Sweden’s centre-right government introduced a bill on Tuesday that would allow authorities to revoke the residence permits of migrants who fail to meet a new standard of honest conduct, reviving a legal requirement last seen in Swedish migration law more than two decades ago.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell presented the bill at a press conference in Stockholm on March 24, describing it as a reintroduction of the vandelskrav, a good conduct requirement that existed in Swedish migration law before 2005. Under the proposal, migrants considered to have what the government terms bristande vandel, broadly meaning a flawed way of life or poor conduct, will no longer qualify for a residence permit.
“If you neglect to pay your debts, if you don’t follow decisions by Swedish authorities, if you cheat on benefits, or if you cheat in order to get a Swedish residence permit, then you don’t have the right to be here,” Forssell said.
The new rules would apply to everyone whose residence permit is based on Swedish immigration law, including work permit holders and family members of residents. They would not apply to EU citizens, refugees or third-country nationals in Sweden on an EU permit.
The proposed law would also apply retroactively, meaning all existing residence permits would be affected, not only those issued after the legislation comes into force. Previous conduct could be used as grounds for revocation, but only in combination with actions that occur after the law takes effect.
Ludvig Aspling, migration policy spokesman for the Sweden Democrats, which props up the governing coalition, clarified that statements alone would not constitute grounds for revocation but could serve as an indicator of links to violent extremism, which may then reflect on a permit holder’s character.
The government is accelerating a broad package of immigration reforms ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for September. Asylum applications fell 30 percent between 2024 and 2025, and from January 2026, migrants voluntarily returning to their home countries can receive up to 350,000 kronor in departure support.
If parliament approves the bill, the new conduct rules are set to come into force on July 13.
