This figure represents a five per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023, when the number of residence permits issued stood at 45,138, EU Helpers reports.
The highest share of permits issued during the first half of 2024 were for employment, family reunification, studies and asylum.
Work Was Main Reason for Issuing Permits During 1st Half of 2024
Employment was the primary reason for issuing permits, with a total of 14,615 work permits granted to foreigners.
The highest share of work permits were granted to IT architects, system developers, test leaders, berry pickers and planters, engineers and technicians, and civil engineering occupations.
The fact that work was the most common reason for granting permits highlights the country’s need for foreign workers.
Sweden is facing labour shortages in 39 occupations, as revealed by the 2023 EURES report on shortages and surpluses, with healthcare and education as some of the most affected sectors.
Sweden’s need for workers has been noted by the country’s Labour Minister Johan Pehrson, who said earlier that some parts of the country are in dire need of staff.
Among Sweden’s efforts to tackle this issue is the introduction of a new processing system to reduce the waiting time for highly qualified workers. According to the Swedish Migration Agency, the average waiting period for resolved cases has been less than 30 days for the cases included in the scheme.
Nearly 12,400 Permits Issued for Family Reunification
Swedish authorities granted 12,372 permits for family reunification during the first half of 2024, a four-percent drop from the same period last year.
Although the number of permits for this category saw a slight decrease, Sweden recently announced its plans to tighten family reunification rules, as the authorities consider the current rules related to family immigration to be “more generous” compared to those under EU law.
In addition to work and family reunification, other categories that obtained a notable share of residence permits include students (8,341) and asylum seekers (7,992).
32,890 People Were Granted Swedish Citizenship
The Migration Agency further revealed that Sweden granted citizenship to 31,890 individuals in the first half of 2024, with over 4,600 granted during June.
On the other hand, there are 92,125 applications that have been received but not yet decided.