2026-03-182025/26:SfU12 · p.8SfUMigration & social insurance
The design of the wage requirement and exceptions from the requirement
A waivable wage requirement for labour immigration under collective agreements
What's at stake: A waivable wage requirement would give the labour-market parties greater influence over when labour immigration can be allowed at a lower wage, whereas the government's line sticks to a uniform exception system that the committee has already endorsed.
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 wage requirement for work permits should be made waivable so that a lower wage can be accepted where the labour-market parties have signed a collective agreement, or whether the government's proposal on exceptions from the wage requirement should apply without such an opening for the parties.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee refers to its earlier position on exceptions from the wage requirement, in which it backed the government's proposal, and is not prepared to propose a statement calling for the wage requirement to be made waivable through collective agreements instead. The committee notes, however, that the government intends to take relevant actors' role into account in its continued work and to follow up the effects of the legislation.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 6 (S)
The reservation (S) calls for the wage requirement to be made waivable so that a lower wage requirement can be allowed where the labour-market parties have signed a collective agreement, which would let labour immigration be used even in occupational fields with a wage below the requirement, provided the parties judge that it works without distorting competition or disturbing wage formation. A waivable wage requirement is also seen as important for meeting varying needs and different conditions across the country.
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 6 by S.
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: CCenterpartiet
Ja 187–94Ja 166–115
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 | Yes 15/0/0/7 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/13 | match | confidence: medium | explicit |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/16/2 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 10/0/0/6 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 17/0/0/2 | match | confidence: low | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | match | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 62/0/0/9 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2025/26:781 by Helén Pettersson and Åsa Karlsson (both S), 2025/26:3874 by Ida Karkiainen et al. (S) amendment 2 and 2025/26:3885 by Annika Hirvonen et al. (MP) amendment 8.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:781 av Helén Pettersson och Åsa Karlsson (båda S), 2025/26:3874 av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S) yrkande 2 och 2025/26:3885 av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP) yrkande 8.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved the government's bill where conditions for labour immigration are tightened, while immigration of highly qualified labour is promoted. Among other things, a requirement for comprehensive sick leave insurance and a wage requirement are introduced as conditions for labour immigration. Certain occupational groups may be exempted from the wage requirement while other occupational groups may be excluded from the possibility of being granted work permits. Work permits may be denied if the employer has been sentenced or is suspected of certain crimes or has been subject to certain sanctions. The legislative changes also mean that two new crimes, exploitation of foreign labour and trafficking in work permits, are introduced. At the same time, the special fee for those who have a foreigner employed who does not have the right to stay or work in Sweden is increased. Furthermore, the permit period for so-called EU Blue Cards and for seasonal work is extended. In addition, the possibilities for certain highly qualified foreigners to apply for residence permits from within Sweden are expanded. The legislative changes enter into force on 1 June 2026 with certain transitional provisions.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants labor market testing to be reintroduced to assess the need for labor immigration. (S) — Reservation 6
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 is built on conditions in the labor market being set by strong collective agreements and that politics should respect the Swedish model where the parties negotiate.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is built on conditions in the labor market being set by strong collective agreements and that politics should respect the Swedish model where the parties negotiate. Making wage demands dispositive through collective agreements places the assessment with the parties, while the plan's demand for secure conditions is maintained through the agreement. The demand is therefore in line with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger på att villkoren på arbetsmarknaden ska sättas av starka kollektivavtal och att politiken ska respektera den svenska modellen där parterna förhandlar. Att göra lönekravet dispositivt genom kollektivavtal lägger bedömningen just hos parterna, samtidigt som planens krav på trygga villkor upprätthålls genom avtalet. Kravet ligger därför i linje med planen.
- collective agreements as protectiondecisive»anställda i Sverige ska skyddas av starka kollektivavtal.« (party programme ↗)“employees in Sweden should be protected by strong collective agreements.”
- respect for the parties model»för att förhandlingarna ska vara rättvisa behöver politiken respektera den svenska modellen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“for negotiations to be fair, politics needs to respect the Swedish model”
- defend the right to negotiate»Vänsterpartiet kommer att fortsätta försvara förhandlingsrätten och en stark arbetsrättslagstiftning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party will continue to defend the right to negotiate and strong labor law.”
