Swedish government's bid to revoke permits for foreigners with 'flawed way of life'
A new government inquiry will investigate how foreigners who commit crimes or do not have an 'upstanding way of life' in Sweden could potentially have their residence permit revoked.
People who apply for a permanent residence permit already have to be able to show they “live an orderly life” – a criminal record could for example be grounds for refusing a permanent permit.
But the government wants to make it easier to refuse and even revoke permits for foreign residents who have a “flawed way of life”, read a statement that announced the new inquiry on Tuesday.
That could for example include benefits cheating or abusing the welfare system in other ways, having large debts or being involved in or associating with gang crime or terrorist activities.
It could also include statements that threaten democracy or the Swedish system.
Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard mentioned the so-called “LVU campaign” – a campaign that went viral after it spread conspiracy theories that Swedish social services routinely kidnapped Muslim children – as an example.
“It threatens the system in Sweden and affects the social service’s ability to step in to help vulnerable children,” she told reporters.
The inquiry is also to look into how to revoke residence permits for other reasons.
“The aim is that there should be more possibilities to revoke a residence permit when it is justified, for example when the conditions for an individual permit are no longer, or never have been, met,” according to the government statement.
The inquiry will present its report by January 15th 2025.
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People who apply for a permanent residence permit already have to be able to show they “live an orderly life” – a criminal record could for example be grounds for refusing a permanent permit.
But the government wants to make it easier to refuse and even revoke permits for foreign residents who have a “flawed way of life”, read a statement that announced the new inquiry on Tuesday.
That could for example include benefits cheating or abusing the welfare system in other ways, having large debts or being involved in or associating with gang crime or terrorist activities.
It could also include statements that threaten democracy or the Swedish system.
Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard mentioned the so-called “LVU campaign” – a campaign that went viral after it spread conspiracy theories that Swedish social services routinely kidnapped Muslim children – as an example.
“It threatens the system in Sweden and affects the social service’s ability to step in to help vulnerable children,” she told reporters.
The inquiry is also to look into how to revoke residence permits for other reasons.
“The aim is that there should be more possibilities to revoke a residence permit when it is justified, for example when the conditions for an individual permit are no longer, or never have been, met,” according to the government statement.
The inquiry will present its report by January 15th 2025.
EXPLAINED:
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