A proposal to retroactively remove permanent residency from over 100,000 people in Sweden might not become law in its present form – but the very fact that it's being proposed will make many immigrants less secure, says James Savage. Beständig, stående, oavbrutenIf you hold Swedish permanent residency you could be forgiven for reaching for the dictionary after the publication of this week’s inquiry by judge and former Sweden Democrat official Josephine Boswell. Boswell’s inquiry, ordered by the government, suggests how permanent residence could be stripped from an estimated 118,700 people currently living in Sweden. The proposed changes would only affect people who came to Sweden as refugees; people who came on work permits will still be able to acquire and keep permanent residency. When a government report suggests removing permanent residency, that status immediately and irrevocably becomes more precarious.