The Mission of the Migration Agency

In Sweden, the Migration Agency is the authority that considers applications from people who want to take up permanent residence in Sweden, visit, seek protection from persecution or get Swedish citizenship.

The Migration Agency's mission includes providing housing and money for food to asylum seekers, while they wait for a decision in their asylum case. We also assign unaccompanied children to a municipality, which then becomes the child's home for the duration of the asylum process. When a refugee is granted a residence permit in Sweden, we give compensation from the state to the municipalities and county councils. Since 2016 we assign persons with residence permits to the municipalities.

The Swedish Government's appropriation directions, laws, instructions and international conventions control the reception of applicants. As for the reception of refugees, the Swedish Migration Agency cooperates with several other authorities and organisations.

Laws and regulations

We are given our tasks by the Govern­ment

The Swedish Migration Agency is commissioned by Parliament and Government, who set the Swedish asylum and migration policy. We are thus commissioned by the Swedish people, through the politicians who make decisions on migration policy. When necessary, the court interprets the law.

Each year we receive appropriation directions from the Government stating objectives and commissions, and how much money the Migration Agency may spend.

Several times a year we report to the Government about what to expect regarding migration to Sweden in the near future.

Human rights is fundamental

Sweden's migration policy and regulations is based on international agreements that Sweden has signed. Among other conventions, the UN's Declaration of Human Rights is a corner-stone in the Swedish migration policy. In the case of refugees, it is about protecting the right to seek asylum.

In addition to the UN Declaration, Sweden has signed international agreements outside and within the European Union, which also affect the content of legislation.

Read more about human rights and international conventions

The right to equal treatment

The Swedish Migration Agency shall, as far as possible, aim for equal treatment and respect for people on their way. Everyone has the right to an equal and legitimate examination of his or her case. The application of the law shall be predictable and uniform.

We asses each application individually and the applicant must in different ways prove the information specified in the application. We want to gain an understanding of the applicant's own situation and have as clear a picture as possible before making a decision. This is especially important when the consequence may be that a person must leave the country.

In asylum cases, we take into account the knowledge of the situation in the applicant´s country of origin and also regionally within the country.

Decisions can be appealed

The applicant may appeal the Migration Agency's decision. At an appeal, the Migration Court interprets the law for us.

As a legal entity, the Migration Court of Appeal has the final word in the interpretation of Swedish laws. Together with the Migration Court, they develop the legal basis that we have to work from. The interpretations give us legal advice for further assessments of cases. At the same time, it ensures legal certainty and predictability in a case, from the submission of an application, through assessing of the application, up until a decision.