- secure conditions in labor migration»Arbetskraftsinvandringen ska bygga på trygga villkor och« (party programme ↗)“Labor migration should be built on secure conditions and”
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 party programme establishes that labour immigration shall be needs-based and regulated by the labour market parties, which is precisely what a dispositive wage requirement linked to collective agreements entails.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that labour immigration shall be needs-based and regulated by the labour market parties, which is precisely what a dispositive wage requirement linked to collective agreements entails. The plan makes the collective agreement the norm and trusts the parties' ability to take responsibility for wage formation. It stands in some tension with the commitment to restrict labour immigration, but it is the parties – not a general wage floor – that the plan points out as the regulating body.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att arbetskraftsinvandringen ska vara behovsstyrd och regleras av arbetsmarknadens parter, vilket är precis vad ett dispositivt lönekrav kopplat till kollektivavtal innebär. Planen gör kollektivavtalet till norm och litar på parternas förmåga att ta ansvar för lönebildningen. Det står i viss spänning med åtagandet att begränsa arbetskraftsinvandringen, men det är parterna – inte ett generellt lönegolv – som planen pekar ut som reglerande instans.
- parties regulate labour immigrationdecisive»Arbetskraftsinvandring som är behovsstyrd och regleras av arbetsmarknadens parter.« (party programme ↗)“Labour immigration that is needs-based and regulated by the labour market parties.”
- collective agreements as norm»Kollektivavtal som norm, försvar av den svenska modellen.« (party programme ↗)“Collective agreements as norm, defence of the Swedish model.”
- parties' responsibility for wage formation»tror på parternas förmåga att ta ansvar för lönebildningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“believe in the parties' ability to take responsibility for wage formation”
- restricted labour immigration»Arbetskraftsinvandringen ska begränsas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Labour immigration shall be restricted.”
The plan cherishes the Swedish model where trade unions and employers together set the rules on the labour market, and establishes that Sweden shall be open to labour immigration.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan cherishes the Swedish model where trade unions and employers together set the rules on the labour market, and establishes that Sweden shall be open to labour immigration. A dispositional wage requirement that leaves the level to collectively bargained parties follows from both these commitments. The plan simultaneously demands that migrant labour has the same rights as others, which the collective agreement route secures.
Original (Swedish)
Planen värnar den svenska modellen där fackföreningar och arbetsgivare tillsammans sätter reglerna på arbetsmarknaden, och slår fast att Sverige ska vara öppet för arbetskraftsinvandring. Ett dispositivt lönekrav som lämnar nivån till kollektivavtalade parter följer av båda dessa åtaganden. Planen kräver samtidigt att invandrad arbetskraft har samma rättigheter som andra, vilket kollektivavtalsvägen säkrar.
- the parties' model sets the conditionsdecisive»Miljöpartiet värnar den svenska modellen, där fackföreningar och arbetsgivare« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party cherishes the Swedish model, where trade unions and employers”
- open labour immigration»Sverige ska vara ett land som är öppet för arbetskraftsinvandring.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall be a country that is open to labour immigration.”
- equal rights on the labour market»arbetskraftsinvandrar ska ha samma rättigheter på arbetsmarknaden som andra« (party programme ↗)“labour immigrants shall have the same rights on the labour market as others”
- collective agreements as the norm»rätt till kollektivavtal som andra arbetstagare.« (party programme ↗)“right to collective agreements as other workers.”
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 establishes that the rules on the labour market in the greatest possible extent shall be set between the parties instead of through legislation, and that labour immigration shall be valued so that businesses can recruit the right competence.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the rules on the labour market in the greatest possible extent shall be set between the parties instead of through legislation, and that labour immigration shall be valued so that businesses can recruit the right competence. A non-mandatory wage requirement, where collective agreements can allow lower wages, is exactly that order. The plan thus supports the counter-proposal's demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att spelreglerna på arbetsmarknaden i mesta möjliga mån ska fastställas mellan parterna i stället för genom lagstiftning, och att arbetskraftsinvandringen ska värnas så att företagen kan rekrytera rätt kompetens. Ett dispositivt lönekrav, där kollektivavtal kan medge lägre lön, är exakt den ordningen. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav.
- parties before legislationdecisive»Centerpartiet förespråkar en modell där spelreglerna för arbetsmarknaden i mesta möjliga mån fastställs mellan« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party advocates a model where the rules on the labour market in the greatest possible extent are set between”
- value labour immigration»Värna arbetskraftsinvandringen. För att svenska företag ska kunna konkurrera måste de ha möjlighet att snabbt hitta, rekrytera och anställa rätt kompetens.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Value labour immigration. For Swedish businesses to be able to compete they must have the opportunity to quickly find, recruit and employ the right competence.”
