New Swedish Laws and Rules Coming into Effect 1 July 2026

Sweden introduces a significant batch of legal changes on 1 July 2026. Some affect everyday life directly — how you rent a flat, whether your benefits continue, how you pay at a shop. Others touch specific groups: care workers, hunters, wind-farm neighbours, business owners, and people planning to marry.

This guide covers every major change in detail, with official Riksdag and government sources linked for each, so you can read the legislation directly.

Source: The laws listed here are drawn from SVT's official July 2026 legislation overview. Each section below links to the official government proposition (prop.) and/or the relevant authority for verification.

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Quick Overview

#	Topic	What Changes
1	Second-hand rentals	Easier to rent out your bostadsrätt; rental history no longer used against you
2	Elder care Swedish	Staff must reach CEFR B2 Swedish; employer responsibility
3	Demonstrations	Police can redirect or stop gatherings on safety/health grounds
4	Hunting	Confidentiality for large predator hunters; simpler protective hunting rules
5	Benefits	Activity requirement after 3 months; medical certificate needed for illness
6	Cash payments	Staffed grocery stores and pharmacies must accept cash
7	Cousin marriage	Banned; foreign cousin marriages not recognised in Sweden
8	Wind turbine compensation	Neighbours within 9× turbine height receive revenue-linked payments
9	VAT fraud	Skatteverket can deny/revoke VAT registrations pre-emptively
10	Dance event VAT	Cut from 25% to 6%, aligned with other cultural events

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1. Second-Hand Rental Rules Modernised

Official source: Prop. 2025/26 — Förslag för en mer flexibel hyresmarknad (Regeringen.se)

What changes: The Swedish Parliament voted to liberalise second-hand rental of cooperative apartments (bostadsrätter). The key changes are:

• Rental history no longer an automatic block. Under the old rules, having previously rented out your apartment could be used by your housing association (bostadsrättsförening) to deny future rental applications. From 1 July, this is no longer automatic — denial now requires proof of "significant extent," meaning a total rental period of at least five years is needed before history counts against you.
• Longer rental periods permitted. Individual rental periods can now be extended beyond what the old rules allowed.
• Two apartments simultaneously. Private individuals may now rent out up to two apartments at the same time.
• Rent-setting liberalised. Free market rent setting becomes the norm for second-hand rentals, rather than the regulated model that previously applied.
• Company housing modernised. Rules governing housing tied to employment contracts have been updated to reflect modern working patterns.

What this means for expats: If you own a bostadsrätt but need flexibility — working abroad temporarily, returning to your home country for an extended period, or simply needing income from the property — the new rules give you more room to rent it out without your association blocking future applications.

If you rent second-hand: Your protections under the hyreslagen remain unchanged. What improves is supply-side flexibility, which may modestly increase the number of legally available second-hand flats in a notoriously tight rental market.

Action: Contact your bostadsrättsförening after 1 July to understand the updated terms and apply through the standard approval process.

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2. Mandatory Swedish Language Level in Elder Care

Official sources:

• Prop. 2025/26:93 — Ett språkkrav inom äldreomsorgen (Riksdagen.se)
• Socialstyrelsen — Svar på frågor om språkkravet (Socialstyrelsen.se)

What changes: Municipalities and private providers running elderly care (äldreomsorg) are now legally required to ensure that all staff who carry out care tasks have sufficient knowledge of Swedish to perform their work safely and with dignity.

The required level is CEFR B2. The government has defined this as the relevant benchmark — upper-intermediate Swedish, not fluency, but enough to communicate clearly with residents about their needs, medications, and wellbeing.

Employer responsibility: The law places the obligation on the employer, not the individual worker. Employers must work actively to ensure all direct care staff meet the B2 standard. This means conducting assessments, providing access to training, and documenting language competency.

Government funding: The government has earmarked specific funds to support implementation:

• 90 million SEK for municipalities in 2026
• 165 million SEK for 2027
• 150 million SEK per year from 2028 onwards

Socialstyrelsen support: The National Board of Health and Welfare is developing guidance documents and a practical support framework, available on Kunskapsguiden and Socialstyrelsen's website from 1 July.

What this means for expats working in elder care: If you work in direct care and your Swedish is below B2, your employer is now legally obligated to act. Expect language assessments and possible requirements to complete SFI, Komvux language courses, or workplace Swedish programmes. The government is specifically investing in yrkesnära undervisning — work-integrated Swedish training — through Komvux so you can develop language skills in the context of care work.

If you are looking for care sector jobs: Employers will take Swedish language requirements more seriously in hiring from July onwards. Having documented CEFR B2 or higher will strengthen your application.

