Governance model and responsible actors
The governance of integration involves several important legal acts and ordinances. These include, though not exhaustively: the Act (1994:137) on the reception of asylum seekers; Ordinance (2010:1122) on state compensation for measures for certain foreign nationals; Act (2013:156) on societal orientation for certain newly arrived immigrants; Law (2016:38) on the reception of certain newly arrived immigrants for settlement; Law (2017:584) on responsibility for establishment efforts for certain newly arrived immigrants (Etableringslagen); Ordinance (2017:820) on establishment efforts; and Ordinance (2017:819) on benefits for participants in labour market policy measures (Regeringskansliet, 2024b). At the national level, the Ministry of Employment is currently responsible for coordinating the government’s integration policy. It oversees the integration and establishment of foreign-born individuals, the settlement and municipal reception of certain newly arrived immigrants, exclusion at various levels, and interpreter services. The ministry also governs labour market policy, gender equality, and anti-discrimination efforts. Additionally, the Ministry of Education is responsible for matters concerning preschool, school, and municipal adult education, including Swedish for Immigrants (SFI), which is a key integration measure (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
Some government agencies have integration-related tasks in their instructions. The Public Employment Service facilitates the labour market integration of newly arrived refugees, individuals in need of protection, and their families through establishment measures. It is the responsible authority for the establishment programme (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
Swedish Social Insurance Agency is responsible for administering several forms of financial support for participants in the Establishment Programme.
The Swedish Migration Agency is the central administrative authority for matters relating to residence permits, work permits, reception of asylum seekers, allocation to municipalities, voluntary return, and pre-arrival integration information. It also handles reimbursements to municipalities and the selection/transfer of refugees (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
Municipalities are responsible for both targeted integration measures, such as Swedish for Immigrants and civic orientation, and for general services for newly arrived migrants, including housing provision, education, adult learning, elderly care, and social services (Regeringskansliet, 2024b). Municipalities are required to receive newly arrived refugees, other persons in need of protection, and their family members, and must provide civic orientation to eligible newly arrived migrants registered in the municipality (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
County Administrative Boards are responsible for strengthening and supporting municipal preparedness and capacity to receive both assigned and self-settled individuals (Länsstyrelserna, 2025). They also set local allocation quotas and promote collaboration between municipalities, state agencies, businesses, and civil society (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
Civil society organisations carry out a wide range of initiatives aimed at supporting the integration of foreign-born individuals into the labour market and broader society. These include mentorship programmes to facilitate labour market entry, work training opportunities, language support, and homework assistance for both children and adults (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
Current national integration policies: goals and objectives
Sweden currently lacks a coordinated, cross-sectoral integration strategy. The most recent strategy dates back to 2008 (Gov. Comm. 2008/09:24) (Regeringskansliet, 2024b). A new integration objective introduced in the 2024 Spring Amending Budget emphasises that those residing in Sweden long-term are expected to make an effort to become part of Swedish society, while society must both set requirements and provide opportunities for integration. Five complementary sub-goals guide the work, focusing on economic, linguistic, educational, democratic, social, and cultural integration. Special focus is also placed on improving education outcomes for children with foreign backgrounds and promoting labour market entry for foreign-born women (Regeringskansliet, 2024a).
The government is implementing a paradigm shift in the area of migration and integration, moving from an asylum-based model to one focused on labour immigration, including faster processing for highly skilled workers (Regeringskansliet, 2024d). Individuals arriving in Sweden are expected to establish themselves in the labour market and become self-sufficient as quickly as possible (Regeringskansliet, 2024a).
The government has initiated a range of reforms, including a restructured reception system that will abolish the current EBO model (self-arranged housing) in favour of state-run reception centres (Sveriges Riksdag, 2025). Additionally, the government has provided authorities with new tools to increase the rate of returns, including enabling more internal immigration checks and establishing return centres (Regeringskansliet, 2024d).
In the 2025 Budget Bill, the government proposes several initiatives aimed at improving labour market entry and language acquisition, particularly for foreign-born individuals. These include (Sveriges Riksdag, 2025):
Expanded access to regional vocational adult education to support employment;
Language and literacy support in early childhood education, as well as for staff in schools and elderly care; and
Improved monitoring of integration outcomes (Regeringskansliet, 2024c; Regeringskansliet, 2024d).
