Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration from Sweden

In Sweden, IOM Finland provides:

1. Assistance to migrants who are exposed to trafficking in persons and/or prostitution in Sweden;
2. Payments of reintegration cash support to voluntary returnees from Sweden.
    

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration for Victims of Trafficking and Foreign Citizens in Prostitution in Sweden

IOM Finland provides assistance to migrants who are exposed to trafficking in human beings and/or to prostitution in Sweden. Both EU nationals and third country nationals can be assisted.

Potential beneficiaries are referred to IOM by Swedish regional anti-trafficking coordinators. IOM Finland supports the Swedish regional anti-trafficking coordinators, different authorities, and NGOs in planning and arranging assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) in a safe, dignified, and sustainable manner. This support includes:

• Assistance in informing the potential beneficiaries about the possibility for assisted voluntary return and reintegration;
• Counselling beneficiaries on the whole return process as well as on reintegration possibilities,
• Conducting sound risk, needs, and health assessments;
• Travel arrangements, including support in obtaining a travel document, travel arrangements to the final destination in the country of origin, providing transit and arrival assistance, and arranging operational or medical escorts where necessary;
• Providing individually tailored reintegration support for each beneficiary.

The reintegration support and monitoring after the return are implemented in close cooperation with IOM missions and other actors in the countries of return. Together with these parties, IOM Finland aims to help returnees create sustainable reintegration plans suitable to their specific needs. IOM stays in touch with each returnee for at least six months after the return, depending on the willingness of the returnee to maintain contact.

In addition to assisting beneficiaries in returning and reintegrating, IOM Finland supports their access to justice during and after their return and reintegration process. This can include, for example, informing beneficiaries of developments in investigations or court proceedings concerning their trafficking case, or coordinating beneficiaries’ participation in trials in Sweden.

The Swedish Gender Equality Agency coordinates counter-trafficking activities in Sweden and is the donor of IOM Finland’s activities in assisting victims of trafficking and foreign citizens in prostitution in Sweden.

Contact information

For more information, contact IOM Finland:

• E-mail: AVRRTIPPSweden@iom.int
• Tel.: +358 9 684 11 50 (IOM Finland switchboard)

Information on the Gender Equality Agency's work on Trafficking in Human Beings.

Referrals

All case referrals should be coordinated with the Swedish regional anti-trafficking coordinators. When referring a new case to the programme, a regional coordinator sends to IOM Finland the following documents:

• The application for assisted voluntary return and reintegration (download application in PDF)
• The risk assessment form (download form in PDF)
• Copies of the travel document and visa, if possible

All documents can be sent via email to AVRRTIPPSweden@iom.int and IOM Finland will confirm receipt in writing.

Reintegration cash support

IOM Finland facilitates the payment of reintegration cash support to voluntary returnees from Sweden in cooperation with the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). To be eligible to apply for the reintegration cash support, the following criteria should be met:

To be eligible to apply for the reintegration cash support, the following criteria should be met:

• The person has received a negative decision on his/her asylum application or withdrawn the application;
• The person is returning voluntarily with the assistance of the Swedish Migration Agency and is planning to reside in the country of return;
• The person is returning to Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia or Sudan;
• The person applies for the support while still in Sweden, as soon as possible after having an application for asylum rejected or withdrawn.

The payments are coordinated by IOM Finland and carried out in local IOM offices in the countries of origin.

How to apply for the reintegration cash support

If you want to apply for the reintegration cash support, contact your reception officer at the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) or use the contact form before leaving Sweden. The support is granted based on decisions made by the agency. In case the Swedish Migration Agency confirms your eligibility, you will be notified with a decision from the agency before leaving Sweden. After you have arrived in your country of origin, you should, as soon as possible, approach the local IOM office through the contact details indicated on your decision.

For more information on voluntary return and reintegration cash support, please visit the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.

Contact Information

For inquiries regarding the reintegration cash support for returnees from Sweden, please contact IOM Finland at iomHelsinkiAVRSweden@iom.int.

If you have received a decision from the Swedish Migration Agency that you are eligible for reintegration cash support and have any questions regarding the payment process, please contact IOM Finland's Helpline +358 40 628 1182. The helpline is operational from Monday to Friday 13:00–15:00 (Swedish time) and can be reached also via WhatsApp and Viber. The helpline serves in English, Arabic, Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji), Farsi, Dari and Tajik.

Objective of the Reintegration Cash Support

The overall objective of the reintegration cash assistance is to contribute to the sustainable reintegration of returnees. This links, among others, to the Objective 21 of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) to "Cooperate in facilitating safe and dignified return and readmission, as well as sustainable reintegration".

Beneficiary monitoring

IOM Finland regularly conducts monitoring among the beneficiaries who receive reintegration support under the Swedish AVRR projects. Monitoring is a way to ensure accountability towards beneficiaries and donors, draw lessons learned, identify possible gaps and improve voluntary return and sustainable reintegration programming based on evidence.

Monitoring is first and foremost a tool for internal oversight, that provides the project management with an indication of progress towards the project goals. In 2020, IOM Finland however conducted a more extensive beneficiary monitoring survey to examine reintegration sustainability among beneficiaries of the reintegration cash support project, specifically focusing on migrants having returned from Sweden to Afghanistan and Iraq. The report "Payment of Reintegration Support to Voluntary Returnees from Sweden, Monitoring Report" presents the key results of the survey.

Download the monitoring report