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3. Police Get Broader Powers at Demonstrations

Official source: Prop. 2025/26:133 — Stärkt säkerhet vid allmänna sammankomster (Riksdagen.se)

What changes: The government amended both polislagen (the Police Act) and ordningslagen (the Public Order Act) to give police clearer and broader tools for managing public gatherings.

The specific new powers are:

• Relocation and rescheduling. Police can change the time or place of an authorised demonstration if there are security concerns, without having to cancel it outright.
• Prohibition of specific time and place. In certain cases, police can prohibit a gathering from being held at a particular time and place — a step short of a full ban.
• Cancellation on health/safety grounds. A gathering can be cancelled if it poses a risk to the lives or health of participants or the public.
• Removal of disruptive individuals. Police have extended authority to remove individuals who disturb order and refuse to comply with police decisions, without requiring the entire event to be shut down first.

What this means for expats: Sweden's constitutional right to freedom of assembly (demonstrationsfrihet) is unchanged. This law does not allow police to ban demonstrations based on their message or political content — the change is explicitly framed as a clarification of operational powers, not ideological control. The Riksdag debated this distinction at length, and the Justice Committee confirmed that the proposal does not alter the constitutional protection of free expression.

For most people attending lawful, peaceful protests, the practical impact is minimal. For event organisers, be aware that police now have clearer legal grounds to redirect your event on safety or public health grounds — and that disruptive participants can be removed more easily without the whole event being stopped.

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4. Hunting: Confidentiality for Predator Hunters, Simpler Protective Hunting

Official source: Prop. 2025/26:211 — Förenklingar i jaktlagstiftningen (Riksdagen.se)

What changes: Two separate issues are addressed in this law:

1. Confidentiality protection for individuals in large predator cases

A new provision has been added to the Public Access and Secrecy Act (offentlighets- och sekretesslagen, 2009:400). Personal information that could identify someone involved in large predator hunting cases or predator damage compensation claims is now protected, where disclosure could expose that person or a close relative to threats, violence, or serious harm.

Why this was needed: The government documented multiple cases of threats, harassment, hunt sabotage, and property damage targeting farmers and hunters involved in wolf and large predator management. Livestock owners in some areas had stopped reporting predator attacks or applying for protective hunting permits specifically out of fear. The new confidentiality rule aims to remove that barrier.

2. Simpler protective hunting (skyddsjakt)

The threshold for county administrative boards (länsstyrelserna) to authorise protective hunting has been lowered. Previously, a farmer or landowner had to demonstrate risk of serious damage (allvarlig skada). From 1 July, it is sufficient to show that damage (skada) is occurring or is at risk of occurring — a meaningfully lower bar that makes protective hunting decisions faster and more accessible.

Additionally, hunting after notification is now permitted on public waters, and seal hunting is extended to Sweden's economic zone to improve fishing conditions.

What this means for expats: If you hold a Swedish hunting licence or manage rural land, the protective hunting change reduces administrative friction when dealing with wolf, bear, or lynx attacks on livestock. The data privacy change is relevant if you have had your identity exposed in connection with predator-related disputes.

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5. Benefits Tightened: Activity Requirement and Medical Documentation

Official sources:

• Prop. 2025/26:207 — Aktivitetskrav för mottagare av försörjningsstöd (Riksdagen.se)
• Socialstyrelsen — Riksdagen har beslutat om aktivitetskrav (Socialstyrelsen.se)

What changes: From 1 July 2026, two new requirements apply to recipients of försörjningsstöd (income support / social assistance):

1. Activity requirement after three consecutive months

Anyone who has received försörjningsstöd for at least three consecutive months must actively participate in activities during daytime hours, as set by their municipality. Exemptions apply only for time spent on job seeking or approved studies.

What counts as "activities" is determined by the municipality — typically this means job search programmes, Arbetsförmedlingen engagement, SFI courses, skills training, or other structured daytime activities.

Important timing note: The law enters force on 1 July, but because the three-month clock starts then, municipalities' first obligation to activate recipients does not kick in until 1 October 2026. The requirement applies to assistance paid from October onwards.

2. Medical certificate required for illness-based exemptions

If you claim you are unable to participate in activities or be available to the labour market due to illness, you must now provide a läkarintyg (medical certificate). Verbal claims are no longer sufficient.

Socialstyrelsen is developing a standardised certificate template and providing guidance to municipalities and healthcare providers to support implementation.

What this means for expats: This is one of the most significant changes for immigrants who rely on socialtjänst support while establishing themselves in Sweden.

