Key facts
- Sweden's parliament has passed legislation enabling the revocation of residency permits based on unspecified "bad behavior."
- The new laws will also compel many public sector workers to report individuals suspected of being undocumented.
Sweden's parliament has approved legislation allowing authorities to revoke residency permits based on vague criteria of "bad behavior" and requiring many public sector workers to report suspected undocumented individuals, drawing criticism from rights groups.
The new laws represent a significant tightening of Sweden's immigration policy, potentially impacting the rights and access to services for a large number of residents and undocumented individuals, while also raising concerns about the rule of law and human rights.
Sweden's parliament has voted to pass new legislation that will allow authorities to revoke residency permits based on vague criteria of "bad behavior" and compel many public sector workers to report individuals suspected of being undocumented.
The "good behaviour" law, passed late on Monday, can be applied retroactively to current residents. While the specific behaviors are not defined, the government has previously cited examples such as unpaid debts, failure to pay taxes, criminality, and links to extremist organizations. Decisions by the Swedish migration agency can be appealed.
Rights groups and opposition politicians have fiercely criticized the law, with Amnesty International noting it could lead to permits being revoked based on behavior not illegal for Swedish citizens. Civil Rights Defenders stated the legislation "undermines the rule of law" and creates uncertainty.
Parliament also narrowly approved a "snitch law" with 174 votes in favor and 172 against. This law requires many public sector workers to report suspected undocumented individuals. Critics warn this will negatively impact migrants' health, increase racial profiling, and push undocumented people further to the margins of society.
While teachers, doctors, and social workers are exempted from reporting obligations, employees of tax authorities and employment and social insurance agencies are not. Critics argue that even with exemptions, information can flow between service providers and immigration authorities, effectively turning public employees into border police. The European Public Services Union has opposed the law, calling it a "new witch hunt" that legitimizes far-right agendas.