Salary requirement for labor immigration raised to 90 percent
The government and SD have agreed to raise the salary requirement for labor immigrants to 90 percent of the median salary, instead of the 100 percent set in the Tidö agreement. This means a monthly salary of 33,390 kronor starting next summer. The deal is seen as a win for the Liberals, who warned that a higher threshold would hinder recruitment.
The Tidö agreement saw the coalition parties agree to tighten labor immigration rules, with a baseline of 100 percent of the median salary of 37,100 kronor per month. Now, the government and the Sweden Democrats have instead agreed on 90 percent, equivalent to 33,390 kronor. The current requirement is 80 percent, or 29,680 kronor.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M) explained the decision: 'We have agreed that this level going forward will be at 90 percent, that is, not 100 percent as was the starting point in Tidö.' He emphasized that it was just a starting point and that the Moderates wanted to avoid bureaucracy and an excessively high threshold. Forssell added that exceptions to the requirement will be handled restrictively, without the need for an extensive list of 152 occupations as previously proposed.
The Liberals pushed for the change. Labor Market Minister Johan Britz (L) criticized the 100 percent plan in a summer interview with DN: 'We are on the way to introducing things that are not good for Sweden.' He highlighted difficulties for companies in hiring foreign workers, such as chefs. Integration Minister Simona Mohamsson (L) welcomed the agreement: 'Now this becomes a good reform.'
The new requirement takes effect on June 1, 2026. The decision balances the fight against fraud with companies' recruitment needs, according to Forssell: 'We have been keen to find a level that combats fraud, while listening to companies that say it is difficult to recruit in Sweden.' An inquiry into penalties for illegal labor is also planned for next year.