Significant Reduction of Thai Berry Pickers in Sweden for 2025
Sweden's 2025 policy allows only 89 Thai berry pickers, addressing labor exploitation issues.
Key Points
- • Sweden will accept only 89 Thai berry pickers in 2025.
- • This sharp reduction follows investigations into labor exploitation.
- • Authorities emphasize employer accountability in the berry-picking industry.
- • The change highlights ongoing labor rights challenges.
In a dramatic policy shift, Sweden will permit only 89 Thai berry pickers to enter the country this year, a steep decline from the thousands typically allowed in previous years. This decision comes amid ongoing investigations into labor exploitation within the berry-picking industry, sparking a crackdown by Swedish authorities on unethical practices.
The Swedish Migration Agency has played a crucial role in this change, reflecting the increased scrutiny following reports from Dagens Nyheter (DN) that exposed widespread exploitative practices affecting foreign laborers. As a reaction to these findings, authorities have ramped up oversight of employers in the sector. Hanna Geurtsen from the Migration Agency emphasized the importance of employer accountability, stating, "It is not acceptable to say that 'they wanted to pick a lot of berries.' There remains an employer responsibility."
This reduction highlights significant challenges in ensuring fair labor practices in agriculture and serves as a wake-up call regarding employer conduct in a historically lax sector. Without question, this change will impact the labor supply in a country that has relied heavily on foreign workers for berry harvesting.