Ukrainians who are currently in Sweden are not required to return to their home country under the current situation since they will now be eligible to receive temporary protection in Sweden.
Such an announcement has been confirmed by the Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Due to the war in Ukraine, the EU’s mass displacement directive was activated by a decision of the Council on March 4, 2022. The decision, among other things, gives certain Ukrainian citizens and their family members the right to temporary protection if they were expelled from Ukraine on or after February 24, 2022 as a result of the military invasion of the Russian armed forces.
In April last year, the government of Sweden decided on a regulation amendment that extended the protection for this group of persons to also apply to those who travelled and stayed in Sweden for a period from October 30, 2021.
As a result of the existing regulations some people who deserve protection might risk not receiving it and may be required to go back to Ukraine. In order to help them stay in Sweden more easily, the government has opted for a new regulation change.
Soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive thus giving Ukrainians immediate protection and access to various rights in the European Union, taking into account the right of residence, social assistance, and access to the labour market among others.
The statistics from the European Office for Statistics, Eurostat, revealed that as of August this year, about 4.2 million non-EU citizens who left Ukraine were granted temporary protection in EU member states.
In addition, Eurostat revealed that among the EU states offering temporary protection to Ukrainians, Germany accepted the highest number, with a total of 1,175,695 people, or 28 per cent of the total, followed by Poland with 960,550 beneficiaries, accounting for 23 per cent, and Czechia 365,085 people, or nine per cent of the total.
However, recently authorities in Sweden have decided to tighten rules when it comes to the integration of internationals to this country.
Earlier this month, authorities in Sweden unfolded plans to change their current integration policy for all internationals reaching the country.
The country’s Ministry of Labour and Employment said that in order to reside in Sweden, internationals will be required to find a job, in order to ensure that everyone is able to support themselves.
Besides, earlier this month the government of Sweden also announced that it decided to tighten the conditions for family immigration and also restrict the issuance of residence permits for humanitarian purposes.