STOCKHOLM, Sweden: Sweden's parliament has approved legislation allowing authorities to revoke residency permits from immigrants for a range of non-criminal conduct, marking the latest step in the country's broader push to tighten immigration policies.

The so-called "good behaviour" law enables authorities to withdraw residency permits from immigrants who engage in conduct deemed unacceptable, including accumulating unpaid debts, failing to pay taxes, performing undeclared work or maintaining links to extremist organizations.

The legislation applies not only to future residency applications but also retroactively to permits that have already been granted.

The measure forms part of a wider immigration crackdown by Sweden's right-wing government and its parliamentary ally, the nationalist Sweden Democrats, ahead of a general election scheduled for September.

The government argues that individuals who fail to follow societal rules should not automatically expect to remain in the country.

"Anyone who doesn't make the effort to do the right thing shouldn't be able to count on staying," Migration Minister Johan Forssell said when he proposed the bill in March.

The law does not provide a detailed list of behaviors that could lead to the loss of residency rights. However, government officials have cited unpaid debts, tax violations, criminal activity and connections to extremist groups as examples of conduct that could trigger a review.

Under the legislation, Sweden's Migration Agency will be responsible for examining residency permits and determining whether revocation proceedings should begin. Individuals affected by such decisions will have the right to appeal to a migration court.

The measure has drawn criticism from opposition parties and human rights organizations, which argue that it gives authorities broad discretion to penalize conduct that has not been classified as criminal.

"The good behaviour law leaves people in uncertainty about what actions or expressions can be used against them," Stockholm-based advocacy group Civil Rights Defenders said in a statement.

"It undermines the rule of law and the principle of equality before the law."

Critics have also raised concerns that the law could create uncertainty among immigrants about what conduct might jeopardize their legal status.

The government, which won power in 2022 on promises to reduce immigration and combat crime, has steadily tightened asylum and migration rules in recent years.

Supporters of the legislation say the measure will strengthen confidence in Sweden's immigration system and encourage greater compliance with laws and social obligations.