The Swedish Migration Agency has ordered overtime to handle citizenship cases ahead of this summer’s legislative changes. Officially, it is due to long processing times and technical preparations. But an internal source claims the real reason is different – to have as many applications as possible decided before the Tidö government’s new regulations take effect.
When Samnytt speaks with a source employed at the Migration Agency, who wishes to remain anonymous for safety reasons, he is convinced the timing is no coincidence.
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According to the source, the agency has recently ordered overtime, evening, and weekend work within the citizenship division. He describes the measure as very unusual and says it deviates from how the authority normally operates.
When Samnytt asks the Migration Agency’s press officer, he confirms that the agency has ordered overtime, but claims it has nothing to do with the law change. What do you say to that?
– Of course they say no. I think it’s about wanting to grant as many citizenships as possible. I have a very hard time believing it’s anything else.
I would estimate that at least 75 percent here are on the left side. And those who are right-wing are silent, so to speak.
Anonymous source at the Migration Agency
The source further states that while overtime sometimes occurs when units risk missing their production goals, such measures normally happen at year-end or in special crisis situations.
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– It’s very unusual. There must be a real backlog in decisions. But now it’s May and June. It certainly sounds like a way to grant more citizenships before the rules change, he says.
Is it your impression that many employees at the Migration Agency oppose the Tidö government’s migration policy reforms?
– Yes, that’s correct. I would estimate that at least 75 percent here are on the left side. And those who are right-wing are silent, so to speak.
The Migration Agency confirms the overtime
Press officer Jesper Tengroth confirms to Samnytt that the agency has ordered overtime.
Jesper Tengroth is the Migration Agency’s press officer and is responsible for the agency’s media relations. He previously worked as a journalist at Swedish Radio and became press officer at the Migration Agency in 2023.
– Yes, we have ordered overtime, he tells Samnytt.
According to Tengroth, there are two main reasons. One is that the agency must prepare its systems and work routines for the new legislation taking effect on June 6. The other is the long processing times for citizenship cases.
Who would be driving that conspiracy, do you think? At what meetings would such things be discussed? Who would make these decisions? Would we have different kinds of clan meetings then, you mean, to decide that now we should circumvent legislation?
Jesper Tengroth, press officer, Migration Agency
He refers to criticism from the Parliamentary Ombudsman, the Chancellor of Justice, and the National Audit Office, as well as to the Migration Agency’s large backlog of cases that must be handled.
– It’s about dealing with the volume of cases piling up, he says.
Tengroth also states that the agency’s 2026 forecast was to decide about 55,000 citizenship cases, even though that projection may need to be revised downward due to new control steps and security checks.
To many it appears that there’s a reason this ordered overtime comes right now, just before the law change; how do you comment on that?
– I understand that, especially if you push that narrative, as happens sometimes. But it’s wrong; it isn’t about that. It has nothing to do with how easy or hard it will be to become a Swedish citizen after June 6. He continues:
– It’s about having to handle the volume of pending cases.
Can you understand that many people think it looks odd for you to do this right before the law changes?
– No, I can’t, because that’s not what it’s about.
Do you have any other example where the Migration Agency did something similar before – calling in extra staff and ordering overtime in the middle of summer?
– I don’t have a clear example. No, I’m not aware of any.
Our source says the mood inside the Migration Agency is that the Tidö government’s policy is wrong. How do you comment?
– It’s impossible for me to assess anonymous sources or what they claim.
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But is this something you are aware of, that it’s like that?
– We’re a government agency and we work according to the laws that the legislature decides on. The assignments we get from the government, we execute.
Critics say the Migration Agency will adapt to the law, but tries to do as much as possible before it takes effect?
– Who would lead that conspiracy then, do you think? At which meetings would this be discussed? Who would make those decisions?
Our sources tell us that different clans have formed within the Migration Agency?
– Are you suggesting we have different kinds of clan meetings to decide to circumvent the law?
Not in Swedish, according to our source, since these groups speak their own languages?
– So the agency would have no idea what goes on inside?
The information we’ve received is that many groups don’t speak Swedish to each other, and so other employees don’t understand what is being said?
– That’s not something I recognize. But if someone experiences this, I hope they report it to their immediate manager.
But if the manager belongs to the same clan and language group being criticized, what do you do then?
– Then you need to go to the next supervisor or your union. It’s only then that the employer can act.
READ ALSO: Migration Agency refuses to answer Samnytt – dismisses staff testimonies and declines interview
Sweden Democrats summon Migration Agency Director General
The revelations have now prompted the Sweden Democrats to act. The party’s migration policy spokesperson Ludvig Aspling tells Samnytt that they take the situation seriously and want answers from the Migration Agency leadership as to why the overtime initiative is happening right now.
We’ve had this situation somewhat before. I recall when residence permit rules were changed. A lot were handed out before the rules changed. This looks like it might be something similar.
Ludvig Aspling (SD)
– What we see as very serious is if this exceeds what is normal, says Aspling.
According to him, SD has therefore requested that Director General Maria Mindhammar be brought before the Swedish parliament’s social insurance committee to account for the reasoning behind the decision.
Aspling argues that if the information is correct, it could be indicative of a pattern the party has seen before.
– We’ve had this situation somewhat before. I remember when residence permit rules changed. Large numbers were granted before the rules changed. This appears to be something similar, he says.
At the same time, Aspling is highly critical of the explanation that overtime is due to technical preparations and new work routines ahead of the law change. However, he wants to await the director general’s answer before drawing any definitive conclusions.
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– It doesn’t sound very credible. But again, I must wait for Mindhammar’s response. When you’re doing training, you usually don’t do it over a weekend, he says.
Have you also spoken with Minister for Migration Johan Forssell (M) about this?
– No, not yet. But I’ll press him on it in ten minutes.
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