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Sweden’s government on Tuesday announced plans to introduce a bill requiring migrants to maintain an “honest living” or face deportation.
The country’s right-wing government, which came to power in 2022 on a vow to get tough on immigration, is trying to push through a slew of reforms across various areas prior to legislative elections in September.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell said the measure would make it easier to withdraw residence permits for migrants who fail to meet legal and societal obligations.
“Following laws and rules is a given, but it must also be a given that we do our best to live responsibly and not harm our country,” Forssell told a press conference.
“If, for example, you ignore paying your debts, if you don’t comply with decisions from Swedish authorities, if you cheat the benefits system, if you cheat your way to a Swedish residence permit… then you do not have the right to be here.”
Ludvig Aspling, migration policy spokesman for the Sweden Democrats, which support the government, added that statements alone would not count as evidence of failing the requirement but could indicate links to violent extremism or “deficient character.”
“Statements — that is, things a person says or expresses — should not in themselves be regarded as evidence of lack of honest living, but they may be an indication of, for example, links to violent extremism, which can then be a sign of deficient character,” Aspling told reporters.
Rights group Civil Rights Defenders criticised the bill as vague and potentially discriminatory.
“Such an arrangement may have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and lead to increased self‑censorship,” John Stauffer, the group’s legal director, said.
He warned it could create different rules for migrants and citizens, undermining equality before the law.
“In practice, this creates different rules depending on who you are, which runs counter to fundamental principles of equality before the law.”
The bill also proposes broader grounds for revoking residence permits, including threats to public safety or false statements on applications.
If approved, the changes would take effect on July 13.
