient and coherent so that more individuals acquire sufficient knowledge of Swedish for further studies or to establish themselves in the labor market. The legislative changes come into force on January 1, 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the right to sfi to extend for four years with the possibility of extension by one year at a time. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 2
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan demands a strong welfare state that gives everyone language skills and practical opportunities to work on the same secure terms as others, and an education system with good opportunities for learning throughout life.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands a strong welfare state that gives everyone language skills and practical opportunities to work on the same secure terms as others, and an education system with good opportunities for learning throughout life. Further measures to combine SFI with vocational training respond directly to that, while rigid time limits risk excluding those who need the most time. The counter-proposal's demands therefore lie in line with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver ett starkt välfärdssamhälle som ger alla språkkunskaper och praktiska möjligheter att arbeta på samma trygga villkor som andra, och ett utbildningssystem med goda möjligheter till lärande genom hela livet. Ytterligare åtgärder för att kombinera sfi med yrkesutbildning svarar direkt mot det, medan rigida tidsgränser riskerar att stänga ute dem som behöver mest tid. Motförslagets krav ligger därför i linje med planen.
- language skills and work for alldecisive»För att det ska fungera praktiskt behövs också ett starkt välfärdssamhälle som ger alla språkkunskaper och praktiska möjligheter att arbeta och leva på samma trygga villkor som andra.« (party programme ↗)“For it to work in practice, there also needs to be a strong welfare state that gives everyone language skills and practical opportunities to work and live on the same secure terms as others.”
- learning throughout life»Utbildningsystemet behöver svara mot människors långsiktiga behov i ett föränderligt arbetsliv, med breda kunskaper under uppväxten och goda möjligheter till lärande genom hela livet.« (party programme ↗)“The education system needs to meet people's long term needs in a changing working life, with broad knowledge during growth and good opportunities for learning throughout life.”
- easier to educate yourself»Det måste bli lättare att utbilda sig efter grundskolan oavsett vem du är, tjockleken på din plånbok eller var i landet du bor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It must become easier to educate yourself after compulsory school regardless of who you are, the thickness of your wallet or where in the country you live.”
flags: citat_migrerat
The election manifesto explicitly establishes that being able to learn a trade alongside Swedish language studies is one way to increase the chance of getting a job.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly establishes that being able to learn a trade alongside Swedish language studies is one way to increase the chance of getting a job. The party programme demands better opportunities for foreign-born people to learn Swedish and achieve self-support. Further measures to strengthen the combination of Swedish for immigrants and vocational education follow directly from this, and a rigid time limit risks lock-in effects that the plan wants to avoid. The counter-proposal is supported.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår uttryckligen fast att kunna lära sig ett yrke parallellt med studier i svenska är ett sätt att öka chansen att få jobb. Partiprogrammet kräver bättre möjligheter för utlandsfödda att lära sig svenska och nå självförsörjning. Ytterligare åtgärder för att stärka kombinationen sfi och yrkesutbildning följer direkt av detta, och en rigid tidsgräns riskerar inlåsningseffekter som planen vill undvika. Motförslaget stöds.
- trade alongside Swedishdecisive»Att kunna lära sig ett yrke parallellt med studier i svenska är ytterligare ett sätt att öka chansen att få jobb.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Being able to learn a trade alongside Swedish language studies is one more way to increase the chance of getting a job.”
- Swedish and self-support»Bättre möjligheter för utlandsfödda att lära sig svenska och nå självförsörjning.« (party programme ↗)“Better opportunities for foreign-born people to learn Swedish and achieve self-support.”
- better support in language learning»Bättre stöd och högre krav för att alla i Sverige ska lära sig svenska och få god« (party programme ↗)“Better support and higher demands so that everyone in Sweden learns Swedish and receives good”
- foreign-born women in work»Fler insatser krävs för att utlandsfödda kvinnor ska komma i arbete« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More efforts are needed for foreign-born women to come into work”
The election manifesto explicitly wants to strengthen establishment through SFI combined with practical training and vocational education and extend the establishment programme to at least four years.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly wants to strengthen establishment through SFI combined with practical training and vocational education and extend the establishment programme to at least four years. The counter-proposal's demands for additional measures to protect the combination of SFI and vocational education, and its criticism of rigid time limits, coincide with that commitment. The plan also emphasizes Swedish language as a key to community membership and that the education system should not have dead ends.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill uttryckligen stärka etableringen genom sfi kombinerad med praktik och yrkesutbildning och förlänga etableringsprogrammet till minst fyra år. Motförslagets krav på ytterligare åtgärder för att värna kombinationen sfi och yrkesutbildning, och dess kritik mot rigida tidsgränser, sammanfaller med det åtagandet. Planen betonar också svenska språket som nyckel till samhällsgemenskapen och att utbildningssystemet inte ska ha återvändsgränder.
