New crackdown by Migrationsverket reshapes the berry season
This summer, Sweden has dramatically tightened its handling of work permits for Thai berry pickers. For decades, thousands of Thai nationals have come to Sweden to harvest forest berries during the summer. Yet the same period has been marked by reports of abuse. Investigations by DN have shown workers having their passports seized, being sent into the forest while ill, and contractors failing to pay the promised minimum wage. This year, the Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) denied permits to all but one company, citing past misconduct such as irregular timekeeping. The message is clear: compliance matters more than ever.
Living and working conditions under renewed scrutiny
In Munkfors, a small town in Värmland, 89 Thai workers are the only ones who received valid work permits this year. They live in a former hostel, spending their weekends resting, smoking, or watching Thai fantasy programs on TV as Thai pop music plays softly in the background. Erik Kugrinas, who runs Ferus Berry, explains that Saturdays and Sundays are non-working days this season. Ferus Berry is the sole company approved by Migrationsverket, and unlike previous years, the workers are directly employed by the Swedish firm, which simplifies government oversight.
Among the workers is Noo-am Saisuk, an experienced picker who can, on a good day, harvest around 200 kilograms. She speaks cautiously as another Thai administrative manager, Kantawat Tangsiripaiboon, sits nearby. Even with the sense of relief that comes from rest days, some workers would prefer the chance to earn more through overtime. Noo-am and her colleagues say they still aim to earn as much as possible, but the company’s policy restricts extra hours.
Overtime and weekend work: promises vs. practice
Erik Kugrinas notes that the company would like to allow more overtime—potentially up to 50 extra hours per month—but has not received approval from the workers’ union, and does not want to risk disputes with authorities. Meanwhile, some Facebook posts from pickers hint at weekend work during the first weeks of August, with one video stating, “On Saturdays we work half days.” Kugrinas disputes this, saying that there is no financial incentive for weekend or evening work because pay is not linked to output in those hours, and that any weekend work would have been agreed with the Thai workers themselves.
Direct employment vs. freelance pickers
The contrast with prior years is stark. The companies denied permission to bring in Thai pickers this season frequently rely on freelance or “friplockare” arrangements—private individuals who harvest berries and sell them themselves. Kugrinas argues that oversight of such arrangements is weak and that many workers can live in crowded camps in the forest without scrutiny. The new system, by contrast, aims to root out abuse by ensuring direct Swedish employer-employee relationships that are easier to monitor.
Market dynamics and unresolved concerns
Despite the stricter regime, the berry business faces its own pressures. Ferus Berry’s export market remains robust in a poor blueberry season, though Kugrinas declines to disclose selling prices beyond saying they are high. Much of the harvest is sold to Fudo in Lithuania, a company linked to Kugrinas’s homeland, with additional sales to Swedish buyers. DN has previously reported that tusks of debt can accumulate for Thai workers through deductions for flight tickets, housing, and other costs, leaving many with little net income.
Now Migrationsverket states that deductions cannot be made from earnings as a salary offset for travel or housing. Kugrinas says workers pay these costs upfront before arriving in Sweden, and the only daily deduction is the 280 kronor for meals and lodging. Some workers dispute this account, telling DN that a large portion of the first pay was used to cover airline tickets, and that money was funneled into a bank account controlled by a fellow Thai person living at the accommodation.
What happens next?
Two weeks after DN’s visit in Munkfors, police inspected Ferus Berry’s labor practices and wage payments. No public results were shared, and Kugrinas said he felt unjustly accused, hinting that they might leave Sweden if the situation does not improve. The episode underscores a broader tension: a year that began with promises of reform now faces ongoing scrutiny as authorities seek to balance fair labor standards with a fragile seasonal industry.
Heading into the next harvest, workers like Noo-am and Thaworn Samran, who would prefer more hours and fair overtime, remain hopeful for improvements. The question remains whether new oversight will translate into livelihoods free of debt and exploitation, or whether the grip of past practices will persist in another cycle of harvest.
Related: “Värsta tiden i mitt liv” – 77 thailändska bärplockare om arbetet i Sverige
