The Ministry of Justice presented a new proposal on December 12th regarding increased maintenance requirements for family reunification permits.
The proposal entails an increase in the current maintenance requirements, and certain restrictions regarding which types of income may be counted.
The maintenance requirement is based on the protected amount for wage garnishment (after preliminary tax) as well as the actual housing cost. In 2026, the so-called normal amount will be SEK 10,314 for cohabiting partners. The proposal means that the maintenance requirement would be increased by 30% from today’s level (i.e., 1,3 x the normal amount), plus the actual housing cost. For 2026, this corresponds to approximately SEK 13,400 plus housing cost for cohabiting partners, and approximately SEK 24,000 plus housing cost for a family with two adults and two children (exact amount depends on the ages of the children).
The proposal also includes restrictions on which types of income may be counted towards meeting the maintenance requirement. The main rule will be that only salary from employment, income from business activities, or a fortune that the sponsor can support themselves and the family member with for a sustained period, may be used as a basis for the maintenance requirement. Income from subsidized employment, unemployment benefits, and activity support will therefore no longer be counted. Work-related compensation provided for shorter periods during ongoing employment, such as sickness benefit or parental benefit, should, according to the proposal, be allowed to count when assessing whether the maintenance requirement is met.
The government has previously presented a proposal stating that, unlike today, the maintenance requirement should also be assessed when applying for an extension of a residence permit on the grounds of family ties. In such cases, the family’s joint income may also be considered, not only the sponsor’s. Read more in previous TaxNews.
The proposal is suggested to enter into force on January 1, 2027.
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