Sweden Proposes Higher Income Requirement For Foreigners To Acquire Citizenship

Authored by Thomas Brooke via Remix News,

The Swedish Ministry of Justice has introduced a new proposal to tighten citizenship requirements by raising the minimum income threshold for applicants.

Under the draft memorandum, individuals seeking Swedish citizenship would need to demonstrate an annual income equivalent to three income base amounts — translating to a gross monthly salary of approximately SEK 20,000 (approximately €1,830).

The government says the move is designed to reinforce the value of Swedish citizenship and ensure that applicants are firmly rooted in the labor market.

“Being granted Swedish citizenship is something you should feel proud of,” said Migration Minister Johan Forssell. 

“We are tightening the requirements to make it more meaningful and to ensure that those who become citizens have made an effort to become part of our society.”

This proposal is part of a broader integration strategy supported by the ruling coalition and the right-wing Sweden Democrats which keep the government in power, and aims to strengthen societal cohesion.

Forssell emphasized that the new requirement aligns with existing standards for self-sufficiency and is intended to motivate migrants to seek employment and settle in regions with better job opportunities.

The memorandum also outlines the government’s intention to exclude certain types of income from the annual calculation — though a final decision on that will follow a referral process. If passed, the new rules would take effect on June 1, 2026.

This development follows a series of tougher immigration and integration policies, including a sharp increase in the minimum wage requirement for work visas introduced in 2023. That policy was widely seen as a move to deter low-skilled migration while attracting highly qualified professionals.

Government data published in 2023 revealed that a disproportionate number of unemployed and benefit recipients in Sweden come from migrant backgrounds, leading to the government doubling down on policies aimed at reducing welfare dependency and promoting economic integration.

Figures provided in September of that year showed that 300,000 people in Sweden were registered as unemployed with the Swedish Public Employment Service.

“Just under half of those unemployed have non-European ancestry,” a government fact sheet stated, adding that “60 percent of all grant recipients in Sweden have foreign origins.”

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