Sweden implements major shift in migration and integration policy

Sweden is undergoing a significant shift in its migration and integration policies. Following the 2015 refugee crisis, which saw over 160,000 asylum seekers from primarily Syria and Afghanistan, the political landscape has moved from being one of the most generous in the EU to one of the most restrictive.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, leader of the Moderate Party, has described this transition as a ‘paradigm shift in Swedish migration policy.’ Supported by the Sweden Democrats, the current government is prioritizing reforms to make it significantly more difficult for foreign nationals to enter and remain in the country. Political researcher Andrea Spehar of the University of Gothenburg notes that the current government period has introduced an unprecedented number of reform proposals regarding migration and integration.