It will be more difficult to become a Swedish citizen after the Swedish government approved a new citizenship law.
Under the revised requirements, starting June 6, applicants will need to have lived in Sweden for eight years, up from the previous five.
They must also demonstrate a stable income of at least €2,030 per month (22,000 krona) before tax.
Stricter conditions will also apply around criminality and financial conduct, with applicants required to have no criminal record and no outstanding debts.
Applicants will also be require to show their knowledge of Swedish and Swedish society by passing a test.
The Sweden Democrats, which put forward the the reforms, has defended the move: “We are cleaning up after decades of mismanaged migration policy in order to be able to recreate a country where welfare is not eroded and where security can truly be restored,” the party said.
Some in Sweden have criticised the new law as being unfair.
More than 100,000 people are currently waiting for citizenship decisions but under the new framework, the rules will apply to all, including applications submitted beforehand.
Opposition parties including the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Centre Party, Left Party and Green Party had pushed for transitional arrangements to soften the immediate impact of the changes.
The passage of the legislation has led to political controversy, particularly around the manner in which it was agreed.
According to Swedish broadcaster SVT, opposition parties have accused the Sweden Democrats of breaching the parliamentary pairing system during the vote.
The mechanism, used in many countries, ensures balance by pairing absent MPs with members from opposing sides who agree to abstain.
Social Democratic leadership has gone further, accusing the Sweden Democrats of having “cheated” and misused parliamentary procedure. Party leader Lena Hallengren is now demanding a formal apology from the Sweden Democrats
The new Swedish legislation comes as most European Union countries, except Spain, are tightening their immigration laws.
