Teenage Deportations Threaten Sweden’s Prosperity

Much has been said in recent weeks about the so‑called “teenage deportations”. The fact that young people who have grown up in Sweden, speak fluent Swedish and attend upper secondary school are deported to a distant country where they know no one naturally evokes strong emotions. We agree with much of what has already been raised in the public debate. However, one perspective has been missing: that this is also a matter of Sweden’s skills supply.

Every year, thousands of engineers come to Sweden from third countries. Demand for engineering expertise is high. Without highly qualified labour migration, many of our technology companies would struggle to recruit the talent they need.

We know that successful technology companies and highly skilled engineers are what make Sweden strong. They form the very foundation of our growth, our prosperity, and consequently our welfare system. We want this to remain the case, but that requires the government to take a holistic approach.

After a labour migrant has lived and worked in Sweden for four years, they can normally apply for permanent residence permit. The person’s minor children are included in the application based on family ties. However, once a child turns 18, they are no longer considered to have such ties – even if they still live at home with their parents and attend upper secondary school. To remain in Sweden, the child must apply on independent grounds. This means either asylum-related grounds, a work permit with a salary exceeding 90 per cent of the median wage (currently SEK 33,390), or a student residence permit. For most 18‑year‑old children of labour migrants, it is simply impossible to meet any of these requirements.

One specific option existed for children of labour migrants. If their parents applied for a renewed work permit instead of permanent residence permit, the child could remain in Sweden until the age of 21. However, this came at the cost of the entire family continuing to hold only temporary residence permits. This option may now be removed. In a government-appointed inquiry (SOU 2025:95), it is proposed that the age limit should be lowered to 18 for this group as well.

This means that two highly qualified labour migrants who are granted permanent residence permits may have their 18‑year‑old child deported. The family is torn apart when the child is deported, and it is easy to understand why many parents in this situation choose to leave Sweden as well.

The result is that highly skilled individuals who contribute to Sweden’s prosperity every day resign from their jobs and leave the country. This opens the door for companies in competing countries to recruit this highly sought-after talent. It would be disastrous for Sweden to lose skilled engineers at a time when we urgently need more to come here.

Several technology companies already report that highly qualified candidates are choosing not to move to Sweden because of these rules, as they do not want to risk being separated from their children. At the same time, local union representatives report that engineer members are considering leaving Sweden when their children face the threat of deportation. This is an unfortunate effect that directly contradicts the government’s stated ambition to make Sweden more attractive to highly skilled labour. The government has taken several positive initiatives in this area, not least the “Work in Sweden” assignment aimed at strengthening international talent attraction, in which both our organisations have participated as members of the reference group.

Technology Industries of Sweden and Engineers of Sweden do not agree on everything. We are counterparts in negotiations on wages and working conditions. But we share common interests: safeguarding and strengthening Sweden as a technology nation. In our view, the teenage deportations risk achieving the exact opposite.

Proposals have been raised to increase the age limit from 18 to 21. This would be an improvement compared with the current situation. By then, the individual will at least have completed upper secondary school, can begin higher education, and thus apply for a student residence permit. At the same time, challenges remain. For a 21‑year‑old who wants to work, a salary above SEK 33,390 is required to obtain a work permit. Few 21‑year‑olds are offered wages that high. The risk therefore remains that highly qualified individuals leave Sweden to avoid having their families torn apart.

With 4,500 member companies, one million jobs and 188,000 engineers behind us, we urge the government to act swiftly. An exemption mechanism is needed in the system. Labour migrants should not be forced to choose between being separated from their children or leaving the country.

If the government does not put an end to the teenage deportations now, Sweden risks a brain drain. That would severely harm Swedish companies, growth and welfare.