2023-05-242022/23:SfU13 · p.1SfUMigration & social insurance
Track change
The National Audit Office's review of track-switching in the migration process
What's at stake: The decision affects people who applied for asylum and instead want to switch to working in Sweden, and involves balancing the need to prevent fraud and abuse of the rules against giving people who have already put down roots here a way to stay.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is how the Riksdag should respond to the National Audit Office's review of track-switching - whether the system, which the review finds can be used to circumvent the rules for asylum and labour migration, should be kept with strengthened controls, or whether other measures are needed.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee shares the assessment of the National Audit Office and the government that track-switching can be used to circumvent the rules for asylum and labour migration, considers that strengthened controls alone are not enough to fix the problems, and takes the view that the track-switching arrangement creates an unwanted mixing of the asylum and labour-migration systems.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (V, C, MP)
The reservation wants the government to keep the track-switching system, which benefits both the individual and society for those who have already settled in Sweden, but to fix its shortcomings in line with the National Audit Office's recommendations and come back with proposals for strengthened controls.
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 1 by V, C, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna
Ja 242–51Ja 231–62
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/18/0/6 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | Yes | Yes 93/0/0/14 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/13/0/5 | match | confidence: high | derived |
| C | No | No 1/20/0/3 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/5 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 59/0/0/9 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| CHelena Lindahl (C, Västerbottens län) | Yes — party line: No |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2022/23:2340 by Frida Tånghag et al. (V), 2022/23:2344 by Annika Hirvonen et al. (MP) and 2022/23:2345 by Jonny Cato and Martina Johansson (both C) claims 1 and 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2022/23:2340 av Frida Tånghag m.fl. (V), 2022/23:2344 av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP) och 2022/23:2345 av Jonny Cato och Martina Johansson (båda C) yrkandena 1 och 2.
Riksdag decision: Parliament has dealt with a letter from the Government. It concerns the Audit Office report on track change in the migration process. The Audit Office has examined whether the system of track change from asylum to labour-based immigration functions effectively. The overall conclusion is that the system appears to have reached the right target group. However, the Audit Office assesses that there are deficiencies in the Migration Agency's procedures and controls that could lead to track changes being used to circumvent the legislation for asylum and labour-based immigration. The Government agrees with this assessment. The Government has been recommended to ensure that the Migration Agency can exchange necessary information with cooperating authorities. The Government should also ensure that the Migration Agency can compile information about employers in order to investigate and monitor track change cases. An investigator has been tasked by the Government to assess how the track change system can be abolished. Parliament filed the Government letter as received.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to retain the track-change system and return with proposals for strengthened controls to prevent fraud. (V, C, MP) — Reservation 1
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 requires a humane refugee and asylum policy with individual examination and generous criteria, and that people root themselves through a safe and permanent existence in society.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires a humane refugee and asylum policy with individual examination and generous criteria, and that people root themselves through a safe and permanent existence in society. Retaining the possibility of a track change preserves a path to continued residence for those already established, while abolishing it would tighten the policy. The plan also warns against residence permits being tied to the whims of employers, which justifies the strengthened checks the counter-proposal calls for.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver en human flykting- och asylpolitik med individuell prövning och generösa kriterier, och att människor rotar sig genom en trygg och permanent tillvaro i samhället. Att behålla spårbytet bevarar en väg till fortsatt vistelse för den som redan etablerat sig, medan ett avskaffande skulle skärpa politiken. Planen varnar samtidigt för att uppehållstillstånd kopplas till arbetsgivarens nycker, vilket motiverar de förstärkta kontroller motförslaget efterlyser.
- humane asylum policydecisive»en human flykting- och asylpolitik där varje asylsökande garanteras« (party programme ↗)“a humane refugee and asylum policy where every asylum seeker is guaranteed”
- secure permanent existence»det är genom en trygg och permanent tillvaro i samhället som vi människor rotar oss« (2022 manifesto ↗)“it is through a safe and permanent existence in society that we humans root ourselves”
- protect the right to seek asylum»Rätten att söka asyl kan aldrig tummas på, vi kräver att endast permanenta uppehållstillstånd ska utfärdas vid beviljad asyl.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The right to seek asylum can never be watered down, we require that only permanent residence permits shall be issued when asylum is granted.”
