Key facts
- Sweden is deporting British citizens who applied late for post-Brexit residency permits.
- Migration Minister Johan Forssell stated Sweden is compliant with the withdrawal agreement, an assessment shared by the European Commission.
- Cases include a 78-year-old widow who lived in Sweden for 21 years and a man who moved there at age 10.
- The Swedish government is investigating potential measures to ease the process for future applicants.
- Thousands of UK nationals have been ordered to leave Sweden since 2021.
The Swedish government has defended its strict enforcement of post-Brexit immigration rules, which has resulted in the removal of British citizens from the country. Migration Minister Johan Forssell stated that Sweden is fulfilling its commitments under the EU-UK withdrawal agreement, a position reportedly shared by the European Commission.
This stance has drawn criticism, particularly in cases like that of Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old British widow who has lived in Sweden for 21 years and is now ordered to leave after her late application for residency was rejected. Another case involves John Sellers, a 34-year-old British man deported despite moving to Sweden at the age of 10.
MP Häkan Svenneling criticized the government for not intervening, stating that inaction is also a decision. Forssell, however, offered a glimmer of hope, mentioning that the government is investigating whether further measures can be taken to facilitate the process in the future, emphasizing the importance of the UK-Sweden relationship.
David Milstead of Brits in Sweden questioned whether Sweden's approach aligns with EU law and the withdrawal agreement, drawing a comparison to the UK's Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA), which he believes would have challenged a similar policy. He suggested the issue may need to be tested in the European Court of Justice or addressed through remedial measures.
According to Eurostat data, between 2021 and 2025, 2,490 UK nationals were ordered to leave Sweden, representing a significant portion of such orders across all EU member states.