Sweden in Focus

Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members: Get Membership+ __This week we look at a new survey in which skilled workers say what they like most and least about Sweden.We ask which parts of some of Sweden’s big cities are best for foreigners.And we look at whether the next government could unite parties of the left and right.And in exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we look at whether your flights home could be disrupted this summer as fuel costs soar.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Richard Orange. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:Working in SwedenWork-life balance and family chief draw for high-skilled workers in SwedenReader insights'Safe, clean and peaceful': The Malmö districts foreigners favour the most'An international hub': These are the best districts for foreigners in Gothenburg'Open-minded and cosmopolitan': The Stockholm districts foreigners like the mostPoliticsHow would you like The Local to cover the Swedish election?TravelFlight cancelled or delayed? Here are your rights in Sweden

This week we look at a new survey in which skilled workers say what they like most and least about Sweden.We ask which parts of some of Sweden’s big cities are best for foreigners.And we look at whether the next government could unite parties of the left and right.And in exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we look at whether your flights home could be disrupted this summer as fuel costs soar.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Richard Orange. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:Working in SwedenWork-life balance and family chief draw for high-skilled workers in SwedenReader insights'Safe, clean and peaceful': The Malmö districts foreigners favour the most'An international hub': These are the best districts for foreigners in Gothenburg'Open-minded and cosmopolitan': The Stockholm districts foreigners like the mostPoliticsHow would you like The Local to cover the Swedish election?TravelFlight cancelled or delayed? Here are your rights in Sweden

Many people might think that someone working on a PhD funded by the Swedish state at a Swedish university would get an easy ride from migration authorities.That hasn’t been the case for Fahima Ayub Khan, a linguistics and cognitive science researcher studying for a PhD at the University of Gothenburg.She was denied a permit renewal and issued a deportation order just as she entered the final stretch of her doctoral studies.In this week’s episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, she tells The Local's Mandy Pipher about how her battle with Swedish bureaucracy has affected her life.READ ALSO:'We are not bonded labourers': University researcher fights Swedish deportation order

Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members: Get Membership+  __This week we ask how new curbs on permanent residency will hit immigrants.As the Wallenberg family rescues a groundbreaking green steel project in northern Sweden, we examine whether the Swedish green transition has reached a fork in the road.We also have a look at what goodies the government is showering over the electorate in the last budget before the election.And in exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we discuss Swedes’ favourite word – and we ask if our panelists can come up with a better one.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Emma Löfgren. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:ImmigrationEXPLAINED: Who is affected by Sweden's law phasing out permanent residencyPoliticsKEY POINTS: Sweden's spring budget bill in less than a minuteBusinessSwedish steel startup Stegra to receive 1.4 billion euro investmentSwedish languageIs lagom really the best word in the Swedish language?

This week we ask how new curbs on permanent residency will hit immigrants.As the Wallenberg family rescues a groundbreaking green steel project in northern Sweden, we examine whether the Swedish green transition has reached a fork in the road.We also have a look at what goodies the government is showering over the electorate in the last budget before the election.And in exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we discuss Swedes’ favourite word – and we ask if our panelists can come up with a better one.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Emma Löfgren. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:ImmigrationEXPLAINED: Who is affected by Sweden's law phasing out permanent residencyPoliticsKEY POINTS: Sweden's spring budget bill in less than a minuteBusinessSwedish steel startup Stegra to receive 1.4 billion euro investmentSwedish languageIs lagom really the best word in the Swedish language?

Applicants for work permits in Sweden will soon have to earn 90 percent of the median wage, or just over 33,000 kronor a month, to qualify.But some key professions will be exempted from the requirement. No decision has yet been made on exactly which jobs will be exempted, but The Local recently obtained lists of the professions provided to the government by the Migration Agency for consideration.The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, a lobby group representing Swedish businesses, has long sought to maintain Sweden's liberal work permit rules.In this week’s episode, The Local's Richard Orange catches up with Amelie Berg, the organisation's expert on immigration and labour mobility issues, to get her take on the latest updates. READ ALSO:Swedish businesses call for work permit exemption list 'as soon as possible'

Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers.Sign up to Membership+ now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members: Get Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.__Applicants for work permits in Sweden will soon have to earn 90 percent of the median wage, or just over 33,000 kronor a month, to qualify.But some key professions will be exempted from the requirement. No decision has yet been made on exactly which jobs will be exempted, but The Local recently obtained lists of the professions provided to the government by the Migration Agency for consideration.The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, a lobby group representing Swedish businesses, has long sought to maintain Sweden's liberal work permit rules.In this week’s episode, The Local's Richard Orange catches up with Amelie Berg, the organisation's expert on immigration and labour mobility issues, to get her take on the latest updates. READ ALSO:Swedish businesses call for work permit exemption list 'as soon as possible'

This week we ask whether the new deal between Ulf Kristersson and Jimmie Åkesson is a capitulation or a masterstroke by the prime minister. And what a Sweden Democrat migration minister might mean.We look at what it's really like inside one of Sweden’s deportation centres – and why being articulate might lead to you getting forced onto a deportation flight earlier than you’d like.And we examine how high-skilled workers are reacting to the newest migration laws.In exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we discuss whether the Swedish culture of shielding kids from competition is progressive or constraining.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Richard Orange.__Our sponsor this week is Sveriges Ingenjörer (Engineers of Sweden) Sign up here for their live Q&A sessions on working in SwedenApril 16th sessionMay 12th sessionJune 16th session__Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:PoliticsSweden Democrats to be in charge of immigration in a future right-wing governmentDetained in SwedenTwo hours inside Sweden's controversial detention hub for to-be-deported migrantsSwedish police asked to speed up deportation of 'intelligent and articulate' software engineerImmigrationA ban on being Swedish? Minister rails against France's new snus banSwedish traditions'We can go elsewhere': Skilled workers question future in Sweden over citizenship reformsGet Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members: Get Membership+