The Swedish government has announced plans to tighten its citizenship requirements, with new rules expected to take effect from June 6 if approved by parliament, according to AFP. Under the proposed regulations, applicants will need to live in Sweden for at least eight years instead of the current five. They must also meet a minimum monthly income of 20,000 Swedish kronor and pass a test on Swedish language, society, and culture. Those with criminal records in Sweden or abroad will face longer waiting periods before applying for citizenship.

The move follows a series of stricter immigration policies introduced since the 2015 refugee crisis, when around 160,000 people sought asylum in Sweden. The current minority coalition government believes a tougher stance on immigration could help gain voter support in the upcoming parliamentary elections in September. Immigration Minister Johan Forssell said the new conditions are significantly stricter than before, noting that citizenship requirements had previously been relatively lenient.

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats have argued that long-standing failures in immigration policy have contributed to a rise in gang-related crime. Last week, the government also announced plans to tighten rules for asylum seekers.