Tidö government: Student fraud to enter Sweden must be stopped

They come to Sweden from countries such as India, Pakistan, and Nepal. Officially, they are students, but they arrive to work with the help of agencies. Minister for Migration Johan Forssell (M) says the loopholes and misuse must end.

In Sweden, international students and their families are allowed to work as much as they want, which makes Sweden stand out compared to many other European countries. This also opens the door for abuse.

– 90 percent of our students do not study, says a recruiter in Pakistan, caught on a hidden camera.

In Pakistan, SVT visited four recruitment agencies. The agents are paid by Swedish universities to recruit students to Sweden.

– Once you get to Sweden, you can drop out of your studies and earn money by working without limits. Most students succeed this way and make good money, says one agent.

The Swedish Migration Agency says they are aware of the abuse and states that a person who does not intend to study should not be granted a residence permit in Sweden.

Fake bank statement

Fees for students enrolled at Swedish universities and colleges cost nearly 150,000 SEK per academic year. In 2024, this brought University West in Trollhättan 27 million SEK.

To prove you can afford to pay this, one must show, for example, a bank statement with sufficient funds. The agencies offer fake bank statements for a commission fee.

Too lax

Minister for Migration Johan Forssell (M) says he is not surprised by the revelations.

– This must end. It is unacceptable and destructive. We can state that checks have been too poor and the system too lax, he says.

New law

Last year, 46,000 international students started their studies in Sweden. The government is now preparing a new law that would allow these students to work a maximum of 15 hours per week and require them to pass more credits than currently.

– Most students are serious, but we only want to attract top students, says Minister for Migration Johan Forssell, and continues:

– We are now reviewing the law and this investigation shows how important it is to have a new law in place as soon as possible this year.