- SFI combined with vocational educationdecisive»stärk utrikesfödda kvinnors etablering genom SFI kombinerad med praktik och yrkesutbildning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen foreign-born women's establishment through SFI combined with practical training and vocational education”
- longer establishment period»förlänga etableringsprogrammet för nyanlända till minst fyra år« (2022 manifesto ↗)“extend the establishment programme for newly arrived to at least four years”
- language as key»språket är en nyckel för att bli en del av samhällsgemenskapen« (party programme ↗)“language is a key to becoming part of community membership”
- education for the job market»Vi vill investera i utbildning och omskolning som gör det möjligt för fler att ta de jobb« (party programme ↗)“We want to invest in education and retraining that makes it possible for more to take the jobs”
The plan wants those who receive residence permits to integrate quickly and support themselves through intensive language studies, practice and employment, and that the education system to a greater extent be based on the labour market's needs.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants those who receive residence permits to integrate quickly and support themselves through intensive language studies, practice and employment, and that the education system to a greater extent be based on the labour market's needs. Further measures to combine Swedish language instruction with vocational training serve exactly that purpose and prevent lock-in effects where someone refrains from work. The counter-proposal's demand thus aligns with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att den som får uppehållstillstånd snabbt integreras och försörjer sig själv genom en kombination av intensiva språkstudier, praktik och jobb, och att utbildningssystemet i högre grad utgår från arbetsmarknadens behov. Ytterligare åtgärder för att kombinera sfi med yrkesutbildning tjänar just det syftet och motverkar inlåsningseffekter där någon avstår från arbete. Motförslagets krav ligger därför i linje med planen.
- fast integration to self-supportdecisive»Skapa ett intensivår för snabbare integration. Den som får uppehållstillstånd ska snabbt integreras och ges möjlighet att försörja sig själv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Create an intensive year for faster integration. Those who receive residence permits shall integrate quickly and be given the opportunity to support themselves.”
- education based on labour market needs»Utbildningssystemet behöver i betydligt större utsträckning utgå från arbetsmarknadens behov.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The education system needs to be based to a significantly greater extent on the labour market's needs.”
- vocational training linked to jobs»Lärlings- och yrkesutbildningar kopplade till arbetsmarknadens behov är viktigt.« (party programme ↗)“Apprenticeship and vocational training linked to labour market needs are important.”
- foreign-born on labour market»Fler utrikes födda kvinnor måste få en chans att jobba, lära sig svenska och till fullo komma in i det svenska samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More foreign-born women must get a chance to work, learn Swedish and fully enter Swedish society.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants to increase demands and quality in SFI but at the same time offer more flexible forms for teaching, and requires that Swedish teaching is combined with incentives to self-support.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to increase demands and quality in SFI but at the same time offer more flexible forms for teaching, and requires that Swedish teaching is combined with incentives to self-support. The counter-proposal's demands for further measures to combine SFI with vocational training respond to both these commitments. The plan also wants to expand vocational training in shortage occupations and make use of qualifications through validation.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill öka kraven och kvaliteten i sfi men samtidigt erbjuda fler flexibla former för undervisningen, och den kräver att svenskundervisningen kombineras med drivkrafter till egen försörjning. Motförslagets krav på ytterligare åtgärder för att kombinera sfi med yrkesutbildning svarar mot båda dessa åtaganden. Planen vill också bygga ut yrkesutbildning i bristyrken och ta till vara kvalifikationer genom validering.
- flexible SFI with high demandsdecisive»öka kraven och kvaliteten i SFI och erbjuda fler flexibla former för undervisning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“increase demands and quality in SFI and offer more flexible forms for teaching”
- SFI linked to self-support»svenskundervisningen kombineras med drivkrafter till egen försörjning« (party programme ↗)“Swedish teaching is combined with incentives to self-support”
- vocational training in shortage occupations»kompletterande yrkesutbildningar i bristyrken samt en utbyggd yrkeshögskola med hög kvalitet.« (party programme ↗)“complementary vocational training in shortage occupations and an expanded vocational college of high quality.”
- validation of qualifications»Det ska finnas goda möjligheter att validera formella och informella« (party programme ↗)“There shall be good opportunities to validate formal and informal”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that immigrants' studies in Swedish be individually adapted and combined with workplace practice, and that jobs and language skills are the keys to integration.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that immigrants' studies in Swedish be individually adapted and combined with workplace practice, and that jobs and language skills are the keys to integration. The counter-proposal's demand for additional measures to combine SFI with vocational training is exactly such a link between language studies and working life. The plan furthermore requires well-developed adult education that meets the labour market's changing needs.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att invandrares studier i svenska är individanpassade och kombineras med praktik på arbetsplatser, och att jobb och språkkunskap är nycklarna till integration. Motförslagets krav på ytterligare åtgärder för att kombinera sfi med yrkesutbildning är just en sådan koppling mellan språkstudier och arbetsliv. Planen kräver dessutom en väl utbyggd vuxenutbildning som möter arbetsmarknadens skiftande behov.
