A Haven For The Displaced: Sweden's Open Doors For Afghan Refugees

Sweden has traditionally been a popular destination for Afghan refugees, with a few thousand arriving in the 1990s and 14,420 Afghans living in Sweden by 2010. The number of Afghan migrants to Sweden skyrocketed after the European migrant crisis in 2015-2016, with Sweden being one of the top destinations for Afghan migrants. According to Statistics Sweden, there were 34,754 Afghanistan-born immigrants living in Sweden as of 2016, of which 28,049 were citizens of Afghanistan. Sweden, along with Denmark, has offered protection to all women and girls from Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Sweden's employment rate for Afghanistan-born immigrants

Sweden has traditionally been regarded as a peaceful nation with humanitarian asylum and refugee policies. However, in recent years, the country has witnessed an increase in the number of Afghan refugees, with a few thousand arriving during the 1990s and a sharp rise following the European migrant crisis in 2015-2016. As of 2016, there were 34,754 Afghanistan-born immigrants living in Sweden, with 28,049 holding Afghan citizenship.

Employment Rate Analysis

According to Statistics Sweden, Afghanistan-born immigrants aged 25-64 in the country had an employment rate of approximately 40% as of 2014. This rate has likely improved over time, as longer durations of residence in Sweden are associated with higher employment rates among refugees.

The employment rate among Sweden's foreign-born population, which includes Afghanistan-born individuals, increased slowly from 2011 to 2019, reaching 60.6% in 2021. However, it is important to note that the unemployment rate also increased during this period, affecting foreign-born individuals more significantly than native-born Swedes.

Education and Skills

The education levels of Afghanistan-born individuals in Sweden vary, with 39% having attained primary and lower secondary education, while 30% have an upper secondary education level, and 13% have attained post-secondary education of 3 years or more.

Gender Disparity

It is worth noting that there is a gender disparity in both education and employment rates among Afghanistan-born individuals in Sweden. For example, 33% of men and 45% of women have attained primary and lower secondary education. When it comes to employment, the gender gap narrows with longer durations of residence in Sweden.

Recent Developments

In 2023, Sweden, along with Denmark, offered protection to all women and girls from Afghanistan due to the worsening conditions and gender-based persecution in the country. This move provided automatic refugee status and a three-year residence permit to this vulnerable group.

While exact employment rates for Afghanistan-born immigrants in Sweden may not be readily available for recent years, it is evident that the country has made efforts to integrate this population and improve their employment prospects. The focus on education, the recognition of vulnerable groups, and the overall increase in the employment rate of foreign-born individuals are positive signs. However, the impact of the recent refugee crisis and the dynamic nature of the global job market will continue to influence these trends.

Afghan refugees and the Taliban takeover

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 caused a mass exodus of Afghans, with many fearing for their lives under the Taliban's rule. This event has had a profound impact on the global community, with countries around the world grappling to accommodate the influx of refugees.

The Impact on Europe

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan triggered an exodus of Afghans, with the number of Afghan nationals seeking asylum in the European Union more than doubling in the month following the takeover compared to the previous month. Wealthier western EU countries, such as Germany and France, received the majority of these asylum applications. However, it is important to note that the overall number of Afghan asylum seekers in Europe is still far fewer than during the refugee crisis of 2015-2016, when over 360,000 Afghans sought refuge in the EU.

The Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan

The Taliban takeover has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, with millions of Afghans facing hunger, poverty, and a lack of access to basic services. The country has been plagued by decades of conflict, natural disasters, and economic instability, and the Taliban's rule has only intensified these issues. As a result, an estimated 28.3 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian and protection assistance, with 3.2 million Afghans displaced within their own country.

The Refugee Crisis

The refugee crisis resulting from the Taliban takeover has primarily affected Afghanistan's neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran, which have hosted millions of Afghan refugees over the years. However, there are concerns that a large-scale refugee crisis could spread beyond the region to Europe if the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate. The international community's response to the crisis has been mixed, with some countries, like Canada and the US, resettling Afghan refugees, while others, like Hungary and Malta, have not received any Afghan asylum applications according to Eurostat.

The Future of Afghan Refugees

The future of Afghan refugees remains uncertain and largely depends on the actions of the Taliban government and the international community. If the Taliban can form an inclusive government, respect human rights, and improve the economic situation, it may reduce the number of people willing to flee the country. However, if the country descends into civil war or faces further economic disaster, a large-scale refugee crisis could occur, impacting not only Afghanistan's neighbors but also countries further afield.

Afghan asylum seekers in Sweden

Sweden has traditionally been regarded as a particularly immigrant-friendly country. However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards more restrictive asylum policies. In 2015, Sweden faced a large increase in the number of asylum seekers, and in autumn of that year, a new Temporary Alien Act was proposed. This new legal framework introduced stricter measures, such as fewer protection grounds, temporary residence permits as a rule, limited opportunity for family reunification, and stricter supply requirements for family reunification.

