If you want to understand the insurance issue. Read this document, it has historical migrationsverket webpage links as proof that we were not informed about insurance requirement.
If you want to have your story here. Please send to work.in.sweden.story@gmail.com
Senior Software Developer
4 years in Sweden
Concerns: Long waiting time; missing insurances in the past;
I am 33 years old Senior Software Engineer. I've been working in Sweden for almost 4 years. Soon, me and my family will apply for PUT and we have a constant fear and stress we may be rejected due to missing sjukförsäkring from the ex employer. Neither my ex employer or me was aware of this until recently (missing personnummer in the first several months was a reason why insurance company didn't grant me this insurance at all, even though my employer wanted to provide it) when I had to provide the statement to the MV due to the visa extension which itself took more than 14 months and caused stress that me and my family have never faced before! Fortunately, the decision was positive this time but we are afraid what will happen with the next application.
Another foreign employee received deportation notice today for minor errors. He is more inclined towards not appealing the decision because he seems to have lost all the hope. Moreover, he says he hasn’t been able to see his family for more than a year and now he doesn’t want to be restricted anymore. His hopelessness is very understandable considering the negative decision that was handed to Tayyab. The fact that the government has taken more than a year to fix the problem, is pushing many to not even apply for extension but rather move somewhere else, which would both save them time and prevent them from stress.
Rasul N, (29/M), Senior Software Developer
5 years in Sweden
Concerns: Long waiting time (11 months); missing insurances in the past; received rejection
”I got opportunities all around Europe after Master but gave them all up in favor of staying in Sweden because it seemed like the best choice. Living and investing in this country for more than 4 years, I made lots of friends, started to feel that I was settling down and now, the system has striped everything away from me. I waited for almost a year only to be told I was rejected for insurances that my employer forgot to pay couple years ago. It was later fixed but apparently that doesn’t matter. It has literally destroyed me emotionally. I will be leaving behind all my friends, life and the worst part is, I haven’t done anything at all to deserve this. Everybody including Migrationsverket knows that I as an employee didn’t do anything wrong and somehow I am the one who is getting punished. I am the one whose life is getting destroyed.”
Anonymous, 30, Mobile Developer
7 years in Sweden
Concerns: missing insurances; received rejection
"I came to Sweden 7 years ago to study at KTH and for last 5.5 years I have been working as a mobile developer. I am also one of the cases whose employer missed their insurances for a short period of time which is worth not more than a couple of thousand Swedish crowns in total. Eventually Migrationsverket sent me the deportation letter for this reason. This is not only affect my life but my wife's too who also works here. Words cannot describe the feelings when one has spent golden years of their life in a country and Migrationsverket treats them like they're criminal. I can only hope that I would get some positive news regarding the change in these strange laws."
Anonymous, (32/M), Mobile Software Engineer
3 years in Sweden
Concerns: Long waiting time (8 months); missing insurances in the past; potential rejection
"I moved to Sweden to work for a prominent tech startup. Up until two weeks after my arrival I did not have my personal number which effectively meant I couldn't get all of the required insurances. Now Migrationsverket is clinging on to those few days and asking for more information before they make a decision. These insurances can't be paid retroactively, even though my company would like to do it. I have contributed with my skills and by paying taxes on my highly competitive salary and my sambo and I have left our whole lives behind back in South America. To say that a potential deportation would ruin the life that we have started to build in this great country would be an understatement. The regulations are meant to protect the employee. My employer never tried to exploit me and yet we are punished by a fault in the system."
Anonymous, (32/F), Software engineer at HiQ
5 years in Sweden
Concerns: Long waiting time (8 months); potential rejection
"I have been working full-time in Sweden for almost 5 years and have been waiting for a decision for 8 months, during which I have been trapped in Sweden and felt a lot of pressure since I could not visit my father who is sick. Now Migrationsverket said that they will reject my application and deport me because my employer did not pay all insurances during my initial trial employment of 6 months - something they do not do for Swedish citizens. I am married to a Swedish guy and now they will destroy the future that we planned together. Two years back I was, after a long process, offered a permanent residence in Canada, but I chose to try to build a future in Sweden - something that I regret deeply now."
Anonymous, (28/M), Software Engineer
5 years in Sweden
Concerns: Missing insurances in the past; long waiting time
"Work permit holders getting rejections for minor issues makes me really consider if I should even apply for extension in a couple of months since I am sure my missing insurances from 4 years ago would cause a problem for me too. I have done everything to make sure I never make even a minor mistake but the fact that work permit holders are being deported for something they’re not even responsible for, makes us feel like criminals. This country has never made me feel insecure until now, which is why I don’t want to believe that the laws would be adequately fixed anytime soon. I would rather use the little time I have to move else where in Europe where I would feel more secure and would get a decision on my work permit within a couple months instead of having to live with uncertainty for up to a year!"
Anonymous, (35/M), Senior Software Developer
5 years in Sweden
Concerns: Missing insurance in the past; application rejected
“I have been working in Sweden since 2012 as a senior software developer. I had the work permit extended in 2014 but the extension application submitted last year was rejected because of some missing insurance in 2012! Both my family and my managers are astonished and confused because the missing insurance is for my first months in Sweden which was almost 5 years ago! It is the company that should have bought the insurance for me. I didn't know of any missing insurance, since in 2014 the work permit was extended without any problem.
