The Swedish parliament has passed a strict new law that allows authorities to revoke the residency permits of immigrants who engage in what the government defines as "improper behavior".
Crucially, the legislation is retroactive, meaning it applies not only to future applicants but also to immigrants who have already been granted residency in the country. Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell defended the policy, stating that anyone who does not make an effort to do the right thing should not count on staying in Sweden.
Under the new guidelines, the Swedish Migration Agency will review residency status and issue revocations, though immigrants will hold the right to appeal decisions in a special migration court. While the government has not provided an exhaustive list of forbidden actions, officials cited accumulating heavy debt, tax evasion, working unregistered jobs, and maintaining links to extremist organizations as examples of improper behavior. The right-wing coalition government and its ally, the nationalist Sweden Democrats, are pushing the measure as part of a broader immigration crackdown ahead of the general elections this September.
