Sweden is to review policy regarding migrant family reunification, looking to implement more stringent procedures to lower the number of arrivals.
Migration minister Maria Malmer Stenergard of the Moderate party and Ludvig Aspling, the migration policy spokesperson for the Sweden Democrats, outlined their plans at a press conference on July 9.
They said an investigator would now examine two key aspects of family-member immigration — maintenance requirements for family members and health insurance.
More specifically, they said they wanted the financial support requirements for immigrants sponsoring family members tightened and the question of whether comprehensive health insurance should be mandatory for individuals entering Sweden through family reunification programmes to be examined.
They said the investigation will also look into using DNA analysis to establish kinship between people and to protect children from being placed with non-family individuals.
“Extensive immigration in recent years, combined with a lack of integration, has contributed to major challenges with growing exclusion,” Stenergard said.
“Reviewing and further tightening the conditions for family reunification is an important part of reversing the trend and ensuring a responsible, rigorous and long-term sustainable migration policy.”
She pointed out that the existing regulations for family reunions were more lenient than what was required under EU law and other international treaties.
“The maintenance requirements are primarily aimed at strengthening integration and are considered to increase the incentive for family members to get a job and become self-sufficient,” Aspling said.
Stenergard added that the Swedish regulations were “complicated and can be perceived as inconsistent”.
Sweden’s left-wing Social Democrats have turned against open borders in a newly published report, warning that the levels of immigration into the country have led to a segregated society. https://t.co/XilUrYJAwa
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 28, 2023
Family reunification refers to a category of immigration policies that allow individuals who are already legal residents or citizens of a country to bring certain family members to join them in that country.
Sweden’s right-wing government has pushed the number of asylum-related residence permits down to the lowest figures in 24 years. The centre-right Moderate party also claims there has been “a paradigm shift” on the issue.
Once implemented, the Swedish investigation would have to be completed by August 25, 2025, with the review building on proposed legislative changes aimed at clamping down on family reunification rules floated last autumn.
Regeringen avser att ge en särskild utredare i uppdrag att göra en översyn av det svenska regelverket för att bevilja uppehållstillstånd på grund av anknytning. Syftet är att anhöriginvandringen till Sverige ska bli mer restriktiv och ändamålsenlig.
➡️https://t.co/qMqjFGR6ce pic.twitter.com/8X7D2wwgPX— Justitiedepartementet (@Justitiedep) July 9, 2024
