Foreign-born denied benefits more frequently

1. It is just as likely that scammers are over represented in the foreign born applicants as it is racism from the agency.

2. It is not discrimination if the applicant doesn't understand the forms or the Swedish explanation from a worker at the agency. That is the applicant's fault for spending 4 years in SFI without learning anything, not the fault of the agency.

Sweden is too quick to jump to the conclusion that it is to blame. On the other hand, bigotry does exist in Sweden. So, maybe....

It's definately NOT discrininaton against only muslims as some will comment later.

"The newspaper also found that applicants born in Sweden had lower denial rates than foreign-born applicants, regardless of the latter's country of birth."

So it happens to us Americans, Canadians, Brits, and others.

I understand the deal about filling in the forms. Back in the US I donated blood every 56 days and thought I could be a regular blood donor here. Although there was a blood shortage, they refused to let me donate because I couldn't read and speak Swedish.

That's the rules here. So someone may have died needing a blood transfusion because the government wouldn't take my blood until I could read the consent form and say Ja or nej instead of yes or no.

I was born in a European country (of European family decent), am a passport holder, have worked and paid taxes in Europe since employed. I choose to be in Sweden because I love my Swedish girlfriend and have not had a permanent position in three years.

I have part time work occasionally, pay taxes, taxed whenever I consume. I have no rights to income support when there is no work for me.

I am not lazy, I am not uneducated and am not inexperienced. The hypocrisy and lies of this or any other infirm state-corporation sicken me. A misguided nationalist or proudly programmed patsy can say what they believe is their free thinking opinion; such as 'you can always leave'. The state never gives anything for free, either way somehow, you always pay.

I will not leave as long as my girlfriend loves and wants me here. The state does not give a crud about Swedes or foreigners we are their tax cattle, so wake the fudge up. Government legalised initiation of aggression with the use of any tools makes billions and lies about the misuse of your/ our revenue generation.

People may think that the global protests are programmed sheeple, extremists and all other kinds of crap. We may be easily misled, but even the most IQ challenged person is NO FOOL. People are angry for a reason. They cannot afford an acceptable standard of living and see that they are being robbed blind and given crap as quality by state-corporation, they do not believe terror, resource, climate and economic deceptions.

My enemy is no brown, yellow or white skin, turban wearing, sari, kaftan, kilt, Sikh, Muslim, Shinto, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu or shaman. Prey to the sky, earth, sun east west north or south, they are all human and my brothers, whether they choose or think they are or not. I have found open doors, honesty and acceptance in places where the TV programmed see demons.

Peace, abundance, wisdom, knowledge to all; even the blind that are incapable of comprehending the thread of truth within this comment.

The Local profanity barometer is all screwed up, ha ha. As Marlom Brando said in Apocalypse now, paraphrase…you can murder for the state and commit all kinds of crimes but you cannot write a sexual act on your bomber. You can't smoke a cigarette sleep with a prostitute, get drunk, but you can carpet bomb a fishing village.

@ lux.veritas

Amen to that, brother; amen to that.

I was born in the USA, but I have suffered a near fatal Stroke. Yet I have to BUG and crawl just to get 1200:- a month in benefits. Yes, not being a Swedish birn is noticed.

@lux.veritas & fowpur you guys made a choice not to live in your own country and have an easier time in getting just benefits. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I have never had any problems getting benefits in either Sweden or the US. Maybe you have a language problem in Sweden? Don't give up. You can always sue for discrimination that usually gets attention.

Hmmm (ok here comes a list :P) Me and many of my friends, come from Asian countries, including Pakistan India etc. You dont have to be a genius in filling the forms... it requires just common sense! I hate it when people say that this is racism and stuff! I was always acknowledged for my efforts and hard work. I was selected over Sweds and other europeans numerous times in my work. My asian friends are working, in not only government organizations but also private ones, as managers and have been made appriciated for their efforts, be they muslims or christians or anyone!

Thing that I hate is when somebody comes and say Sweden is filled with racism! Yes there might in some cases, but I can not say SWEDEN, in general. It would be completely wrong!!

Based upon my experience, you need to be hard-working, respect the work place GOOD rules and customs, intelligent... then there is no one who will deny you your right of anykind!

As for these benefits, yes many times my friends were denied benefits... but it was because of some improper reasons or errors they made in filling the forms!

Yes , there are lazy racists working for försäkringskassan . Not knowing the Swedish language is simply a convenient excuse . Any one qaulified for the job , should be able to detect it when the applicant does not fill the right form , the right way . When it so noticed that the applicant may loose what is due to them , it is a professional obligation to avail the necessary guidence to the applicant , I would think .

In this case , professionalism is usually substuted by bigotry . Unfortunately , this quietly happens a lot in Sweden. I am not surprised that this has come to light .

I don't belive this story. Or it is missing detail. Especially not since it comes from liberal DN. My opinion is that this but another propaganda trick by MfS(Ministerium für Staatsicherheit(The Swedish equivalent of)) to indoctrinate us by using questionable statistics to get us to beleive that we should increase welfare and social programs even more, i.e. raise taxes. This story can only benefit socialists and the open borders pack. Unfortunately Swedish media are infested with lefties with only one agenda, promoting socialism, and this story fits them just fine. Just don't tell the whole truth. - Yes, Jes, I'm talking to you.

the idea about the lack of swedish language comprehension among foreign borns is related in my opinion.

I remember, going to dentist last year, forsakning sent me a letter and i didn't understand even where it was from last year, and didn't sign up, it ended up me spending 3000 :- more on dentist but at least I am free of all those Swedes complaining their taxes being spent on we students who even can't get a job here!

