The aim of the Introduction Programme is to ensure equal rights, obligations and opportunities. The main priority in this area is that every step of the reception process of newly arrived immigrants is to focus on finding a job.

The Introduction Programme has relevance for the European Employment Strategy as it is intended to contribute to: enhanced labour and skills supply through its aim to prevent long-term unemployment for newly arrived immigrants; a better functioning of the labour market through its focus on validation of experience and skills; and fairness, combating poverty and promoting equal opportunities through subsidised employment for those new arrived immigrants to facilitate employment earlier in the introduction process. 

When the Act (2010:2197) on introduction measures for certain newly arrived immigrants came into force in 2010, the responsibility for refugee reception was moved from the municipalities to Arbetsförmedlingen. It was the biggest change in Swedish integration policy since the 1970s. Before Arbetsförmedlingen was given this task, there was no national coordination to help recently arrived immigrants get established in work and society. Consequently, opportunities for this depended in what municipality the individual lived.

Newly arrived immigrants in Sweden are not succeeding at establishing themselves on the labour market during the first four years after their arrival. In 2006 less than 30 percent of men and 20 percent of women were employed. Some newly arrived immigrants never manage to establish themselves on the labour market with 25 percent of those between 18-45 years of age not finding employment after 9 years. The rate of establishment on the labour market has been especially slow for those immigrants that came to Sweden as a refugee.

One of the first things that happens when a person receives a residence permit is that he or she is called to a meeting at Arbetsförmedlingen for an introduction interview. During the first introduction interview, previous experience and skills are mapped out. Because we meet the jobseeker at an early stage, we can quickly identify experience, qualifications, competences and career aspirations. In cooperation with the participant we create an individual plan for him or her to establish himself or herself on the labour market.

The introduction plan describes the activi¬ties that the person needs to enter employment or studies. It should always include Swedish for Immigrants (sfi), civic orientation and employment preparation activities (for example validation of educational and profes¬sional experience and/or employment training). The introduction plan is a living document and the activities in the plan change as required. The participant meets regularly with an employment officer to review and update the plan. At the beginning of the introduction period, we focus on assessing whether the person’s skills and input can be identified and validated. Over time, the plan increasingly consists of work-related activities.

Arbetsförmedlingen is responsible for coordinating the introduction of newly arrived immigrants, but a successful implementation is dependent on all stakeholders working together. But it is also important that participants’ personal needs are taken into account. This means that schooling, childcare, health, economy and housing must be arranged to enable integration and entry into the labour market. This in turn requires good cooperation between Arbetsför¬medlingen and other stakeholders which the person comes in contact with.

The Act (2010:197) on introduction measures for certain newly arrived immigrants applies to persons who are over the age of 20 but under 65, and have a residence permit as refugee, quota refugee, person in need of protection, or a relative of any of these. Persons between 18 but under 20 years with no parents in Sweden are also entitled to these benefits.

The number of participants has risen continuously from an average of 4,350 during the first year (2011) to an average of 48,360 in 2015. As at August 2016, a total of 111,363 individuals have been supported. In May 2016, 44,788 of those participants had finished their participation in the programme. Thirty percent of those that finished their participation are in employment or studies ninety days after their participation.

Stockholm University published their findings concerning the first year of the Introduction Programme on 15 April 2016. They compared the results for those who started their introduction plan between 1 December 2010 and 31 December 2011 with those who participated in the old introduction program between 1 January and 30 November 2010.

The study found that newly arrived immigrants that participated in the new introduction programme had a higher rate of employment, had a higher average income and participated in employment training more often.