Sweden plans to make it more difficult for immigrants to become citizens after years of lax immigration regulations. In a recent proposal, immigrants to Sweden who wish to become citizens must first learn Swedish.
The long-standing liberal history of immigration in Sweden, according to Justice and Migration Minister Morgan Johansson, requires “a better balance between rights and obligations” for those applying for citizenship.
Sweden saw an increase in gang violence, sex crimes, bombings, and fatal shootings—things that had been conspicuously missing from the country for years, as migrants flooded Europe from various countries with poor conditions. Although, Sweden maintains an open-door policy for immigrants looking for a better life since 2015.
Conservative anti-immigration groups have become more vocal as crime rates in Sweden have risen, and they have called on the Swedish Social Democratic Party to change. Now, politicians in Sweden are hoping to prevent the development of violence and unrest by implementing harsher rules for granting citizenship to immigrants.
And in order to become a citizen of the Scandinavian country of Sweden, foreign nationals seeking citizenship in Sweden will now need to prove their ability to speak, listen, read, and write. While the civil portion of the citizenship examinations costs more than $50, the language tests cost over $200, as these tests cost migrants hard-earned money.
The new policy will apply to citizenship seekers who are between the ages of sixteen and sixty-six. Additionally, applicants may become citizens by completing Grade 9 in a Swedish high school.
Morgan Johansson, the minister of justice and migration minister, provided information about the findings of the investigation. Johansson said why the government considered it important to create “a better balance between rights and obligations” for potential citizens, saying “Language is the key to work, but also the key to society.”
According to one report, people who are disabled, illiterate, or stateless will not be held to the same standards as others. Instead, they must demonstrate that they tried their hardest to pass the various tests and explain why they were unsuccessful. For people who cannot pass the difficult Swedish tests.
“These criminal clans have a completely different culture that makes them very difficult to tackle with normal police methods. We need more police, and our courts and prisons need to be reinforced to deal with this situation urgently. Otherwise, we will turn into a gangsters’ paradise,” Erik Nord, Gothenburg’s chief of police, told MailOnline.
The Daily Mail’s readers praised Sweden for its plan to reduce immigration by making it more difficult for immigrants to obtain Swedish citizenship.
“Well done, Sweden. Learn from the mistakes of the UK and liberal lefties who have made decisions which see immigrants living in the UK that have NEVER learned to speak English, and that means when they need medical treatment or anything legal, we have to pay for their translators.”
“Swedish language courses are free for newcomers in Sweden. They also get a daily allowance to attend, so there is no reason not to learn, and yet some have not learned the language after 15 years.”
“Good. It should be like this in every country!”
Sources: AWM, DailyMail, Forbes