@ muscle you said:

"You dont have to be a genius in filling the forms... it requires just common sense!"

then you said:

"many times my friends were denied benefits... but it was because of some improper reasons or errors they made in filling the forms! "

Maybe you should help your "asian friends (who) are working, in not only government organizations but also private ones, as managers" learn how to fill out the forms so they are no longer denied benefits.

I would think people in those positions shouldn't have a problem filling out these forms.

@USCitizen: If the world had been so perfect then we wouldnt have been having any problems arising due to misinterpretation!

Any one can make mistakes if he or she is not paying attention. So did they! But the point is, it is not enough to blame someone in being racist!

I still will never understand why people like to move to Sweden. The climate is horrible and the people are not that nice. Just compare w/ Americans, Australians etal. If I were a foreigner I would rather live in one of those countries....I would never pick Sweden. I have always found Sweden a rather depressing country w/ a lot of very silly laws and regulations.

@Johnny1939: We can never stop movement of population from one place to other. This has been going on since the beginning of time.In the recent history, the british going to asia, britian going to now US, chinese moving to austrailia, sweden-denmark-ussr moving here and there.. all in search of resources be it materialistic or knowledge!

@ muscle

It may not be racism as we understand the word but a majority of people in every country wil help "their own kind" more than they will help foreigners. It's just human nature to gravitate towards, trust, and try to help those who are just like us.

@USCitizen: Yes exactly! I agree with you.

@ muscle

I hope you're enjoying Sweden as much as I am. My son was sent to Tokyo by his company a few years ago. He felt overwhelmed by the size of the city and the mass of humanity, but everyone treated him in a wonderful manner. He loved it.

@USCitizen: Yes, and it is my and all of my friends belief if you are good, and not different (not talking about appearance or faith, but in norms and customs related to work practices etc.) every one treats you equally and nicely. Perhaps, there might be one or two cases where it is not true, but in general I find the people here really helpful.

I am 77 years old with some medical problems. I have private insurance in the US plus medicare. So it is not the desire for medical service in Sweden. But I would like to die in a civilized country like Sweden or Scotland. My question is: would I be denied medical treatment in Sweden if I moved there?

johnny1939 #13. You must live around by me somewhere. The animal inspectors took my pet pig because it had cold ears, im not sure how they could tell. The sensable thing to do would be to call a vet, but took it away and killed it. they said i can appeal, nice. So some times the goverment employed can have to much power with no responsibility. We farmed in the uk for over 40 years. Tolerant sweden, we are still looking.

Racism exists in Sweden and sorry to say so does coruption... I am Canadian/Swedish and worked in Sweden for 2 years and was injured at work on my job... It was ruled a work injury, BUT, försäkringskassan has made it more and more difficult for me to earn my Life Annuity and keeps coming up with new reasons not to pay me even though we have been fighting this case in the Swedish courts for over 6 years... We win each and every time and försäkringskassan then changes their argument with the sole purpose of not living up to their obligation... I am an invalid due to the accident and can no longer work at my job and for that matter most jobs would be difficult for me... försäkringskassan has totaly lied, made false representations and on one occassion told me that I would never receive my Life Annuity because I have been arguing with them for so long... and mostly because I no longer live in Sweden... My injury is permanent and it happened in Sweden and Sweden, försäkringskassan and the court system seems to have no compassion or intention of making restitution regarding my case... I am white, Canadian and speak Swedish, I hold a Swedish passport but was born in Canada and my lawyer and I feel that my case is being handled differently because of this... my lawyer has stated on more than one occassion that he is amazed that försäkringskassan and the courts are treating me so differently than a Swedish born citizean... you tell me this is not Raceism...

I have no problems with Swedes or Sweden. With that said I know that the average person is not happy with all the foreigners. So they do not help the foreigner any more than is mandatory . They can and will if they like you. But if they do not to bad for you.

I am curious why the government does not represent the people. Does it have to do with money. They need all the new people to increase the economy to increase profits. Standard business principle.

If only Swedes had more children and didn't move to other lands. Hell there are more Swedes in other lands by a ten fold then in Sweden.

PS

I am a foreigner so I understand the problem. Do I like how foreigners are treated. NO. But I do commend Sweden. They do a lot better than most other countries. Perfect not at all but a lot better.

It's probably some combination of language issues, unscrupulous foreigners trying to scam the system more and legitimate racism, the latter two surely feeding each other...

But I'm sure it will be blamed solely on racism.

@ bobby14

I won't say anything about racism or corruption other than that I'm sure both exists in some way. However I can tell you that not only foreigners can be very badly treated by Försäkringskassan. And here's why: Fourteen years ago I was in a car accident and nearly died. My girlfriend and a childhood friend did die.

Since that accident I'm an invalid as you apparently are. And approximately every second year I have to fill new forms to get benefits, with new papers from the doctors who are writing the same things every time, so I can afford to buy food and have some place to live. I have to repeat the tragedy and remember everything in my head for the new forms every second year. And not only bare the physical injures I now live with. There have been times when I've been suicidal because of this, not ever letting me forgive so I can better heal myself... but I'm not going to give them the pleasure of me being dead just like the others in the accident just so they don't have to help me any more.

I am white, tall and blond, blue eyes, born in Sweden and have lived here all my life. Racism? No. However I am only but a little plaything of some sort in the eyes of the politicians who may seem to bother about me only if they're seeing a chance to get votes and stay in power.

It should be this way, as immigrants, our families never paid into taxes, therefore we shouldn't have as many rights. We're immigrants! We left our homelands for whatever reasons. END OF STORY!