- no employment-dependent residence right»Migranters uppehållstillstånd ska aldrig generellt kopplas« (party programme ↗)“Migrants' residence permits shall never generally be tied”
The plan's stated line is that labour immigration shall be limited, that a labour market test shall be introduced and that the tightened migration policy is fixed, with the unemployed in Sweden first.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's stated line is that labour immigration shall be limited, that a labour market test shall be introduced and that the tightened migration policy is fixed, with the unemployed in Sweden first. Retaining the track switch, which allows rejected asylum seekers to move to labour immigration, pulls in the opposite direction to that restriction. The plan certainly wants everyone who can work to work, but that does not justify retaining this particular transition. The plan therefore speaks against the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planens uttalade linje är att arbetskraftsinvandringen ska begränsas, att en arbetsmarknadsprövning ska införas och att den åtstramade migrationspolitiken ligger fast, med arbetslösa i Sverige i första hand. Att behålla spårbytet, som låter avslagna asylsökande gå över till arbetskraftsinvandring, drar i motsatt riktning mot den begränsningen. Planen vill visserligen att alla som kan jobba ska jobba, men det motiverar inte att behålla just denna övergång. Planen talar därför mot kravet.
- limited labour immigrationdecisive»Arbetskraftsinvandringen ska begränsas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Labour immigration shall be limited.”
- tightened migration policy»Vi har stramat åt migrationspolitiken, och denna linje ligger fast.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We have tightened migration policy, and this line is fixed.”
- unemployed in Sweden first»I första hand ska arbetslösa i Sverige komma i arbete.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“First and foremost, the unemployed in Sweden shall be put to work.”
- labour market test»Vi vill införa en arbetsmarknadsprövning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to introduce a labour market test.”
The party programme wants it to be easier to apply for a residence permit directly from Sweden instead of people being forced back to their home country, which is exactly what the track change enables.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants it to be easier to apply for a residence permit directly from Sweden instead of people being forced back to their home country, which is exactly what the track change enables. The election manifesto also wants to shorten processing times for work permits and asylum decisions, and the plan is explicitly open to labour immigration on equal terms. The plan therefore supports the system being maintained and addressed.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill att det blir enklare att söka uppehållstillstånd direkt från Sverige i stället för att människor tvingas tillbaka till hemlandet, vilket är precis vad spårbytet möjliggör. Valmanifestet vill dessutom korta handläggningstiderna för arbetstillstånd och asylbeslut, och planen är uttalat öppen för arbetskraftsinvandring på lika villkor. Planen stöder därför att systemet behålls och åtgärdas.
- permits sought from within Swedendecisive»Det behöver bli enklare att söka uppehållstillstånd direkt ifrån Sverige, i stället för att människor ska tvingas åka tillbaka till det gamla hemlandet, vilket kan vara förenat med livsfara.« (party programme ↗)“It needs to become easier to apply for a residence permit directly from Sweden, instead of people being forced to return to their old home country, which can be associated with life-threatening risks.”
- faster routes to work»korta handläggningstiderna för arbetstillstånd och asylbeslut så att det går fortare att komma in i samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“shorten processing times for work permits and asylum decisions so that it goes faster to enter society.”
- openness to labour immigration»Vi vill att Sverige ska vara ett land som är öppet för« (party programme ↗)“We want Sweden to be a country that is open to”
- equal terms on the labour market»Människor som arbetskraftsinvandrar ska ha lika« (party programme ↗)“People who immigrate for work shall have equal”
The election manifesto requires that labour immigration be valued and that policy does not fail those companies that cannot manage without it, and that those who receive a residence permit should quickly become self-supporting.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that labour immigration be valued and that policy does not fail those companies that cannot manage without it, and that those who receive a residence permit should quickly become self-supporting. Track change means precisely that someone who has already established themselves on the labour market can stay and work, which the plan supports; deficiencies are addressed through controls rather than abolition. The party programme emphasises that the competence that comes here should be put to use.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att arbetskraftsinvandringen värnas och att politiken inte sviker de företag som inte klarar sig utan den, samt att den som får uppehållstillstånd snabbt ska komma i egen försörjning. Spårbyte innebär just att någon som redan etablerat sig på arbetsmarknaden får stanna och arbeta, vilket planen stöder; bristerna åtgärdas genom kontroller snarare än avskaffande. Partiprogrammet betonar att den kompetens som kommer hit ska tas till vara.