Protection seekers from Ukraine
Sweden is bound by the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which it has extended until 4 March 2027. Those covered by the TPD have access to the rights listed in the directive, such as housing and meals, access to the labour market, basic healthcare, education for children, and limited financial support – similar to asylum seekers in Sweden.
Under Chapter 21 of the Swedish Aliens Act, individuals with temporary protection are not entered into the population register if their stay is expected to be under three years. They remain under the Act on the Reception of Asylum Seekers, receiving daily allowance and may be assigned housing (EMN Sweden, 2025b).
Until July 2024, beneficiaries only received coordination numbers, limiting access to services such as BankID, full healthcare, and certain employment support. From July 2024, those with two years of protection became eligible for registration, and from November 2024, the threshold was lowered to one year (Regeringskansliet, 2024b; Sveriges Riksdag, 2025).
Registration in the Swedish Population Register leads to gaining a personal identification number and grants access to expanded rights, including the establishment programme, financial support under the Social Services Act, municipal adult education known as Komvux, and compulsory schooling for children (SKR, 2025). Those granted temporary protection on or after 5 September 2025 are generally not eligible for registration, due to the fixed end date of 4 March 2027 (Skatteverket, 2025).
Integration or establishment programmes
The establishment programme is a labour market initiative to facilitate and accelerate the integration of newly arrived refugees, persons in need of protection, and their family members into work and society (Arbetsförmedlingen, n.d.b; Regeringskansliet, 2024b). Refugees from Ukraine gain the right to participate once they are registered in the Swedish Population Register. Targeting individuals aged 20–65, the programme offers coordinated and tailored support to promote self-sufficiency, labour market participation, civic engagement, and Swedish language acquisition (Arbetsförmedlingen, n.d.b; Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
The Swedish Public Employment Service designs and coordinates the programme, draws up the establishment plan together with the participant, and provides job-seeking support, education, and labour market activities. Municipalities are responsible for certain parts, such as Swedish language training (SFI), civic orientation courses, and social services.
Participation is voluntary but requires active engagement. Participants receive financial compensation. The programme can be full-time for up to 24 months, and individuals may participate within a 36-month window from the date of receiving a Swedish personal identity number. Participants may re-enter the programme within this time frame. Examples of programme activities include Swedish for Immigrants, civic orientation, vocational or academic training, internships, job search support, business startup guidance, and skills validation (Arbetsförmedlingen, n.d.b).
Language training
Municipalities must provide free Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) to all eligible residents aged 16 and over who lack basic Swedish skills. To be eligible, individuals must hold a residence permit and have a Swedish personal identity number (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
The government seeks to strengthen SFI by raising standards and broadening access, including for Ukrainian refugees. Since June 2023, municipalities have been permitted, though not obliged, to offer SFI to individuals under the TPD. Initially excluded from Komvux, a reform in July 2023 allowed TPD beneficiaries to study Swedish at both basic and upper secondary levels within municipal adult education (EMN Sweden, 2025b).
In May 2025, the government received the final report from the inquiry on improving civic orientation for newly arrived immigrants (SOU 2025:55). The report proposes integrating civic orientation into SFI, making it mandatory for individuals receiving financial support, and introducing a written final exam (Regeringskansliet, 2025). Settlement process
Asylum seekers may choose to live in accommodation provided by the Swedish Migration Agency (ABO) or in their own housing (EBO) while their asylum applications are being processed (Boverket, 2025). From 1 March 2025, asylum seekers in EBO will generally no longer be entitled to financial support, such as daily allowance or special support, unless they live with close family already residing in Sweden or have exceptional reasons (Migrationsverket, 2025). This policy aims, among other things, to encourage more dispersed settlement and reduce pressure on areas facing social and economic challenges.