- businesses' competence needs»Politiken får inte svika alla de företag som inte klarar sig utan arbetskraftsinvandring.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Policy must not let down all the businesses that cannot manage without labour immigration.”
- flexible labour market»Svensk arbetsmarknad behöver både mer flexibilitet och mer trygghet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish labour market needs both more flexibility and more security.”
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 establishes that the Swedish model, where conditions are primarily determined by agreement and not in law, contributes to responsibility on the labour market, and values collective agreements as part of freedom of association.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the Swedish model, where conditions are primarily determined by agreement and not in law, contributes to responsibility on the labour market, and values collective agreements as part of freedom of association. It also wants the wage floor for labour immigration to be internationally competitive. A non-mandatory wage requirement where the parties have concluded a collective agreement follows from this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att den svenska modellen, där villkoren i huvudsak bestäms genom avtal och inte i lag, bidrar till ansvarstagande på arbetsmarknaden, och värnar kollektivavtalen som del av avtalsfriheten. Den vill dessutom att lönegolvet för arbetskraftsinvandring är internationellt konkurrenskraftigt. Ett dispositivt lönekrav där parterna tecknat kollektivavtal följer av detta.
- conditions determined in agreementdecisive»genom avtal och inte i lag, bidrar till ansvarstagande på arbetsmarknaden.« (party programme ↗)“through agreement and not in law, contributes to responsibility on the labour market.”
- status of collective agreements»Den fackliga friheten och möjligheten till kollektivavtal är en viktig del av förenings- och« (party programme ↗)“Trade union freedom and the possibility of collective agreements are an important part of freedom of”
- competitive wage floor»Lönegolvet för arbetskraftsinvandring ska vara konkurrenskraftigt ur ett internationellt« (party programme ↗)“The wage floor for labour immigration shall be competitive from an international”
- lower thresholds to work»Lägre ingångslöner gör det lättare för den som« (party programme ↗)“Lower entry wages make it easier for the person who”
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 election manifesto campaigns on strict migration and establishes that strict migration policy is required, which argues against making the wage requirement dispositive so that labour immigration becomes possible even in lower-wage occupations.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto campaigns on strict migration and establishes that strict migration policy is required, which argues against making the wage requirement dispositive so that labour immigration becomes possible even in lower-wage occupations. The party programme wants to prevent abuse of migration systems. The plan's commitment that wage formation is shaped by labour market parties pulls in the opposite direction, which is why confidence is low.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet går till val på en stram migration och slår fast att en stram migrationspolitik krävs, vilket talar emot att lönekravet görs dispositivt så att arbetskraftsinvandring blir möjlig även i yrken med lägre lön. Partiprogrammet vill motverka missbruk av migrationssystemen. Planens åtagande om att lönebildningen utformas av arbetsmarknadens parter drar åt motsatt håll, varför säkerheten är låg.
- 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 social exclusion.”
- strict migration as election promise»EN STRAM MIGRATION« (2022 manifesto ↗)“STRICT MIGRATION”
- prevent abuse of systems»Vi vill motverka irreguljär migration, motverka människosmuggling och ha ett« (party programme ↗)“We want to prevent irregular migration, prevent human trafficking and have a”
- the parties' role in wage formation»Utformningen ska göras av arbetsmarknadens parter.« (party programme ↗)“The design shall be done by the labour market parties.”
The plan makes integration capacity the guide for the level of immigration and states that immigration needs to decrease; a discretionary wage requirement that allows lower wages in more professions pulls in the opposite direction.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes integration capacity the guide for the level of immigration and states that immigration needs to decrease; a discretionary wage requirement that allows lower wages in more professions pulls in the opposite direction. The plan primarily wants employers to find expertise within the country. It says nothing about collective agreements' role in the framework, which is why the conclusion is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör integrationsförmågan styrande för invandringens nivå och slår fast att invandringen behöver minska; ett dispositivt lönekrav som öppnar för lägre löner i fler yrken drar åt motsatt håll. Planen vill i första hand att arbetsgivare hittar kompetens inom landet. Den säger inget om kollektivavtalens roll i regelverket, varför slutsatsen härleds.
