Sweden: Immigration restrictions related to COVID-19
Sweden: Immigration restrictions related to COVID-19
The Swedish government has decided to temporary restrict foreigners to enter Sweden if they are coming from a country outside EU/EEA/Switzerland. The restrictions have been extended for another 30 days until June 15, 2020.
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Updated 2020-05-15
On March 19 the Swedish government temporarily restricted foreigners coming from a country outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland to enter into Sweden. This was part of the measures taken to manage the outbreak of COVID-19. The restriction was initially supposed to last for 30 days and was then extended for another 30 days until May 15. On May 14 the government announced that due to the continuously difficult situation related to COVID-19, the entry restrictions have been extended until June 15, 2020.
The restrictions will continue to cover the same group of individuals. Hence it will not apply for individuals whose purpose with their trip to Sweden is to return to their home (i.e. home in Sweden) if he/she
- Is a citizen of EU/EEA/Switzerland or is a family member to such a citizen, or
- Has a long term residency in the EU, or
- Has a residence permit in Sweden or in another state in EU/EEA/Switzerland, or
- Has a national Sweden D-visa
As before, the entry ban will not apply for individuals arriving in Sweden to perform functions essential for the Swedish society/infrastructure. For these cases the Swedish border police will make an assessment for each individual and determine if they are exempted from the entry restrictions upon arrival to Sweden.
Why this matter
Due to the immigration restrictions, business visitors from outside EU/EEA/Switzerland will not be allowed to enter Sweden. The same applies for individuals holding a visa/work permit/residence permit who is not already living in Sweden. Consequently, individuals with a pending work permit application or a newly issued work permit might not be able to arrive in Sweden as planned. The recommendation from the Swedish Migration Agency for pending applications is that the employment start date in Sweden is adjusted to match the feasible date of arrival in Sweden. In addition, if an individual has already been granted a Swedish work permit but will not be able to arrive in the country within 4 months from the date of approval, the permit must be revoked.
Please feel free to contact us if you would like to know more.
Heléne Markström
Global Mobility Services
+ 46 31 61 48 17
helene.markstrom@kpmg.se
Nina Dahlsten
Global Mobility Services
+ 46 31 61 48 03
nina.dahlsten@kpmg.se
