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The government of Sweden is a parliamentary democracy operating under a unitary system and is composed of two branches:

• The Riksdag: Acts as the primary representative and legislative body; it is a unicameral body composed of 349 members and eight parties (the Social Democratic Party, the Moderate Party, the Sweden Democrats Party, the Green Party, the Centre Party, the Left Party, the Liberal Party, and the Christian Democrats). Direct elections take place every four years using the system of proportional representation (though a party must achieve at least 4% of the votes in order to gain representation in Parliament). The Riksdag is responsible for appointing the Prime Minister, a member of the majority party in parliament.

• The Government: This branch is created by the Prime Minister and is composed of a Cabinet of ministers. This branch functions as the executive and is responsible for domestic and foreign affairs.

[1] Sweden. The Swedish Institute. Sweden.se. N.p., 29 June 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

[1]

• King: Carl XVI Gustaf

• Prime Minister: Stefan Lofven (Social Democrats Party)

• Deputy Prime Minister: Åsa Romson (Green Party)

[1] "Sweden Profile - Leaders." BBC News. BBC, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

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• Population: 9,880,604 (85.8% urban, 14.2% rural)

• Population Density: 21 inhabitants per kilometer squared

• Racial Breakdown: Predominantly Swedes with Finnish and Sami Minorities; Foreign Born/ First-Generation Immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

• Estimated Per Capita Income: $47,900 per capita (43918.77 euros per capita)

• Unemployment Rate: 4%

[1] "The World Factbook: SWEDEN." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, 12 Jan. 2017. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

The Swedish refugee resettlement program as it exists today is regulated by the 2005 Aliens Act that established basic criteria for resettlement. The act outlined definitions of refugees, details about permits, and general work eligibility. Aside from this document, the Nordic countries (Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark) have a long tradition and history of refugee resettlement, all having ratified and implemented both the 1951 Convention on Refugees and its corresponding 1967 Protocol. [1]

[1] "Sweden and Migration." Sweden.se. The Swedish Institute, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

Annually, Sweden receives spending authorization from both the Parliament and the Swedish Migration Board to allocate toward its program. Municipalities that choose to participate in the resettlement program receive a grant of EUR 9,100 per adult/child and EUR 5700 for individuals over the age of sixty-five. This grant is distributed on a monthly basis throughout a two-year period. Additionally, each municipality receives a one-off grant consisting of EUR 830 for adults and EUR 332 for children, but not for those aged sixty-five and over.[1]

[1] European Resettlement Programme. “Sweden.” Resettlement.eu, Eurostat, May 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2017

[1]

[1] “Refugee Resettlement Statistics- Sweden.” UNHCR Population Statistics. UNHCR, n.d. Wed. Feb. 2017.

         Refugees are resettled on a municipality basis; currently, 150 of the 290 municipalities receive refugees (this is a voluntary action). The number of those resettled is determined by a country-specific quota established by the Swedish Migration Board, Public Employment Services, and the County Administrative Boards. Refugees are free to move between municipalities provided they find their own housing. [1]

[1] European Resettlement Programme.

[1]

Refugee resettlement in Sweden is largely allocated by the Swedish Migration Board, a body that governs which refugees are admitted provides permits, and decides the location refugees will be sent. Practical matters, such as transportation and housing logistics, are handled by the International Organization for Migration. The criteria for resettlement is governed by the Aliens Act of 2005 and largely applies to individuals who are facing a fear of persecution, harm, or death from their country of origin as a result of their race/ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, or religious/political beliefs. Sweden also allows a limited amount of refugees to enter on the basis of health/medical reason, but on the requirement that the treatment can only be found in Sweden. Each case submitted to the country is reviewed and approved by the Security Police. Lastly, Sweden’s EU allocated annual quota is 1900 refugees.

There are two methods of selection in the process: Dossier and In-Country Selection:

1. Dossier Selection: a potential refugee must present identification documents and personal data including family details, linguistic skills, educational background and past working experience (if available). Submitted cases are reviewed by the SMB and the decision is made by an assigned case officer. Those accepted can only apply for travel documents and official recognition after they have arrived in the country.

2. In Country Selection: arranged in cooperation between the Swedish embassy and the UNHCR using the Pre-Mission Questionnaire for Resettlement Interview Missions and the corresponding checklist (both supplied by the UNHCR). Applicants must clearly state and provide details about any relatives currently residing in Sweden. In order to make a decision, a series of interviews are conducted with applicants.

Both forms of resettlement are usually processed within 20 working days, while emergency cases are usually processed within 5 working days through the dossier selection process.

[1] The Swedish Government. “Sweden.” UNHCR Resettlement Handbook. UNHCR, 2011.

Swedish Migration Board (SMB)[1]:

Established: 1969

Office locations: 42 total; Headquarters located in Norrköping, Östergötland

Responsibilities and Functions: The Swedish Migration Board decides on how to allocate the refugee quota (1900), reviews cases, decides on resident permits, and makes travel arrangements for those granted refugee status/resettlement.

Leadership & Contacts:

            Anders Danielsson, CEO

Affiliates & Partners:

            Ministry of Justice, Stockholm

            Internal Organization for Migration

International Organization for Migration (IOM)[2]:

Established: 1951

Budget: US$1.675 billion (2013)

Office locations: 165 member states; Headquarters located in Geneva, Switzerland.

Responsibilities and Functions: The IOM assists in the placement and transportation of refugees, facilitates economic and social development throughout the migration process, and is dedicated to upholding the general welfare of migrants.

Leadership & Contacts:

            William Lacy Swing (U.S)

Affiliates & Partners:

            Works with over 60 NGOs: http://www.iom.int/observer-status-0

Swedish Public Employment Service (PES)[3]:

Established: January 1, 2008

Funding: The PES is funded by the Swedish Parliament and Government, amounting to approximately 67 billion SEK annually. Of this money, 30 billion SEK is used for unemployment benefits, 13 billion SEK for wage subsidies, 7 billion for wages and operating costs, 9 billion for labor market programs, and 4 billion for introduction assignments.

Office locations: 280 local employment offices that are divided into 10 market areas throughout the country. The head office is located at Hälsingegatan 38, Stockholm.

Responsibilities and Functions: The PES facilitates the employment of refugees in finding matches between employers and those seeking work. In doing so, the organization aids the integration into both the country and the labor market. In addition to providing job matches, the PES helps refugees gain basic language skills and a sense of self-sufficiency.

Leadership & Contacts:

            Mikael Sjöberg, Director General

City: Stockholm

Affiliates & Partners:

            Swedish Employment Service Arts and Culture—Kungsgatan 6

            Swedish Employment Service Seafarers—Rosenlundsgatan 4

[1] "About Us." To the Swedish Migration Agency. Swedish Migration Board, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

[2] "About IOM." International Organization for Migration. IOM, 15 Dec. 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

[3] "Welcome to Arbetsförmedlingen." Till Startsidan. Arbetsförmedlingen, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.