What happened
On October 1, stricter rules for family reunification came into force in Sweden, after the Riksdag passed the bill in August. The financial income requirement has been raised by 30 percent, meaning that a person must now earn 31 364 kronor in gross income to be allowed to live with their partner. The maintenance requirement is also reassessed when a temporary residence permit is to be extended, which also applies to families who have already settled in Sweden. For people with temporary residence permits, a waiting period of two years is also introduced before reunification can be approved, while non-European students completely lose the opportunity for reunification.
Our analysis
The Tidö government and its cooperation parties justified the legislative change by reducing social exclusion and promoting integration. In practice, this means that integration is now measured by a fixed monthly income of 31 364 kronor, where ordinary life changes such as studies, part-time work, or temporary unemployment are turned into an immediate threat of deportation. Standard reporting has missed that the law does not only stop new applications at the border, but also tears apart the security of families who have already established an everyday life in Sweden. Even though several consultative bodies questioned how separation leads to better cohesion, the government pushed the rules through without considering the cost for the children who lose a parent. For thousands of families, the next crucial test comes the day their current residence permit is up for extension and the new requirements are applied in full.
Explained
Maintenance requirements mean that anyone living in Sweden must have a certain income and an approved home to be allowed to bring a partner or family member from a country outside the EU.