Sweden Planning to Implement New Integration Policy for Foreigners Immigrating to the Country
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Sweden is considering imposing new rules for foreigners immigrating to the country.
- The country wants immigrants to understand Sweden’s basic values and how Swedish society works.
- The country also wants immigrants to support themselves.
The Swedish authorities have announced that the country wants to change its current integration policy for all foreigners moving to the country.
According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment of Sweden, in order to be able to reside in the country, all foreigners will be required to find a job and thus become part of the labour market.
By making such a requirement mandatory, the country’s government wants to ensure that everyone is able to support themselves.
Moreover, the Swedish government wants all foreigners immigrating to the country to understand the basic values interpreted in Sweden’s laws, regulations, and social codes.
This means that the government envisions a holistic approach, aiming not only to teach the Swedish language but also to instil a deep understanding of the fundamental values that underpin the identity of the nation.
Commenting on the matter, Labour Market and Integration Minister of Sweden, Johan Pehrson, said that all those who immigrate to Sweden should learn the country’s language, study, and understand how Swedish society works.
All people who come to Sweden need to learn Swedish, get an education, and gain knowledge about how Swedish society works. I usually say: Welcome to Sweden. Here are the rules. Now we’re driving.
Minister Pehrson
To ensure the effectiveness of this initiative, the Ministry said that a specially appointed investigator will conduct a review of individuals’ social orientation.
As the Ministry explained, the investigator will evaluate as well as propose the scope, content, and methodology of the social orientation programme.
This means that the investigator will need to provide information on how the authorities can find out about immigrants’ understanding of Sweden’s basic values through a written test.
The investigator must submit proposals for scope, content, how the social orientation can be concluded with a passed written test, and how it can become part of municipal adult education.
Swedish Ministry of Labour and Employment
Furthermore, the investigator will be required to propose how education can become mandatory, meaning that everyone will have the opportunity to study and then find a job in the country.
Sweden has made several changes to its rules this year. Earlier this month, Sweden decided to tighten the conditions for family immigration and restrict the issuance of residence permits for humanitarian purposes.
Such a decision was taken in an attempt to address the challenges posed by growing exclusion.