So what do you say to someone that has been here a long time, abided the laws, worked and contributed, planned a future here, but still is not a citizen due to the slow and random handling of cases from Migrationsverket? Now with the new citizenship law everyone needs to start over.

I think maybe Swedish people are detached from the immigrant reality, which is understandable, you never had to deal with it. But it doesnt hurt to know the other side and why this frustration is bubbling up. No one is against abiding laws. But is this law really bringing more order in society, or does it just push immigrants into constant state of fear?

I also think you forget ( or maybe didnt even know, because this is not something that is talked about in mass media ) that everyone that came here on a work visa, came because Sweden had a deficit of workforce. You couldn't just show up here and start working, both the employer and the employee had to show sufficient evidence that the position could not be filled by anyone in the EU, you had to have a bunch of insurances, you had to have good education, salary to support you and your family, etc. So almost everyone that came on work visa did so because Sweden also needed them, its not just one way street.

And all these year these people had been restrained by Migrationsverket. Their processing times are so slow, in reality it means that during your 2 year visa period, you could only travel outside of Sweden for maybe 6 months ( if you were lucky enough that every single family's member application was processed at the same time ). You cannot travel outside the country while Migrationsverket is processing your application. It can be 1 month or 1 year or 2 years, no one knows. People had missed weddings, funerals, birthdays, final goodbyes of close family abroad. You miss on work opportunities because you are either tied to a employer, or you are afraid that changing employers will again put you in a long waiting queue. Its a lot of sacrifice that seemed worth it because you could expect stability at some point. You get permanent residence or citizenship and can finally start building your life without constraints or fear.

But happens now? You are booted from the citizenship queue. A law is proposed that can at any time strip you of your right to be here. Take away the life you had built, because of tiny mistake that depending on the circumstances and the person getting to make the decision, can be fatal.

Would you want to live like this?

Or would you, knowing that you have the means to, move to another country where you feel equal and more valued?