Sweden passes laws allowing deportation for 'bad behaviour' and requiring public workers to report unauthorized migrants

Sweden's parliament has passed two controversial immigration laws backed by the far-right. One allows revoking residency permits for vaguely defined "bad behaviour," applying retroactively. The other, a "snitch law" passed 174-172, requires public workers to report undocumented migrants. Critics, including Amnesty International, warn the laws undermine the rule of law and human rights, creating a climate of fear.

Swedish residency permit revocation

• ▪Sweden's parliament passed a law on June 15, 2026, allowing authorities to revoke residency permits for "bad behaviour."
• ▪Sweden’s Minister of Migration, Johan Forssell, said of the bill that anyone not making an effort "shouldn’t be able to count on staying."
• ▪The Swedish migration agency will review permits under the new law, and its decisions can be appealed in court
• ▪The "good behaviour" law applies retroactively to many current residents, as well as to pending and future permit applications
• ▪The law does not define "bad behaviour," but the government has cited examples like unpaid debts, tax evasion, criminality, and links to extremist groups

Far-right electoral influence

• ▪The Swedish government won the 2022 election on a platform of reducing immigration and cracking down on crime
• ▪The Sweden Democrats party has stated its goal is to create one of Europe's most hostile environments for non-Europeans
• ▪The new immigration laws were passed ahead of Sweden's parliamentary elections scheduled for September 2026
• ▪Sweden's centre-right government relies on the support of the far-right Sweden Democrats party to govern

Public worker reporting requirements

• ▪Teachers, doctors, and social workers are exempt from the reporting requirement following widespread criticism
• ▪Employees at tax authorities, employment agencies, and social insurance agencies are among those required to report suspected undocumented migrants
• ▪The Swedish government argues the reporting law is necessary to ensure people without legal residency can be sent to their home countries
• ▪The reporting law, sometimes called the "snitch law," passed by a narrow margin of 174 votes in favor to 172 against

Human rights concerns

• ▪Concerns have been raised that even with exemptions, information on undocumented migrants could flow between agencies, deterring them from seeking healthcare
• ▪Critics warn the reporting law could negatively impact migrants' physical and mental health and increase racial profiling

Rule of law undermining

• ▪The Stockholm-based group Civil Rights Defenders said the "good behaviour" legislation "undermines the rule of law."
• ▪Amnesty International stated the "good behaviour" law could lead to permits being revoked for actions not illegal for Swedish citizens

European immigration policy comparisons

• ▪Since 2005, Germany has required some public offices, like welfare agencies, to report undocumented migrants, but schools and hospitals are exempt
• ▪A 2018 report by the UK's National Audit Office concluded the "hostile environment" policies did not provide value for money
• ▪In 2012, the UK introduced "hostile environment" policies to limit access to services for people who could not prove legal residency