Several migration-related laws and policies are in the pipeline in Sweden, including changes to work permits and citizenship requirements, as well as plans to tighten permanent residency and asylum applications.
READ MORE: What’s the current status of Sweden’s planned migration laws?
In an interview with Sveriges Radio (SR) on Thursday, Sweden’s Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard spoke about the plans to tighten citizenship requirements, which the government and the Sweden Democrats (on whom the government’s majority depends) are currently discussing.
“The demands made have been both far too few and too limited”, Malmer Stenergard told SR.
The interview was published on Sweden’s National Day, a day also reserved for celebrating and welcoming new citizens. This is a time when the country typically commemorates the new members of its national community.
Tougher residency requirement
One proposal – to which Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard pointed – includes extending the residency requirement from the current five years (three years for spouses or cohabiting partners of Swedish citizens) to eight years.
The government has launched an inquiry into tightening citizenship requirements, with a September 30th, 2024 deadline.
After that, the relevant authority will submit a final report, and then the proposed law will be set out for consultation.
Swedish language and culture test
Additionally, passing a Swedish language test may become mandatory.
“It’s important to have mastered the language to be able to make the most of your rights and responsibilities, so I think you should absolutely need to take a test to prove that you have gained these capabilities,” Malmer Stenergard said.
As The Local has previously reported, according to this proposal, the language and culture tests for citizenship applications would apply to those aged between 16 and 66.
The tests would likely require applicants to be able to listen to and read Swedish at a B1 level while displaying an A2 level when speaking or writing Swedish.
Regarding the culture test, the plan would introduce a digital test of the basic knowledge needed to live and function in Swedish society, with a focus on democracy and the democratic process.
The consultation stage for this proposal concluded in April 2021. The next step is for the government to decide whether or not to push ahead with the law, then draft a bill which would first be sent to Sweden’s Council on Legislation. If it does go ahead, the law at the time of writing has a proposed introduction date of January 1st, 2025.
READ MORE: Sweden votes through tougher rules on ‘citizenship via notification’
Furthermore, the government and the Sweden Democrats want to introduce a requirement that anyone applying for Swedish citizenship can support themselves financially, which Malmer Stenergard also mentioned in the interview with Sveriges Radio.
“Tightening up the requirements for citizenship will, I think, increase its value but also increase people’s motivation to get integrated,” she said.
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I do not live in Sweden, but I do understand the increased emphasis on language and cultural awareness. That is the identity of a country. Those aspects of Sweden or any other country that were a draw for you to immigrate grew from the culture and are not independent of it. I would be inclined to put more emphasis on integration into the culture which requires a knowledge of the language and less on time living in country as requirement.