The strict rules will require enhanced proof of language proficiency and knowledge of social values (Image: Getty)
has unveiled strict new requirements for those applying for citizenship as it aims to tighten immigration rules and uphold .
The government announced the plans to toughen the criteria for obtaining citizenship following a probe which recommended putting “honest living” at the centre of the process.
The probe also recommended increasing the amount of time applicants must have lived in the country from five to eight years as well as introducing mandatory language and social knowledge exams.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell discussed the proposals on as he made the case for citizenship not to be “handed out unconditionally”.
He added in a press conference: “Family is important but it does not stand above the law. There is equality between the sexes. You can marry whoever you want.”
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Forssell called for people of all backgrounds to come together under a ‘common Swedish identity’ (Image: Getty)
“Girls and boys have the right to swim and play football. If you don’t accept that, Sweden is not the country for you,” he continued, as he made the case for people of all backgrounds to come together under a “common Swedish identity”.
Sweden has seen huge immigration in the last decade, with the country taking in more people than any other country during the 2015 migrant crisis, on a per capita basis.
Having taken in 163,000 , Swedish governments from both sides of the political spectrum have worked to tighten immigration and asylum rules.
Forssell bemoaned the pressures on areas such as housing and employment caused by the influx of so many people.
This has been accelerated under the premiership of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s centre-right minority government, which has been backed in parliament by the anti-immigration party Sweden Democrats since coming to power in 2022.
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Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has made migration rules stricter since coming to power 2022 (Image: Getty)
The country took in more refugees during the 2015 migrant wave than any other EU country (Image: Getty)
The proposals have been criticised by human rights organisations who claim that extending the time required to be able to gain citizenship reduces the amount people assimilate.
Civil Rights Defenders Legal Director John Stauffer told AFP: “Research shows that tougher requirements for citizenship do not increase the incentives for integration, but rather contribute to the exclusion of a growing group of people who find themselves in the country for a long time without the basic rights of citizenship.”
Successful asylum cases dropped to their lowest levels in 40 years in 2024 as a result of the government’s measures to curb migration.
According to government figures, only 6,250 asylum-related residence permits were awarded whilst the number of applicants was down by 42% from 2022 levels.