- protect labour immigrationdecisive»Värna arbetskraftsinvandringen. För att svenska företag ska kunna konkurrera måste de ha möjlighet att snabbt hitta, rekrytera och anställa rätt kompetens.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect labour immigration. For Swedish companies to be able to compete, they must have the opportunity to quickly find, recruit and hire the right expertise.”
- companies' skills needs»Politiken får inte svika alla de företag som inte klarar sig utan arbetskraftsinvandring.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Policy must not fail all those companies that cannot manage without labour immigration.”
- quick self-support»Den som får uppehållstillstånd ska snabbt integreras och ges möjlighet att försörja sig själv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Those who receive a residence permit should be quickly integrated and given the opportunity to support themselves.”
- put expertise to use»Vi måste bli bättre på att ta vara på den kompetens och företagsamhet som finns hos de människor som kommer till oss.« (party programme ↗)“We must become better at making use of the expertise and entrepreneurship that exists among the people who come to us.”
The plan explicitly says that more people shall be able to seek residence permits for work in place in Sweden and that rules for those legally resident here shall be simplified, which is precisely the opportunity the track change gives.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly says that more people shall be able to seek residence permits for work in place in Sweden and that rules for those legally resident here shall be simplified, which is precisely the opportunity the track change gives. The plan also wants labour migration to be facilitated and skills-based expulsions to cease. At the same time the plan requires that the system is not misused, which bears the counter-proposal's requirement for addressed shortcomings and strengthened controls.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger uttryckligen att fler ska kunna söka uppehållstillstånd för arbete på plats i Sverige och att reglerna för den som vistas här lagligt ska förenklas, vilket är precis den möjlighet spårbytet ger. Planen vill också att arbetskraftsinvandringen ska underlättas och att kompetensutvisningar upphör. Samtidigt kräver planen att systemet inte missbrukas, vilket bär motförslagets krav på åtgärdade brister och förstärkta kontroller.
- application for work permit in Swedendecisive»Fler ska på plats i Sverige kunna söka om uppehållstillstånd för att arbeta.« (party programme ↗)“More people in Sweden shall be able to apply for a residence permit to work.”
- facilitated labour migration»Det ska bli enklare att få tillstånd att komma hit för att söka arbete eller starta företag för den som kan försörja sig under tiden i Sverige.« (party programme ↗)“It shall become easier to get permission to come here to seek work or start a business for those who can support themselves while in Sweden.”
- prevent system misuse»Mer behöver göras för att systemet för arbetskraftsinvandring inte ska missbrukas för till exempel svartjobb.« (party programme ↗)“More needs to be done so that the labour migration system is not misused for example for undeclared work.”
- end skills-based expulsions»Tillfälliga arbetstillstånd ska kunna ges för en längre period än i dag. Kompetensutvisningarna av högkvalificerad arbetskraft måste få ett slut.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Temporary work permits shall be able to be issued for a longer period than today. Skills-based expulsions of highly qualified labour must end.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan's most recent and most binding line is strict migration policy, which is required to address integration problems and exclusion.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's most recent and most binding line is strict migration policy, which is required to address integration problems and exclusion. Retaining the lane change and being satisfied with enhanced checks means that a path from the asylum system to a residence permit is preserved, which goes against the stricter direction. The plan's requirements that self-sufficiency be utilized and legal security in the asylum process speak in the opposite direction but weigh less.
Original (Swedish)
Planens färskaste och mest bindande linje är en stram migrationspolitik, som krävs för att ta itu med integrationsproblem och utanförskap. Att behålla spårbytet och nöja sig med förstärkta kontroller innebär att en väg från asylsystemet till uppehållstillstånd bevaras, vilket går emot den stramare inriktningen. Planens krav på att egenförsörjning ska tas tillvara och på rättssäkerhet i asylprocessen talar i motsatt riktning men väger lättare.
- strict migration policydecisive»Stram migrationspolitik krävs för att ta itu med integrationsproblem och utanförskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strict migration policy is required to address integration problems and exclusion.”
