Ukrainian Refugees Try To Make Ends Meet In Cramped Rooms
LETTER TO THE EDITOR The actions of the Swedish government appear to be a historic mistake, Volodymyr Melnyk writes.
This is a letter sent by a Ukrainian refugee, living in Sweden. To preserve his anonymity, the name has been altered.
I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the work that you do as an editor at "Last Night in Sweden". As a Ukrainian living in Sweden, I have found your articles to be informative and thought-provoking, and I am grateful for the opportunity to read them.
While I have your attention, I would like to iterate on some concerns that I and other Ukrainians in Sweden are facing. The housing situation is one of them, but another major issue is the difficulty of integrating into the labor market and the lack of financial support from the Swedish government.
As you may be aware, the amount of financial support provided by Migrationsverket is three times lower than the Swedish national standard for daily basic needs, making it very challenging for us to make ends meet.
The system for housing seekers is opaque and leaves room for corruption. Single individuals are forced to live in tiny and cramped rooms that are no bigger than dog kennels for months with empty promises of "we'll do our best". While families are forced to live in inadequate conditions with no privacy or space (not all of them, there are always some lucky, but still).
And this is despite the fact that only 50,000 Ukrainians came to the vast country of Sweden in 2022. For comparison, Germany accepted 1.5 million people. According to updated statistics, about a fifth of the 50,000 have already left Sweden.
I do not know the statistics on the number of Ukrainians with higher education who came to Sweden, but I am convinced that this figure is significant. The level of education and socio-cultural affinity of Ukrainians make them excellent candidates for full and rapid integration into the Swedish economy.
However, the actions of the Swedish government appear to be a historic mistake that will undoubtedly be recorded in textbooks if not corrected this year.
I am aware of a personal case in which individuals with higher financial education were offered by representatives of the municipality to be employed on a bakery production line. While this may be seen as a logical step towards integrating individuals into a new economic environment when they do not yet speak the language, I was struck by the fact they were participating in "practice and training", and that they had to work for free for two weeks.
Unfortunately, this two-week period was extended to three weeks, during which time the individuals continued to perform routine work on the production line, even during holidays, without financial compensation. Additionally, the bakery products produced by these individuals were sold to consumers.
It is important to note that the bakery had contacts with the representatives of the municipalities, which leads me to believe that there were agreements and personal ties involved, taking advantage of the fact that immigrants may not fully understand the laws, language, and other nuances of their new environment.
However, the most significant issue is the lack of access to basic resources, given that Ukrainians in Sweden are covered by the Temporary Protection Directive. Despite being granted the right to live and work in the EU until March 2024, they are not eligible for a personal number or a BankID, according to Sweden's Civil Registration law.
The time spent living in Sweden under the directive cannot count towards citizenship or permanent residency, and individuals covered by the directive are not eligible to apply for a work permit. These challenges are causing immense hardship for Ukrainians in Sweden, and urgent attention is needed to address them.
I hope that you will continue to report on these issues and give a voice to those who are often marginalized and ignored. Your work is invaluable in raising awareness and creating positive change, and I am honored to be a reader of your publication.
Thank you again for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Volodymyr Melnyk