Swedish police detain 20 workers after industrial-site checks

Twenty foreign workers have been detained after an inspection at an industrial site in Oxelösund, police say. Inspectors also found gaps in the register for workers sent to Sweden by overseas employers, whose duties begin before work starts.

Police said on 9 October that the 20 lacked permission to stay and work in Sweden and would face removal with re-entry bans. The inspection took place the previous week, during a maintenance shutdown and major construction work involving subcontractors.

The Work Environment Authority said roughly ten companies were checked. About 20 people were missing from the posted-worker register. Its statement does not establish whether these were the same people detained by police.

The authority is investigating the registration failings. Posting rules apply when an overseas employer temporarily sends staff to work in Sweden; registration is an employer’s obligation, separate from a worker’s permission to stay and work.

Under the authority’s employer guidance, postings must be registered before work begins. Failing to register can bring a SEK 20,000 sanction fee.

The company buying the service also has a duty: it must receive proof of registration by the first working day. If that documentation is missing, it must notify the authority within three days of work starting. This notification duty excludes individuals hiring services for private use.

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