Stockholm, Sweden. Sweden’s centre-right government said it will tighten citizenship rules, including a longer wait before applying, a minimum income requirement and a test of applicants’ understanding of Swedish society.
Longer residency requirement and income threshold
The government said applicants for Swedish citizenship would have to live in the country for eight years, up from five. Applicants would also need a monthly income of more than 20,000 Swedish crowns ($2,225) and be able to pass a language and culture test.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell said the requirements would be much tougher than current rules, adding that it was reasonable for applicants to know basic facts about Sweden.
Criminal record to extend waiting period
The government said anyone with a criminal record, either in Sweden or abroad, would have to wait longer before applying. It said a person who had served a four-year prison sentence would have to wait 15 years before being able to apply for citizenship.
Political context and implementation date
Successive governments have tightened immigration policies since 2015, when around 160,000 asylum seekers sought refuge in Sweden. The minority coalition government is betting that a more restrictive line on immigration will prove popular with voters in September’s parliamentary election.
The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who back the minority coalition government, have blamed decades of what they describe as failed immigration policies for a wave of gangland crime in the country.
The new rules are expected to come into force on June 6. Last week, the government said it would tighten rules for asylum seekers.
How do you think the proposed citizenship requirements could affect people seeking to become Swedish citizens?