Stockholm, March 2, 2026 – The Europe Today: The Swedish Migration Agency has estimated that it would take up to eight years to process all cases if the government proceeds with a proposal to revoke permanent residence permits and convert them into temporary ones.
The assessment was outlined in the agency’s latest budget submission to the government.
According to the agency, after excluding individuals who may instead qualify for Swedish citizenship, approximately 118,700 cases would remain in which permanent residence permits would need to be converted into temporary residence permits.
The Migration Agency estimates that handling these 118,700 cases would require eight years of processing time, cost a total of SEK 3.6 billion over that period, and necessitate the employment of 336 full-time staff annually.
The proposal to replace permanent residence permits with temporary ones was presented last year by government-appointed investigators. However, political parties remain divided over whether the measure should be implemented.
The issue has sparked broader debate in Sweden over migration policy, administrative capacity, and the financial implications of large-scale permit reviews.
