Svenskt Näringsliv’s vice CEO, Karin Johansson, criticizes the government’s decision to increase the income requirement for foreign workers in an article published on DN Debatt. Johansson calls the decision an ”irresponsible experiment” and argues that it challenges Sweden’s labor market model, where wages and conditions are negotiated between the parties in the labor market, not determined by the state. She also disagrees with the government’s assessment that the income requirement will reduce unemployment, claiming instead that it will hinder businesses from expanding and accepting new projects. Johansson further argues that the increased requirement will not significantly impact labor market exploitation or social exclusion. The new income requirement, set to take effect on November 1st, states that foreign workers must have a salary equivalent to at least 80 percent of Sweden’s median income, currently amounting to SEK 27,360.