We have always loved Sweden. I love my work and I work hard too. My family and I have tried to assimilate by learning Swedish language and culture. We try our best to integrate and to contribute. My elder daughter had good time in förskola (Kindergarten) and now she is in F-class. She loves the school and she is loved by her friends. My younger son was born in Sweden. One of the first things he saw was the Swedish flag put on the delivery meal! Now he started his förskola and began to speak Swedish several months ago.
But now, these two little kids are facing deportation - my family is facing deportation - even though I am a software developer that is high in demand, even though we didn't do anything wrong but contributed instead, even though the missing insurance was almost 5 years ago, even though the work permit was extended in 2014!”
Anonymous, (32/M), Product Designer
8 years in Sweden
Concerns: Long waiting time (15 months); missing insurances; received rejection
"I came to Sweden to study at Chalmers University for my Master degree. After graduation, I started working in IT industry as a designer, co-founded a startup, as well as worked on art-related projects for about 6 years. Life had been going really smooth until I got trapped in “the process” of waiting and waiting forever for the extension. For 15 months I could not move abroad or avail the social benefits despite paying taxes. The restriction to move couldn’t let me fulfil my plans to see my beloved grandma, who later passed away. Finally, I received my rejection because my previous employers forgot to take out insurances for me for few months. The system has failed me badly. Good luck fixing it!"
Anonymous, (29/F), Personal Assistant
7 years in Sweden
Concerns: Less monthly salary in the past
”When I started in Sweden, my supervisor contacted Migrationsverket to check how they interpret the rule regarding minimum monthly salary (13000 SEK) for those who have work permits in Sweden. Migrationsverket responded that they would consider my annual income (or, Inkomstdeklaration from Skatteverket). So my supervisor made a work schedule for me where I had a few hours more in one month and less in another, making my salary below minimum for two months. Migrationsverket granted me two work permits over the past 4 years basing their decision on annual income. Now when I applied for permanent residence, I got to know that Migrationsverket had changed their interpretation of rules and that they would check my monthly salary instead of annual salary. I did my best to build my life in Sweden; to contribute to Swedish society; to ensure I fulfilled all the requirements of Migrationsverket. Even my employer did their best to comply with the rules. But due to minor misunderstandings that happened four years ago, I will face deportation.”
Heybet Demir, (31/M), Chef
10 years in Sweden
Concerns: No vacations given by employer - received rejection
"Heybet hails from Turkey and has been working as a chef in Sweden. Instead of his employer giving him vacation, Haybet was paid for it which he assumed was fine due to his lack of knowledge. But instead of the employer getting questioned, it was Heybet who had to pay the price for that in the form of getting a deportation order last Fall. Migration appeal court recently decided against him and now he has to go back home, leaving behind his apartment that he says he bought with his hard earned money. He believes he has no one to go to in Turkey since he has built his life in Sweden. It is important to mention here that Heybet has invested his time and effort in learning Swedish language, has been paying his taxes and was actually expecting to get a permanent residency after his last work permit expired. Heybet"s is a classic case of why laws that are seemingly meant to protect the employees should not only change, but change before Sweden loses its reputation for a favorable workplace for foreigners."
Anonymous, (28/M), Software Developer
5 years in Sweden
Concerns: Missing insurances in the past
"After 5 years of contributing to the Swedish Economy, I am now waiting for the decision by Migrationsverket to get the deportation order soon. The petty reason is that my former employer was too clumsy to pay the health insurance (sjukförsäkring). The mistake was completely a human factor, committed without any ill intention. I am truly disappointed and regretful for choosing Sweden over so many other options that I had, considering I am a software engineer and high in demand. I hope others won't make the mistake that I made."
Islam (34), Cook
7 years in Sweden
Concern: Long waiting time (34 months), Salary was not increased in due time, missing insurance,
application was submitted two days later than the mentioned date in the application form.
After long waiting of 34 months the Migrations agency
rejected my application and asked me to leave Sweden. They mentioned three reasons for it:
A. My salary was not increased in due time. The agency compared my salary with union’s
agreed salary. My company did not have collective agreement. But they always paid me good
salary. They explain very properly and logically that why my salary was not increased. The
main reason here is confusion and misunderstanding of actual practice. The migration
agency’s interpretation is without consideration of the context in practical.
B. The migration agency investigated that I did not have an insurance for a certain period.
However, they got incomplete information from the insurance company and rejected my case.
My employer did correct my all documents on time.
C. The third reason is upsetting. My application was reached to the Migration Agency two days
later than the joining date mentioned in the application form. It was an administrative error.
The migration agency did not check it with the employer or with me before the rejection. If
they would have asked it, we could explain it also.
I one side, the decision affected my future very negatively. On the other side, who should I blame for
it? Everyone involved in my case, doing very well and I am the person who had very little control on
this issue, suffering the highest. I do not blame my employer. They did not do anything wrong with
me. I got equal right. The employer even paying for my lawyers which is expensive in Sweden.
Because they are honest to their employees and their intention. The system should take responsibility
of this mass with me. I waited for 34 months. If the migrations agency would have raised this question
in the beginning, this situation would not happen. This is totally injustice. The decision is not proportional!