Sweden clamps down on asylum seekers

Sweden toughened its rules for new asylum seekers on Tuesday as well as for refugees wanting to join their families in the country, after receiving 160,000 asylum claims last year. The Swedish parliament voted 240 to 45 for the bill that will suspend for three years the granting of temporary residence permits to asylum seekers as well as limiting the number of refugees who will be permitted to join family members already settled in the country. Under current rules, asylum seekers who receive residency permits valid for three years can go on to apply for permanent residency if they have found a job that covers their basic needs.