Teacher Faces Deportation Risk After Years of Service in Sweden
Yadan Song faces deportation risk after ruling on insufficient work history in Sweden.
Key Points
- • Yadan Song has worked in Sweden for four years but risks deportation.
- • Swedish immigration law requires at least 3 years and 8 months of qualifying work.
- • Her positions as a substitute teacher do not count towards residency requirements.
- • The principal wishes to hire her permanently but awaits her degree's completion.
Yadan Song, a 29-year-old teacher from Wuhan, China, is at risk of deportation after the Swedish Migration Agency, Migrationsverket, ruled she has not adequately established herself in the labor market despite working for four years. Living in Skutskär, Song has been employed primarily as a substitute teacher at Älvboda friskola while pursuing a teaching degree at Högskolan i Gävle. However, her temporary status does not qualify her for permanent residency, as Swedish law stipulates that candidates must have worked for at least three years and eight months out of the last four years to remain eligible.
Principal Johan Sennerfeldt expressed a strong intention to hire her permanently but highlighted that hiring is contingent upon her completing her degree. The decision by Migrationsverket has ignited concerns regarding the rigid immigration policies affecting teachers who have meaningfully contributed to their communities. This situation underscores the challenges faced by those in temporary positions, where substantial work and community engagement do not meet the stringent residency requirements set forth by Swedish law.
Song’s case reflects broader issues within the immigration framework, particularly for individuals in the education sector trying to secure long-term status despite their contributions.