A report from Samnytt provides an unprecedented look inside Sweden’s Migration Agency, highlighting challenges related to staff composition, workplace culture, and internal practices. Sources who have worked at the agency for decades describe a complex environment shaped by linguistic groups, clan affiliations, and internal loyalties.
Currently, a majority of the agency’s approximately 6,000 employees come from non-Swedish backgrounds. Many do not hold Swedish citizenship, and staff often speak their own language within their group. According to a source, “What affects things most is that everyone speaks their own language, so you don’t understand what is being said between groups and colleagues.” This dynamic, combined with longstanding clan networks, has reportedly introduced a Middle Eastern clan mentality into daily operations.
The source described how group loyalties influence decisions on residence permits, work permits, and other administrative matters, sometimes benefiting relatives or clan members. This behavior became so normalized that it happens openly, without any fear of internal consequences. Additionally, chants and songs such as “from the river to the sea” have been heard in the agency’s break room, reflecting political or cultural affiliations among some staff.
The Migration Agency oversees key decisions on asylum, citizenship, and residence in Sweden. During the refugee crisis of 2015, structural weaknesses emerged, which continue to affect management, oversight, and legal certainty today.
Sweden’s challenges have attracted international attention. Canada recently placed the country in the same travel advisory category as Turkey and Morocco, citing rising gang violence and terrorism risks. Authorities warned travelers to remain alert in residential areas, shopping centers, and public spaces, linking the developments to crime increases associated with migration pressures.