- strict migration»EN STRAM MIGRATION« (2022 manifesto ↗)“STRICT MIGRATION”
- self-sufficiency be utilized»Människors vilja och förmåga till egenförsörjning ska« (party programme ↗)“People's willingness and ability to support themselves shall”
- legally secure asylum process»För den som söker asyl i Sverige måste hela processen vara utformad så att rättssäkerhet garanteras den« (party programme ↗)“For those seeking asylum in Sweden the entire process must be designed so that legal security is guaranteed the”
The election manifesto explicitly promises to abolish the possibility of track-switching for those who have received a rejection on their asylum application.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly promises to abolish the possibility of track-switching for those who have received a rejection on their asylum application. The counter-proposal instead wants to keep the system and be satisfied with strengthened controls, which directly contradicts that commitment. The plan's line is that a rejection means leaving the country and that migration should be strict and goal-oriented.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar uttryckligen att avskaffa möjligheten till spårbyte för den som fått avslag på sin asylansökan. Motförslaget vill i stället behålla systemet och nöja sig med förstärkta kontroller, vilket strider direkt mot det åtagandet. Planens linje är att ett nej ska innebära att man lämnar landet och att migrationen ska vara stram och målstyrd.
- abolished track-switchingdecisive»Avskaffa möjligheten till spårbyte, det vill säga möjligheten för en person som fått avslag på sin asylansökan att i stället få ett arbetstillstånd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Abolish the possibility of track-switching, that is, the possibility for a person who has received a rejection on their asylum application to instead get a work permit”
- no means no»Av största vikt är att den som fått ett nej på asylansökan så fort som möjligt lämnar landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Of greatest importance is that anyone who has received a no on their asylum application leaves the country as soon as possible.”
- strict migration policy»En målstyrd, stram och hållbar migrationspolitik är en förutsättning för att integrationen ska fungera.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A goal-oriented, strict and sustainable migration policy is a prerequisite for integration to work.”
- volume target for asylum»Införa ett volymmål för asylmottagandet på nordiska nivåer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a volume target for asylum reception at Nordic levels”
flags: citat_migrerat
The counter-proposal wants to retain the track switch, that is the opportunity to move from the asylum track to work permit.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to retain the track switch, that is the opportunity to move from the asylum track to work permit. The election manifesto requires the strictest possible immigration legislation, that asylum immigration from countries outside the immediate region is stopped and that the shadow economy is combated with more controls and more deportations, as well as a genuine labour market test for work permits. An arrangement that allows rejections to be converted to residence permits goes directly against these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill behålla spårbytet, alltså möjligheten att gå från asylspåret till arbetstillstånd. Valmanifestet kräver den striktast möjliga utlänningslagstiftningen, att asylinvandringen från länder utanför närområdet stoppas och att skuggsamhället bekämpas med fler kontroller och fler utvisningar, samt en riktig arbetsmarknadsprövning för arbetstillstånd. En ordning som gör att avslag kan omvandlas till uppehållstillstånd går rakt emot dessa åtaganden.
- strictest possible immigration lawdecisive»Skärpa reglerna i utlänningslagen till striktas möjliga nivå enligt EU-rätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tighten the rules in the immigration law to the strictest possible level under EU law”
- labour market test»För arbetstillstånd behöver Sverige införa en riktig arbetsmarknadsprövning för att förhindra att arbetsgivare importerar billig arbetskraft från fattiga länder« (2022 manifesto ↗)“For work permits, Sweden needs to introduce a genuine labour market test to prevent employers from importing cheap labour from poor countries”
- more deportations»Bekämpa skuggsamhället och illegal migration med fler kontroller och fler utvisningar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Combat the shadow economy and illegal migration with more controls and more deportations”
- rejections should lead to return»Många har dessutom fått avslag på sin asylansökan men ändå valt att stannat« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Many have also been rejected for their asylum application but still chosen to stay”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:SfU13)
- Committee report full text (HA01SfU13)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:2340 — med anledning av skr. 2022/23:63 Riksrevisionens rapport om spårbyte i migrationsprocessen - kontroller och uppföljning av Frida Tånghag m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:2344 — med anledning av skr. 2022/23:63 Riksrevisionens rapport om spårbyte i migrationsprocessen - kontroller och uppföljning av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:2345 — med anledning av skr. 2022/23:63 Riksrevisionens rapport om spårbyte i migrationsprocessen - kontroller och uppföljning av Jonny Cato och Martina Johansson (båda C)
- Regeringens skrivelse 2022/23:63 — Riksrevisionens rapport om spårbyte i migrationsprocessen - kontroller och uppföljning
Source: The Swedish Parliament