- integration capacity guides the leveldecisive»Vår integrationsförmåga ska vara styrande för nivån på invandringen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our integration capacity should guide the level of immigration.”
- reduced immigration»Invandringen till Sverige behöver minska för att integrationen ska fungera bättre.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Immigration to Sweden needs to decrease for integration to work better.”
- expertise primarily domestic»Där du som vill anställa har möjlighet att hitta rätt kompetens inom Sveriges gränser« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Where you who want to hire have the opportunity to find the right expertise within Sweden's borders”
- regulated openness»Öppenhet är inte samma sak som gränslöshet.« (party programme ↗)“Openness is not the same as boundlessness.”
The counter-proposal wants to make the wage requirement optional so that labour immigration becomes possible in professions with lower wages where collective agreements exist.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to make the wage requirement optional so that labour immigration becomes possible in professions with lower wages where collective agreements exist. The election manifesto explicitly demands that labour immigration to professions that can be supplied by domestic labour is stopped and that a proper labour market test prevents the import of cheap labour for low-skilled professions. Opening exceptions downwards in wage level is the opposite of this commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill göra lönekravet dispositivt så att arbetskraftsinvandring blir möjlig till yrken med lägre lön där kollektivavtal finns. Valmanifestet kräver uttryckligen att arbetskraftsinvandring till yrken som kan tillgodoses av inhemsk arbetskraft stoppas och att en riktig arbetsmarknadsprövning hindrar import av billig arbetskraft till lågkvalificerade yrken. Att öppna undantag nedåt i lönenivå är motsatsen till detta åtagande.
- stopped low-skilled labour immigrationdecisive»Stoppa arbetskraftsinvandring till yrken som kan tillgodoses av inhemsk arbetskraft« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop labour immigration to professions that can be supplied by domestic labour”
- proper labour market testing»För arbetstillstånd behöver Sverige införa en riktig arbetsmarknadsprövning för att förhindra att arbetsgivare importerar billig arbetskraft från fattiga länder för att utföra yrken som kräver liten eller ingen utbildning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“For work permits Sweden needs to introduce a proper labour market test to prevent employers from importing cheap labour from poor countries to perform professions requiring little or no education.”
- domestic labour first»Den bedrivna politiken har lett till arbetskraftsinvandring även för mindre kvalificerade arbeten, som borde kunnat tillgodoses av svenskar eller personer som redan finns i Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The pursued policy has led to labour immigration even for less qualified work, which could have been supplied by Swedes or people already in Sweden.”
- strictest possible rules»Skärpa reglerna i utlänningslagen till striktas möjliga nivå enligt EU-rätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tighten the rules in the Aliens Act to the strictest possible level according to EU law”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:SfU12)
- Committee report full text (HD01SfU12)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:1428 — Begränsad arbetskraftsinvandring med behovsprövning av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:307 — Ordning och reda på arbetsmarknaden av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:3543 — Ett samhälle för alla - stärkt funktionsrätt, trygg personlig assistans och rätt till ledsagning av Nils Seye Larsen m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3584 — Stockholm som en hållbar tillväxtmotor av Mattias Vepsä m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3587 — Utgiftsområde 8 Migration av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3590 — Utgiftsområde 14 Arbetsmarknad och arbetsliv av Ardalan Shekarabi m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3874 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:87 Nya regler för arbetskraftsinvandring av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3880 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:87 Nya regler för arbetskraftsinvandring av Tony Haddou m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:3881 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:87 Nya regler för arbetskraftsinvandring av Niels Paarup-Petersen m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2025/26:3885 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:87 Nya regler för arbetskraftsinvandring av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3890 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:87 Nya regler för arbetskraftsinvandring av Lorena Delgado Varas och Daniel Riazat (båda -)
- Motion 2025/26:449 — Återinför arbetsmarknadsprövning för arbetskraftsinvandring av Serkan Köse (S)
- Motion 2025/26:675 — Behovsprövning vid arbetskraftsinvandring från tredjeland av Leif Nysmed och Lars Mejern Larsson (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:676 — Översyn av regelverket för arbetskraftsinvandring från tredjeland av Leif Nysmed och Lars Mejern Larsson (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:781 — Dispositiv lagstiftning om lönegolv för arbetskraftsinvandring av Helén Pettersson och Åsa Karlsson (båda S)
- Proposition 2025/26:87 — Nya regler för arbetskraftsinvandring
Source: The Swedish Parliament