Sweden’s center-right government has announced that the rules for obtaining citizenship will be stricter in the future – requiring at least eight years in the country and demonstrating an understanding of Swedish society, Reuters reports.
Since 2015, when around 160,000 people sought asylum in Sweden, successive governments have sought to tighten migration laws. The current minority coalition government hopes that an even more restrictive approach will appeal to voters who go to the polls in September to elect a new parliament.
Sweden’s Immigration Minister Johan Forsell said the new requirements would be much stricter than the current ones, as there are currently almost no requirements to become a citizen.
The government has announced that to apply for Swedish citizenship,
one will now have to live in the country for at least eight years (up from five),
have a monthly income of more than 20,000 kronor (about 1,879 euros), and be able to pass a language and culture exam. Forsell said it was reasonable to require a person to know whether Sweden is a monarchy or a republic if they want to become a citizen.
If a person has a criminal record, they will have to wait longer than eight years to become a citizen. For example, if they have served a four-year prison sentence, they will only be able to apply for citizenship after 15 years.
The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats have blamed the failed migration policy on the wave of gang-related crime that has swept the country.
The new rules are expected to come into effect on the 6th of June.
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