The Swedish parliament has passed a law that allows the revocation of immigrants’ residence permits based on bad behaviour such as unpaid debts, failure to pay tax, undeclared work, and links to extremist groups, among others.

The “good behaviour law” now empowers the Swedish Migration Agency to revoke immigrants’ residence permits based on conduct deemed inappropriate, even if no crime has been committed.

The law will take effect from July 13. 

It comes as another move by Swedish authorities to tighten immigration controls.

Under the new law, Nigerians and other immigrants in Sweden could have their residence permits revoked if they are involved in benefit fraud, engage in undeclared work, or have links to extremist groups.

Stockholm-based group Civil Rights Defenders, in a statement, opposed the law, saying: “It undermines the rule of law and the principle of equality before the law.”

“The good behaviour law leaves people in uncertainty about what actions or expressions can be used against them,” the statement added.

In March, Minister of Migration Johan Forssell, who proposed the bill, said: “Anyone who doesn’t make the effort to do the right thing shouldn’t be able to count on staying.”