The number of Afghan refugees in Sweden has increased significantly over the years. A few thousand Afghan refugees arrived in Sweden during the 1990s, and by 2010, there were 14,420 Swedish residents of Afghan descent. The number of incoming Afghans rose sharply after the European migrant crisis in 2015-2016, as Sweden was one of the top destinations for Afghan migrants. According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there were 34,754 Afghanistan-born immigrants living in Sweden, with 28,049 being citizens of Afghanistan.

Sweden has taken steps to address the influx of Afghan asylum seekers. In 2015, Sweden, along with other European countries, sought to reduce the number of asylum seekers by tightening asylum regulations. Sweden also introduced stricter border controls and raised the threshold for obtaining protection. In 2016, Sweden's Migration Agency announced that it would pause all planned expulsions of Afghan asylum seekers due to the deteriorating security situation in the country. This suspension impacted several thousand Afghans whose asylum applications had been denied.

In recent years, Sweden has increased its focus on the return of rejected asylum seekers. Sweden has also been criticized for its treatment of unaccompanied Afghan minors. A special law in Sweden gives young Afghans six months after they finish school to find a job or return to their home country. This has led to concerns about the integration of Afghan refugees into Swedish society.

In summary, Sweden has traditionally been seen as a welcoming country for Afghan refugees, but in recent years, its asylum policies have become more restrictive. The number of Afghan refugees in Sweden has grown significantly, and the country has implemented various measures to manage the influx, including stricter asylum regulations and border controls. Sweden has also grappled with the integration of Afghan refugees, particularly unaccompanied minors, into its society.

Afghan women and girls seeking asylum in Sweden

Sweden has traditionally been seen as a liberal and humanitarian frontrunner in regard to refugee rights and free movement law. However, in recent years, the country has been criticised for its restrictive asylum policies.

In 2015, Sweden faced a large increase in the number of asylum seekers, and in autumn 2015, a new Temporary Alien Act was proposed. The new legal framework came into force on July 20, 2016, and covered only the minimum level of the EU asylum standard. The temporary law introduced changes such as fewer protection grounds, temporary residence permits as a rule, limited opportunity for family reunification, and strengthened supply requirements for family reunification. The restrictions of the new temporary law clearly reflected the deterrence line of reducing national standards.

In 2016, Sweden was the largest receiver of unaccompanied minor asylum applicants within the EU. Of the 45,300 unaccompanied Afghan minors in the EU in 2015, 30,080 were registered in Sweden.

In December 2022, the Swedish Migration Agency estimated that the Taliban’s conquest of Afghanistan has made the lives of Afghan women and girls so difficult that it counts as persecution based on gender. Against this background, the Migration Agency announced that all women and girls from Afghanistan are eligible for refugee status and a three-year residence permit in Sweden.

The Swedish Refugee Law Center has launched the report "Refugee status determination at first instance – one year after the Taliban take-over in Afghanistan", which provides an analysis of some 100 decisions issued by the Swedish Migration Agency in the period of June to August 2022 with regard to asylum applications made by Afghan nationals in Sweden. The report finds that the 'country of origin' information used in several decisions is not fully up-to-date, sufficiently corroborated, or relevant to the case. The report also notes that some 40% of the examined decisions were expulsion decisions, including those of women and families with children.

Sweden's refugee status determination for Afghan nationals

Sweden has traditionally been regarded as a peaceful nation with humanitarian asylum and refugee policies. However, in recent years, Sweden has become more restrictive in its asylum policies.

In 2015, Sweden faced a large increase in the number of asylum seekers, and in autumn 2015, a new Temporary Alien Act was proposed. The new legal framework came into force on July 20, 2016, and covered only the minimum level of the EU asylum standard. The temporary law introduced changes such as fewer protection grounds, temporary residence permits as a rule, limited opportunity for family reunification, and strengthened supply requirements for family reunification.

The Swedish Refugee Law Center launched a report analyzing some 100 decisions issued by the Swedish Migration Agency between June and August 2022 regarding asylum applications made by Afghan nationals in Sweden. The report was commissioned by the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and aimed to review the legal reasoning of the Swedish Migration Agency, the use of 'country of origin' information, and how UNHCR recommendations and guidelines, EU law, case-law, and jurisprudence are implemented in decisions on asylum applications.

While the report positively notes that the Swedish Migration Agency is undertaking a quality review of its decisions on Afghan asylum claims, it finds that the 'country of origin' information used in several decisions is not fully up-to-date, sufficiently corroborated, or relevant to the case. The report also notes that some 40% of the examined decisions were expulsion decisions, including those of women and families with children.

In December 2022, Sweden announced that all women and girls from Afghanistan would be granted refugee status and a three-year residence permit. This decision was made in light of the worsening conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan, with the Taliban denying them their basic rights, including access to education and employment, and imposing restrictions on their movement and dress.

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