OPINION: Swedish journalists excel at highlighting the victims of immigration crackdowns in other countries—but when it comes to domestic coverage, there’s much to be desired, argues The Local’s Paul O’Mahony.
For nearly two decades, rejected asylum seekers in Sweden had one legal lifeline—the spårbyte (track change) program. This policy allowed them to stay in the country on a work permit if they secured employment.
That lifeline disappeared on March 12th when the Riksdag voted to abolish spårbyte.
The decision was expected, but many immigrants who had relied on this opportunity were horrified to learn that the new rules would apply retroactively. Suddenly, thousands faced the risk of expulsion.
At The Local, we covered this story extensively last week—interviewing a Migration Agency official, reporting on calls for transitional rules, and sharing the reactions of those affected.
We also planned to discuss the spårbyte repeal in our podcast. One key question was how national media were responding to this major policy shift. That’s when we realized: they weren’t responding at all.
A law change expected to impact 4,700 people received virtually no media attention. While a few reports have surfaced in recent days, it is astonishing how long it took for the issue to gain traction.
Foreigners in Sweden are all too familiar with retroactive immigration policies. When the salary threshold for work permits was raised in 2023, many foreign workers in healthcare, forestry, and other industries were blindsided—suddenly finding themselves at risk of deportation.
Yet, most media coverage focused on employer complaints about the economic impact, while opposition politicians remained silent, wary of taking a stance on immigration. The stories of those directly affected—immigrants who had built lives here—were largely ignored.
Many foreign nursing assistants and machine operators quietly left Sweden without notice, their contributions erased, their departures unreported.
Now, we’re witnessing a similar situation with Northvolt. Thousands of workers who came to Sweden with ambition and optimism now have just three months to find new jobs—or leave the country.
Why aren’t Sweden’s decision-makers facing tougher scrutiny over this? The three-month deadline creates enormous pressure for thousands of individuals who want nothing more than to stay and continue contributing to Swedish society.
READ MORE: 18,000 ILLEGAL INDIANS RETURNING HOME
Sweden prides itself on trust and social cohesion. But those foundations are eroding. Many immigrants now feel betrayed—having followed the rules, integrated, and contributed, only to be told the goalposts have moved.
Why does Sweden seem intent on punishing those who have done exactly what was expected of them?
And why are work permit holders so invisible in the media coverage of legislation that upends their lives?
Swedish media regularly report on immigrant struggles in faraway countries. That’s commendable—immigrants everywhere need support.
But there’s a Swedish word, hemmablind, that perfectly describes this situation. It refers to those who readily criticize others while overlooking the problems in their own backyard.
Swedish media, take note.
A version of this opinion piece was first published in Swedish in Journalisten, the trade union magazine for journalists in Sweden.
