Note: a Swedish innovation in Labor Migration policy

An "objective" and expeditious way of ascertaining existence of need for migrant labor has been devised in Sweden. The discretionary power of government regulators has been curbed. They no longer need to make any determination whether hiring a foreign worker is "economically necessary" as is the case in many countries. This means avoidance of arbitrariness and less red tape. Employers need only advertise the job for ten days within the EU and show that there has been no takers.


Excerpt from http://www.focus-migration.de/Sweden.6245.0.html?&L=1

"On 15 December 2008, following several years of preparation and negotiation, new regulations came into force in Sweden concerning the immigration of workers from non-EU states. Most importantly, labour immigration is now almost fully dependant on the needs of Swedish employers; the controlling powers of government agencies are severely restricted and the labour market is open to workers of all skill levels. The Swedish Public Employment Service no longer carries out checks to establish whether the immigration of foreign workers is economically necessary. If an employer has a vacancy available but is unable to find a suitable candidate inside Sweden, they are first obliged to advertise the vacancy publicly through the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen). This agency also sees to the publication of the advertisement in the EU job mobility portal EURES. If once again there is no response, the employer may, according to the new rules, advertise for an applicant from any country in the world. All the employer has to do is prove to the migration authorities that the vacancy has, in fact, been advertised for a period of at least ten days throughout the EU. In this way the principle of giving priority to Swedish job-seekers and EU citizens is respected."

Relevance from labor migrants and irregular migrants: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdagensarena.se%2Freportage%2Fdokument-5-”arbetskraftsinvandring”%2F

"The new rules meant that the old system where applications for work permits, first tested in the domestic labor market finally abolished. The idea was that employers themselves better able to assess whether they need to recruit foreign workers or not. Neither authorities or trade unions, who previously served as a referral body, would no longer be part of the process. Employers were given full responsibility.

For individuals the opportunity to migrate and work in Sweden and the firms' ability to recruit staff abroad the new rules are a clear improvement. Although asylum seekers who have been denied may, if they have jobs, get work permits. After four years, is also the possibility of permanent residence."

But it can also generate new irregular migrants who "run away" from exploitative contracts.

Implementation of "deregulation of labor migration"/"flexible labor migration policy" criticized

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Faintiawomankampanjen.wordpress.com%2Fnyheter%2F

Situation of berry pickers from Thailand

http://dagensarena.se/reportage/dokument-5-”arbetskraftsinvandring”/