FACT CHECK: Is Sweden Planning To Deport Migrants Who Make Less Than 2,300 Euros?

A post shared on X claims Sweden is planning to deport migrants who make less than 2,300 euros.

Sweden is planning to deport any migrant who earns under £2,000 per month – estimated at around 30% of immigrants – with plans to increase it to £2,700 per month, citing that recent immigration has caused a totally parallel society: https://t.co/yeGHQcBK97 pic.twitter.com/kdsmscHxT4

— Maximus 🇬🇧 🐺 🌲 (@landofangle) October 23, 2023

Verdict: False

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice told Check Your Fact that the claim was false. Sweden is raising the income requirement for non-European migrants to obtain a work permit.

Fact Check:

Social media users are claiming that Sweden is planning to deport any migrant who earns less than 2,300 euros. One social media post claims,”Sweden is planning to deport any migrant who earns under £2,000 per month – estimated at around 30% of immigrants – with plans to increase it to £2,700 per month, citing that recent immigration has caused a totally parallel society.”

This claim, however, appears to be false. Media outlets reported that the Swedish government was expected to limit benefits for non-European migrants in order to discourage them from going to Sweden. Check Your Fact found what appears to be the original source for the claim, which is an Austrian outlet called Exxpress.

The article cited Sweden’s migration minister Malmer Stenergard and an op-ed written in the Dagens Nyheter newspaperCheck Your Fact could not find any credible outlet reporting that Stenergard said Sweden was deporting migrants who make less than 2,300 euros.

The op-ed, written by the top leaders of the Swedish coalition that controls the government and the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats, states that 770,000 people have migrated from places outside the European Union and the non-European economic area. Nowhere in the op-ed does it state that the Swedish government is deporting migrants who make less than 2,300 euros.

“Therefore, our four partner parties are implementing several reforms for reduced immigration and increased requirements and incentives for integration, because only then can Sweden become a country that sticks together. Where people can provide for themselves and not least become part of the common with respect for each other and society. This is how we build a Sweden where it is more important where you are going than where you come from, and where all citizens have equal rights, obligations and opportunities,” reads part of the op-ed.

Erik Engstrand, a spokesperson for the Swedish Ministry of Justice, told Check Your Fact that the outlet’s reporting was “not correct.” (RELATED: Does Video Show Recent Arrests Of Pro-Palestine Jews In Israel?)

“No, that’s not correct. Starting from November 1st, a proposal will be implemented to raise the income requirement to obtain a work permit (for people outside the EU). Therefore, it only affects people with work permits (or people who wish to apply for one), but not any other residence permits,” Engstrand said.

Sweden previously announced in March that income requirements would be raised from 1,238 euros per month to 2,534 euros for labor immigrants, according to Euractiv.

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