Swedish migration authorities have ruled that all Syrian asylum seekers who have come to Sweden will be granted permanent residency. Sweden is the first country in the European Union to adopt such measure. This decision came as the conflict in Syria has become one of the most violent in modern history and unfortunately with no solution in sight. Together with Germany, Sweden is one of the EU countries which has accepted the highest number of asylum seekers from Syria so far.

Since the beginning of 2012 a total of 14,700 Syrian asylum seekers came to Sweden. According to the Swedish newspaper site The Local, around 50% of Syrian refugees were granted permanent residency, with the remaining half receiving three-year residence permits. The new decision means that the roughly 8,000 Syrians who have temporary residency in Sweden will now receive permanent residence. They will also have the right to bring their families to Sweden.

Malek Laesker, vice-chair of the Syrian Arabian Cultural Association of Sweden, welcomed the Swedish authorities' decision. However he also warned it could create problems related to people-smuggling. "The fact that Sweden is the first country to open its arms is both positive and negative," he told the TT news agency. He also expressed concerns that the move will add more fuel to the already inflamed debate about Sweden's immigration policies.

Source: http://www.thelocal.se/50030/20130903/