New arrangement for asylum seekers’ accommodation from 1 March

From 1 March, all new asylum seekers will be assigned a place at one of the Swedish Migration Agency’s asylum accommodation centres. To be entitled to financial support in the form of daily allowances and special grants, asylum seekers must move into their assigned accommodation and live there.

Exceptions may be made for individuals with exceptional grounds. For example, an asylum seeker may be allowed to live with a close family member. However, exceptions will be applied restrictively.

Even those who applied for asylum before 1 March and live in their own accommodation will be assigned a place at an asylum accommodation centre. To keep their right to financial assistance, asylum seekers must move into their assigned location by 31 August.

The new rules also more clearly require asylum seekers living in their own accommodation to provide their residential address. If an applicant does not provide their correct residential address, the Swedish Migration Agency may consider their application for asylum to be withdrawn.

The reason is that the Government wants to create a new arrangement for asylum seekers’ accommodation, where the starting point is that asylum seekers will live at the Swedish Migration Agency’s asylum accommodation centres, i.e. a reception or return centre.

The legislative change only applies to asylum seekers. People from Ukraine with protection under the Temporary Protection Directive are not affected.