According to the Swedish Migration Agency, fewer people are being granted Swedish citizenship, as the number of people has fluctuated even within the first six months of the year. Foreigners obtained Swedish citizenship the most in April (6,694) while the lowest numbers were recorded in June (4,775), EU Helpers reports.
The most common nationalities to acquire Swedish citizenship were Syrians, Afghans, and Eritreans – who represent 30.2 per cent of all nationals that obtained citizenship for this period.
The Top 5 Nationalities That Became Swedish Citizens in the First Half of 2024
In general, the list of the top ten consists of third-country nationals, but there are also EU citizens who opted for Swedish citizenship. Between January and June, nationals of the following countries were granted citizenship the most:
- Syria (4,192)
- Eritrea (3,466)
- Afghanistan (2,519)
- Somalia (1,511)
- Poland (1,509)
Syrians were granted citizenship the most in March (787) while in June the number was the lowest so far this year – 586.
Eritreans were the second-largest nationality that obtained Swedish citizenship the most. In the first half of the year, 3,466 Eritreans became Swedish citizens – 729 of them in April, which is the highest record while the lowest was marked in June (339).
On the other hand, Afghanis had a different trend going on. In June, 534 Afghani nationals obtained Swedish citizenship – the highest record out of the six first months of the year. Afghanis were granted citizenship the lowest in January when 300 people obtained citizenship.
Somali nationals follow with 1,511 of them gaining citizenship in the first half of the year. The highest record was in April (304) while the lowest was recorded in June (186)
Poles rank fifth with 1,509 of them obtaining Swedish citizenship in the first half of 2024. In April, Poles became Swedish citizens the most, with 344 cases being recorded. The lowest number recorded for this nationality was 201, registered during February.
3 Out of 10 Nationalities of Those That Obtained Swedish Citizenship in H1 2024 Were EU Citizens
Poles, Romanians and Germans are in the top ten nationalities that obtained Swedish citizenship the most in these six months.
More specifically, Poles rank fifth with 1,509 obtaining citizenship, while Romanians rank ninth with 691 cases.
In addition, 635 German citizens gained Swedish citizenship during this period, making Sweden a popular destination for obtaining citizenship even among EU citizens.
Sweden Tightens Requirements for Foreigners to Become Swedish Citizens
As of June 2024, the Swedish government has announced new rules that make it more difficult for foreigners to obtain citizenship. The measure was introduced in an effort to encourage foreigners to get integrated into society.
Some of the new requirements include a test language that becomes mandatory for candidates and a culture exam. In addition, there will be financial requirements that will apply to this category.
