DistantNews
Support us
🇸🇪 Sweden /Economy & Trade

New rules worsen personal assistant shortage in Sweden

From Svenska Dagbladet · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • New regulations in Sweden exclude personal assistants from obtaining work permits, worsening a recruitment crisis in the care sector.
  • The exclusion impacts individuals needing assistance, like 19-year-old Tilda, who risks losing her Ukrainian caregivers.
  • The government cites a need to combat fraud and exploitation, but the new rules may force essential workers to change professions.

Sweden's new immigration rules, designed to curb fraud, are creating a crisis for individuals reliant on personal assistants. The regulations completely exclude personal assistants from work permit eligibility, regardless of salary, exacerbating an already difficult recruitment landscape.

Through work, I have been able to support myself and my daughter here. I now feel deep concern about being forced to leave a profession I enjoy.

— Anastasiia ChervonoshtanA personal assistant from Ukraine expresses her worry about the new regulations.

For 19-year-old Tilda, who has a severe cerebral palsy, this poses a significant threat. Her two personal assistants from Ukraine have been her anchors for over four years. One of them, Anastasiia Chervonoshtan, found stable employment and a way to support herself and her daughter after fleeing to Sweden. "Through work, I have been able to support myself and my daughter here. I now feel deep concern about being forced to leave a profession I enjoy," she stated.

While these assistants currently have residency permits under the EU's mass-exoneration directive, they hoped to transition to permanent residency based on their work. However, the directive does not allow for work experience gained under it to count towards permanent residency. If the directive, valid until March 2027, ends, these assistants would need to switch professions to remain legally employed, a prospect that deeply worries Tilda's father, Joakim Primén.

For Tilda, it would be a catastrophe. It is difficult to find employees who stay.

— Joakim PriménTilda's father shares his concerns about the impact of the new rules on his daughter's care.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell defended the measures, stating they are necessary to combat exploitation, sham employment, and abuse within the profession. However, industry experts like Henrik Petrén from Fremia highlight the growing difficulty in recruiting personal assistants, partly due to stagnant wages compared to other sectors. The exclusion of this vital role from work permit eligibility risks leaving many vulnerable individuals without the necessary support.

We cannot ignore problems that have existed within the professional group linked to exploitation, sham employment, and abuse that ultimately have led to people suffering.

— Johan ForssellSweden's Migration Minister explains the rationale behind the new regulations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Svenska Dagbladet in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog