Sweden shifts from open arms to strict immigration rules
Sweden, once a symbol of openness to refugees, is changing its approach to immigrants by introducing strict rules and restrictions.
In 2014, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt appealed to his compatriots to "open their hearts" to the refugees arriving in the country. Reinfeldt stressed the need for patience with the growing number of asylum seekers, mainly from war-torn Syria and Afghanistan.
He pointed out the social and financial costs associated with accepting such a large number of refugees. However, his appeal did not resonate with voters, and his coalition subsequently lost the elections.
As highlighted by the "Daily Mail," a decade later, the Swedish government changed its approach. It now boasts of achieving "negative net immigration" and is introducing regulations that limit the number of asylum applications to the lowest level in forty years.
Mandatory language and integration tests have been introduced for those applying for citizenship, and the process of revoking residence permits has been made easier.
These changes are a response to the rise in gang crime and integration issues. In 2015, Sweden accepted 163,000 refugees, which was the highest rate in the EU.
However, the lack of an effective integration policy made refugees a burden on public resources, and areas with large numbers of refugees began to be associated with high crime rates and unemployment.
Integration challenges
An example of the integration difficulties is the Tensta district in Stockholm, where 90 per cent of residents are of foreign origin. High levels of unemployment and crime make young people susceptible to gang influences. In 2016, 16 people died in the district, mostly in drug-related conflicts.
The Swedish government emphasises that low levels of education and lack of employment contribute to higher crime rates among people of foreign origin. Women from Afghanistan, where the Taliban have banned education for women, face difficulties integrating into the Swedish job market.
The Swedish government has decided to significantly increase the financial amount offered to migrants who choose to return to their country. Currently, adults can expect €900, but the new proposal aims to increase this amount to €32,000. This is a 3,400 per cent increase on the previous amount.
I don't think that would be a method that works for very many people, but we do have a problem with integration, and if people who have a legal right to stay in Sweden but basically do not integrate, basically do not really appreciate the Swedish way of life, then at least people would think about returning to their country of origin - explains Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson.
