Ageing Sweden to open doors for Indian labour

Press Trust of India

Tuesday, November 04, 2008, (New Delhi)

Indian workers, both skilled and semi-skilled, may soon be able to seek employment in Sweden, which is ushering in immigration policy reforms to meet the ever-increasing demand of its labour market.

The new policy, expected to come in force from December, puts no cap on the number of workers seeking employment from a particular country and also grants two-year work permits as against the one-year permit available currently.

Sweden is facing a challenge for future growth with a sizeable section of its nine million population getting older and soon be retiring from work.

The European nation faces shortage of doctors, nurses, engineers, electricians, IT technicians and welders.

"Once the new rules are in place, an employer who is not able to meet labour needs through recruitment in Sweden or in the European Union will be able to recruit labour from any other country," Sweden's Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billstrom said at an interactive session organised by FICCI here.

The proposed rules provide for extension of the work permit once or several times and after four years the worker becomes eligible for a permanent residence permit, he said.

Billstrom met Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes to apprise them of the new immigration rules.

"A person who has been granted a work and residence permit will be given the same rights and obligations as provided for (Swedish) nationals. The spouse or partner of the labour migrant will also be granted full access to the labour market," Billstorm said.