The Swedish Parliament has approved the government’s conservative proposal to abolish access to permanent residency for refugees. Under the new law, which will take effect next month, individuals with refugee status and those granted subsidiary protection will only be eligible for temporary residence permits.
According to the legislation, asylum seekers who previously could apply for permanent residency after three years of temporary residence will no longer be eligible for such status.
Furthermore, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, who were previously granted renewable 13-month residence permits, will be excluded from any pathway to permanent residency.
The new law also applies to individuals resettled in Sweden through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) resettlement program.
Swedish authorities state that the purpose of this legislation is to reduce irregular migration and improve the management of asylum inflows.
This decision forms part of Sweden’s new migration policy framework, which has become significantly more restrictive in recent years.
Since 2022, following the formation of the government led by Ulf Kristersson with the support of the Sweden Democrats, stricter immigration and asylum regulations have been introduced.
At the end of April, Sweden also implemented new rules for obtaining citizenship. Under these regulations, applicants must have a minimum monthly income of €2,000, pass language proficiency tests, and meet stricter requirements regarding conduct and lawful residence.
In addition, in March, the Swedish government announced a proposal requiring certain public agencies, including tax and social insurance authorities, to report individuals without legal residence status.
This proposal has faced criticism and opposition from some employees and civil society organizations, with calls even emerging for civil disobedience against it.
The Swedish government has also increased financial incentives for voluntary return to countries of origin, raising the assistance payment to €30,000 as of January 2026.
Official statistics indicate that as migration laws have tightened, the number of asylum applications in Sweden in 2025 has fallen by approximately 30% compared to 2024, reaching its lowest level in four decades.
According to data from the Swedish Migration Agency, between 2022 and 2025 asylum applications decreased by nearly 60%, while returns to countries of origin increased by about 60%.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
