STOCKHOLM — Sweden will implement tougher citizenship rules from June, extending residency requirements, introducing an income threshold and mandating basic language and civic knowledge tests, the government announced
Migration Minister Johan Forssell unveiled the measures as part of a broader overhaul of migration and integration policies that has intensified since 2016, when approximately 160,000 asylum seekers arrived in a country of fewer than 11 million people.
Under the new framework, most applicants will be required to reside in Sweden for at least eight years before applying for citizenship, up from the current five-year requirement. Applicants must also demonstrate a monthly income of at least 20,000 Swedish kronor (approximately €1,900 or $2,200) and pass a basic test on Swedish language skills and knowledge of Swedish society.
Individuals with criminal records — whether in Sweden or abroad — will face extended waiting periods. As outlined by the government, a person who has served a four-year prison sentence would be required to live in Sweden for 15 years before becoming eligible to apply for citizenship.“
These requirements are much tougher than the situation as it is today because currently there are basically no requirements,” Forssell said at a press conference. He described the proposed citizenship test as straightforward, adding that it is reasonable to expect applicants to know whether Sweden is a monarchy or a republic.
The income threshold has been set below Sweden’s median wage and beneath many full-time entry-level salaries, meaning most regularly employed individuals are expected to qualify. Sweden does not have a statutory national minimum wage.
The measures reflect a broader political shift on migration policy over the past decade. The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, which supports the minority coalition government, has argued that previous immigration policies contributed to rising gang-related crime. National elections are scheduled for September, with migration expected to remain a central campaign issue.
The policy direction contrasts with developments in Germany, where the standard residency requirement for citizenship was recently reduced from eight years to five.