- individually adapted studies with practicedecisive»Studierna bör vara individanpassade och kombineras med praktik på« (party programme ↗)“Studies should be individually adapted and combined with practice at”
- jobs and language provide integration»Jobb, kunskap i svenska språket och det civila samhället är viktiga nycklar till integration.« (party programme ↗)“Jobs, knowledge of the Swedish language and civil society are important keys to integration.”
- well-developed adult education»Det innebär att vuxenutbildningen ska vara väl utbyggd.« (party programme ↗)“This means that adult education shall be well-developed.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants to make Swedish for immigrants more effective and requires that someone new in Sweden makes themselves employable, with internships and better skills supply as tools.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to make Swedish for immigrants more effective and requires that someone new in Sweden makes themselves employable, with internships and better skills supply as tools. Measures that strengthen the possibility to combine Swedish for immigrants with vocational training and that avoid lock-in effects where individuals refrain from work are in line with that work line. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill göra sfi effektivare och kräver att den som är ny i Sverige gör sig anställningsbar, med praktikplatser och bättre kompetensförsörjning som verktyg. Åtgärder som stärker möjligheten att kombinera sfi med yrkesutbildning och som undviker inlåsningseffekter där individer avstår från arbete ligger i linje med den arbetslinjen. Planen ger därför stöd åt motförslagets krav.
- employability as a requirementdecisive»Genom att ställa krav på den som är ny i Sverige att göra sig anställningsbar tydliggörs att här räknar vi med att alla blir en del av samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“By placing demands on someone new in Sweden to make themselves employable it is clarified that here we count on everyone becoming part of society.”
- more effective Swedish for immigrants»Moderaterna vill därför göra SFI effektivare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderate Party therefore wants to make Swedish for immigrants more effective.”
- more internships»Bygga ut antalet praktikplatser med 30 000« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expand the number of internships by 30,000”
- supply of skills»Få på plats en nationell samordning över samhällets behov av antalet utbildningsplatser för att förbättra kompetensförsörjningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Put in place a national coordination of society's needs for the number of training places to improve the supply of skills”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan is based on a demand-based integration policy with a limit and wants to abolish ineffective integration programmes.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is based on a demand-based integration policy with a limit and wants to abolish ineffective integration programmes. The counter-proposal wants to soften the time limit for Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) and expand the combination tracks further, which extends the time in education instead of tightening the demands. The plan's support for labour-market-adapted education does not carry a demand for more flexible time limits.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger på en kravbaserad integrationspolitik med en bortre gräns och vill avskaffa ineffektiva integrationsprogram. Motförslaget vill mjuka upp tidsgränsen för sfi och bygga ut kombinationsspåren ytterligare, vilket förlänger tiden i utbildning i stället för att skärpa kraven. Planens stöd för arbetsmarknadsanpassad utbildning bär inte ett krav på mer flexibla tidsgränser.
- limit to integrationdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna strävar också efter en integrationspolitisk bortre gräns, som innebär att personer som inte lär sig svenska, inte vill arbeta och inte vill anpassa sig till våra normer och värderingar ska hjälpas att återvända hem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats also strive for a limit to integration policy, which means that persons who do not learn Swedish, do not want to work and do not want to adapt to our norms and values should be helped to return home.”
- away with ineffective programmes»Avskaffa ineffektiva arbetsmarknads- och integrationsprogram som är skapade för att dölja arbetslöshet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Abolish ineffective labour market and integration programmes that are designed to hide unemployment”
- demand-based integration»Införa en kravbaserad integrationspolitik« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a demand-based integration policy”
- education according to labour market needs»Utbilda efter de behov som finns på arbetsmarknaden« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Educate according to labour market needs”
Share and embed
Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:UbU4)
- Committee report full text (HD01UbU4)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:319 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:10 Skärpta krav i kommunal vuxenutbildning i svenska för invandrare (sfi) av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:357 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:10 Skärpta krav i kommunal vuxenutbildning i svenska för invandrare (sfi) av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3810 — Utgiftsområde 16 Utbildning och universitetsforskning av Anders Ygeman m.fl. (S)
- Proposition 2025/26:10 — Skärpta krav i kommunal vuxenutbildning i svenska för invandrare (sfi)
Source: The Swedish Parliament