In this report commissioned by the UNHCR, the Swedish Refugee Law Center* analyses Sweden’s temporary protection system for people fleeing Ukraine. The aim in its publication is to promote the strengthening of economic and social rights for those granted temporary protection, by contributing to dialogue with such relevant stakeholders as the Swedish government. It addresses the issues of access to temporary protection, access to and the right to seek international protection, and how the right to family reunification is granted. 

The report describes how Sweden has chosen to grant beneficiaries under the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) the same rights as asylum seekers, meaning for instance that those fleeing Ukraine to Sweden are only entitled to “healthcare that cannot wait”. A key recommendation made in the report is that those fleeing Ukraine should be granted the same access to healthcare as other refugees. 

Additionally, when it comes to monetary support, according to the report those granted a temporary residence permit under the TPD in Sweden are only given a very limited daily financial allowance - on the same level as asylum-seekers -, which is much lower than the support granted to recognised refugees. Currently, the daily allowance for those living in accom­mo­da­tion where food is not provided is SEK 71/day for single adults and SEK 61/day per person for adults who share household expenses. 

Beneficiaries under the TPD can choose to stay in their own accommodation, but only in certain areas. Residential areas that already host a larger share of foreign born residents are excepted from the financial allowance system, meaning that asylum seekers or those from Ukraine registered under the temporary protection directive will lose their daily allowance if they choose to live in such areas. 

Those with a job offer are eligible for compensation for the cost of accommodation, at SEK 800 per month. The report states that families or individuals hosting those who have fled Ukraine are not entitled to any financial support for the additional costs involved in hosting. 

The UNHCR notes that "Sweden’s response to people fleeing war in Ukraine has been overwhelmingly positive", but that the organisation "shares the concerns expressed by a broad range of civil society organisations that people fleeing Ukraine are not provided the same rights as other refugees in Sweden". Additionally, it writes that "the UNHCR believes that financial aid and social support must be at a sufficient level to ensure a dignified standard of living".

* The Swedish Refugee Law Center is a politically and religiously independent organisation funded by member organisations and private donations. The lawyers at Swedish Refugee Law Center have many years of experience in migration law, as (public) counsellors and from work in courts, government bodies and the Swedish Migration Agency. They provide both legal commentary and analysis on migration and asylum law, at both national and EU level.