Andreas Löwenhöök, group leader for the Moderates.
Paul Connolly's column raises important questions about labour immigration, but unfortunately, the arguments rest on misconceptions and an overly one-sided view of reality. Let us clarify the facts.
Sweden's labour immigration salary requirements, which ensure that immigrants can support themselves and their families, are functionally sound. They also protect Swedish wages from being undercut. Moreover, the Social Democrats previously proposed an even higher salary requirement, demonstrating the broad parliamentary consensus on this issue.
In Skellefteå, where labour immigrants from non-EU countries are predominantly highly educated engineers and specialists, most already meet the salary requirement. The real question is about providing these individuals with reasonable opportunities to secure new employment after lay-offs—for example, by extending the time limit from three to six months. This is a solution that we and our parties locally consider reasonable.
The criticism that the government is inactive is misleading. Recently, the European Social Fund allocated 35 million kronor to support laid-off workers in finding new jobs or pursuing education, a concrete measure to facilitate transitions. Furthermore, the government has initiated reforms to simplify labour immigration for top-tier professionals.
Christina Soldan, leader of the Liberals in Skellefteå municipality.
Criticising Ebba Busch for her speech in Las Vegas is disproportionate. Her message about Sweden’s leading role in innovation and cleantech is well-founded and welcome. Sweden has a proud tradition of engineering excellence and is at the forefront of the green transition—something clearly demonstrated by successes in northern Sweden, from Skellefteå to other key initiatives.
It is also important to emphasise that Busch’s speech was apolitical. It highlighted Sweden's achievements and the values that have made our country one of the best in the world. More speeches like this, and ambassadors who promote Sweden as an innovative and sustainable nation, are very much needed and appreciated. Both nationally and internationally, such efforts help attract investments, top talent, and partnerships that build Sweden's future.
Per Boström, group leader for KD (the Christian Democrats) in Skellefteå municipality.
Connolly’s depiction of “Stockholm betraying Norrland” is therefore both simplified and incorrect. The government, together with local representatives like us, is working to strengthen both local and national development. It is about combining attractive conditions for international expertise with a fair and sustainable regulatory framework. Sweden can—and must—remain a country where innovation and labor immigration go hand in hand.
Andreas Löwenhöök (M), Opposition Councillor
Per Boström (KD), Group Leader
Christina Soldan (L), Group Leader
Norran English editor, Paul Connolly
Paul Connolly, Norran English editor, responds:
First off, let's consider the real facts of the current salary requirement for work visas or permits. The imposition of these thresholds have accomplished something unprecedented in recent Swedish political history: they've united ALL segments of Swedish society in opposition.
For instance, by erecting higher salary barriers, employers worry that Sweden risks losing out on precisely the talent it needs to compete globally.
As Northvolt said last year in a response to the government's plans:
– This applies in particular to machine operators and technicians, whose minimum wages under collective bargaining agreements are lower than the median wage, and therefore are particularly vulnerable in this context.
Mikael Lindström, public affairs director at Stegra, the one Norrland green transition project Ebba Busch did praise in her speech, told Norran last year that the salary threshold was:
– A terrible policy for private actors as well as the public sector in Sweden. The government-imposed minimum wage for foreign citizens would be substantially higher than the prevailing rates in most collective agreements for Swedish and EU citizens, both in the private and public sectors.
Northvolt also raised the issue of broader societal implications.
– We believe there is a significant risk that the staffing of healthcare, services, and infrastructure in northern Sweden will be negatively affected by the salary requirement, which could indirectly hinder our plans.
Northvolt is not alone in its concerns about the potential impact of the proposed labour immigration reforms on healthcare. Region Västerbotten also expressed criticism of the salary requirements.
– The proposed level is significantly higher than the minimum level regulated in many central collective agreements and also exceeds the minimum salary level for numerous professions where university-educated personnel are employed in healthcare.
At the national level, the salary threshold was not only criticised by The Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) but also by employer organisations.
Karin Johansson of Svenskt Näringsliv.
Karin Johansson, vice president of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv) said:
– Politicians are now intervening in the setting of salaries. It has always been the employers and unions who have set the wages in Sweden and that is how it should continue to be.
She had the support of Per Hidesten, the CEO of the employers' organisation, Industriarbetsgivarna.
– The policy of non-interference by the state in wage negotiation has been a practice that has proven beneficial for all parties involved.
Nobody, it seems, apart from the government itself (and its Sweden Democrat allies), agrees that the salary threshold is "functionally sound." Everybody hates it.
As for the Skellefteå opposition parties' suggestion to extend the grace period for non-EU workers from three to six months to find a new job before they're deported, well, so what?
They say, "This is a solution that we and our parties locally consider reasonable."
This statement means nothing when your national colleagues in government don't agree with you, so why even mention it?
Finally, you say, "The criticism that the government is inactive is misleading. Recently, the European Social Fund allocated 35 million kronor to support laid-off workers."
The clue is in the name of the fund – this is money from the EU, not central government.