The Government wants to tighten the conditions for family reunification further. A special investigator will review how, among other things, the maintenance requirements can be tightened.
It should still be possible to reunite with one's relatives, but we will utilize the opportunities that exist to set requirements. It's about promoting integration, says Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (The Moderate Party) to TT.
The Minister says that the right to family life is "a fundamental right", but that today's rules are more generous than what is required by EU law and Sweden's international commitments.
Better Integration
Therefore, the investigator will propose how the maintenance requirements and other conditions for granting residence permits on grounds of connection to persons who already have residence permits in Sweden can be tightened.
Tightening immigration gives us the conditions to work much better with integration, and the rules for family reunification are also important, says Malmer Stenergard.
The investigator will also review the conditions for family reunification to persons who, for example, are Swedish citizens and take a stand on how the opportunities to be a connection person can be limited.
DNA Analysis
Another part is to examine how the regulations on DNA analysis to prove biological kinship should be changed to enable extended use.
What level of maintenance requirement can you imagine?
The investigator will look at the levels. But it's important that people who come here as family immigrants do not live in poverty. We also believe that it strengthens integration if the family member one comes to is integrated and can support themselves, says Malmer Stenergard.
Jonny Cato, migration policy spokesperson for The Center Party, is critical.
"The Government wants to make it as difficult as possible for families to reunite, for children to be reunited with their parents. It's both inhumane and proven bad for integration", he says in a written comment.
The assignment will be presented no later than August 25 next year.