Municipalities are required to receive newcomers for settlement, based on the municipal quota. The Settlement Act (2016:38) obliges municipalities to receive and settle newly arrived refugees, other protective status holders, and their family members. The term ‘settlement’ encompasses both the formal process where the Swedish Migration Agency directs individuals to a specific municipality, and the subsequent support provided by that municipality. The Settlement Ordinance (2016:39) specifies that settlement support in a municipality applies primarily to quota refugees and individuals living in Migration Agency housing (ABO) who cannot secure housing on their own (Länsstyrelserna, 2025; Regeringskansliet, 2024b). Each person receives only one municipal settlement offer; if they decline, the right to assistance and accommodation from the Swedish Migration Agency ceases, and they must find housing on their own (Migrationsverket, n.d.). Municipalities must offer housing to designated permit holders within two months of being appointed as a reception municipality, with responsibility lasting two years during the establishment process. Permit holders who settle independently still retain access to municipal services such as SFI, core education, and social assistance (Migrationsverket, n.d.).
Since July 2022, municipalities have also been responsible for housing refugees from Ukraine. They may register as residents after one year in Sweden, which grants the right to municipal settlement. Those unable to arrange housing may receive settlement assistance, but if they decline the offer, they lose Migration Agency support once registered in the population registry (EMN Sweden, 2025b).
The current settlement system for newly arrived immigrants is under review in the ongoing Inquiry on a New System for Settlement, which submitted its report Etableringsboendelagen (SOU 2025:35) in April 2025. Now under consultation, the proposal aims to create a more equitable, consistent, and flexible framework while giving municipalities greater influence over the process (Sveriges Riksdag, 2025). Social assistance and financial support
Establishment Programme participants (newly arrived refugees, persons in need of protection, and their family members) can receive several types of financial support. The establishment benefit provides SEK 231 per day during the initial assessment period and increases to SEK 308 per day once the individual integration plan is approved; this benefit is tax-free (Arbetsförmedlingen, n.d.-a). The establishment supplement is available to guardians of children under 20 and ranges from SEK 800 to 1,500 per child per month, depending on the child’s age (Försäkringskassan, 2025). In addition, housing compensation may be granted to single participants living alone, based on actual rent costs, up to a maximum of SEK 3,900 per month (Försäkringskassan, 2025).
These benefits are not taxable, not pension-qualifying, and do not count toward sick pay. However, they count as income when calculating housing allowances. Benefit levels have remained unchanged since 2010, often requiring participants to seek additional municipal support to cover living costs (Regeringskansliet, 2024b).
Individuals registered as job seekers with the Swedish Public Employment Service and participating in programmes or activities arranged through the agency may be eligible for financial support from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Arbetsförmedlingen, n.d.-b). There are two main types of support. Activity support is available to individuals over the age of 25 and can amount to up to SEK 223 per day (taxable), depending on their unemployment insurance status (a-kassa). Development allowance is intended for individuals under 25 without a-kassa, with the amount based on their education level and adjusted annually (Försäkringskassan, 2025).
Asylum seekers are entitled to accommodation, daily allowance, and special grants to cover basic needs like food, clothing, and toiletries. The daily allowance, introduced in 1994 and unchanged since, ranges between SEK 24/day (with food) for a single adult to SEK 71/day (without food) (EMN Sweden, 2025b).
As mentioned above, refugees from Ukraine who are registered in the Swedish Population Register are eligible for full social benefits and can participate in the Establishment Programme. This excludes child benefits, housing allowances, and support for the elderly (EMN Sweden, 2025b). Those who are not registered are entitled to the same daily allowance as asylum seekers but are not eligible for additional allowances or social security. However, they can still access certain support from the Public Employment Service, including subsidised employment options such as labour market entry agreements, introductory jobs, new start jobs (nystartsjobb), and disability-related job support (EMN Sweden, 2025b).
Healthcare and schooling
Asylum seekers and beneficiaries of temporary protection are entitled to emergency medical and dental care, as well as other non-deferrable healthcare. Children and adolescents have the same access to healthcare and dental services as all children in Sweden. After obtaining a Swedish personal identity number, individuals have the same right to healthcare as anyone else who lives in Sweden (EMN Sweden, 2025b).
Asylum-seeking children and those with residence permits under the TPD have the same right to education as other children in Sweden, though attendance is voluntary. Once registered in the population register, children, youth, and adults gain the same education rights and obligations as all other residents (EMN Sweden, 2025b).