I would like to tell you about X and Z, two highly-skilled IT consultants who are employed by my husband’s company. For many years X and Z have actively contributed to our country’s prosperity: they have paid their taxes and worked hard while at the same time being really nice, decent and honest people (you know the ones that we want more of in our country, right?). However both X and Z have recently learned that they aren’t allowed to stay in Sweden. After having lived and worked here for many years they now have to move back to the countries they chose to leave.

Your reason for deporting X and Z is holding them accountable for, in my opinion, minor administrative mistakes by previous employers many years ago. Stuff they did not even know and that are entirely the fault of the companies that employed them. You do not give these previous employers the possibility to correct their administration either, instead you decide to deport two IT professionals.

Can you please explain the logic behind this decision? Because I honestly don’t understand. And what’s exactly the difference between me and these guys? Because I can’t see it. All three of us come from different countries. All three of us have paid our taxes. All three of us are skilled professionals. Yet I can stay and they cannot. So seriously Sweden, what’s up? Are you for real when you make administrative mistakes by previous employers grounds for deportation? Can we please agree that somewhere, something is seriously wrong?

It’s election time soon. I can only hope that this will bring a shift that so obviously is needed.

Sincerely,

Nanda – angry, disappointed and looking forward to vote

Photo: Jonathan Brinkhorst – unsplash.com