• If you have been on försörjningsstöd and are not currently participating in any activities, expect your case worker to contact you before October with an activity plan.
• If you have a health condition that prevents participation, visit your doctor now and get documentation in place — waiting until October risks a gap in support.
• Refusing to participate without a valid exemption can result in reduced or stopped payments.

There is also a separate jobbpremie (work bonus) element in the broader reform package (Prop. 2025/26:201) that creates financial incentives for benefit recipients who move into employment — details of which will be communicated by municipalities individually.

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6. Grocery Stores and Pharmacies Must Accept Cash

Official sources:

• Prop. 2025/26:199 — Åtgärder för att stärka kontanternas funktionssätt (Riksdagen.se)
• Riksbank — Tillgången till kontanttjänster (Riksbank.se)

What changes: Most staffed grocery stores and pharmacies are now legally required to accept Swedish kronor cash (kontanter) as payment at physical points of sale with staffed checkouts. Banks are simultaneously required to expand access to cash deposit services nationwide, including in areas currently underserved.

Exceptions to the cash requirement exist where:

• Accepting cash would compromise the physical safety of staff.
• The cash handling costs are so high they would risk forcing the store to close.
• There are grounds to refuse a specific transaction (e.g. counterfeit notes, damaged currency).

These exceptions are narrowly defined and cannot be used as a general policy to refuse cash.

What this means for expats: Sweden is one of the most cashless economies in the world — but this law directly addresses the exclusion that creates for people without full digital banking access.

Newly arrived immigrants who do not yet have a Swedish bank account, BankID, or Swish set up can now pay cash at grocery stores and pharmacies without being refused. The law recognises that digital-only payment systems create a two-tier access problem for people mid-transition into Swedish financial infrastructure.

Elderly relatives visiting from abroad will also be covered — pharmacies in particular can no longer turn away someone without Swish.

If you run a retail business: The mandate covers grocery stores and pharmacies explicitly. Check whether your business type falls within scope and update your POS procedures accordingly.

Note: Only Swedish kronor (SEK) issued by the Riksbank are covered. Foreign currencies are not included.

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7. Cousin Marriage Now Banned in Sweden

Official sources:

• Prop. 2025/26:154 — Förbud mot kusinäktenskap och äktenskap mellan andra nära släktingar (Riksdagen.se)
• Regeringen — Regeringen föreslår förbud mot kusinäktenskap (Regeringen.se)

What changes: Sweden has introduced an unconditional ban on marriage between the following categories of relatives:

• First cousins (kusiner) — prohibited outright
• A person and their parent's sibling's spouse's direct line (a specific relational category previously allowed with a government dispensation)
• Half-siblings — previously could marry with special government permission; that dispensation route is now closed
• Adoptive siblings — previously could marry with special permission; also now closed

Foreign marriages not recognised: Cousin marriages and marriages within the newly prohibited categories that were conducted abroad will, as a general rule, not be recognised under Swedish law from 1 July 2026.

Cross-party support: This law passed with support from all parties in the Riksdag — it is not controversial along party lines in the Swedish parliament.

The stated purpose: The government explicitly frames this as a measure to counteract hedersrelaterat förtryck — honour-based oppression — coercion, and other forms of pressure around marriage. The proposal cites evidence that cousin marriage in Sweden has disproportionately affected women and girls in certain communities who faced family pressure to marry within the extended family network.

What this means for expats: This is one of the most culturally significant changes in this batch. Cousin marriage is accepted and common in parts of South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and elsewhere.

Key points to understand:

• Planning to marry a cousin in Sweden? This is now illegal and will not be registered. There is no dispensation route available under the new law.
• Already married to a cousin before 1 July? Your existing marriage is not dissolved — but it will no longer be recognised for purposes of Swedish legal status, residence permits, or family reunification applications going forward.
• Applying for family reunification with a cousin-spouse? Contact Migrationsverket immediately. The non-recognition of foreign cousin marriages will directly affect reunification cases under review.
• Half-siblings or adoptive siblings? The previously available permission route is permanently closed. Existing marriages in this category should seek urgent legal advice.

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8. Wind Turbine Neighbours Receive Revenue-Linked Compensation

Official source: Prop. 2025/26:239 — Vindkraft i kommuner (Riksdagen.se)

What changes: Homeowners living within nine times the height of a wind turbine from that turbine are entitled to annual cash compensation linked to the facility's revenues. Parliament approved this on 9 June 2026 and it applies to permits granted from 1 July 2026 onwards.

The compensation structure is tiered by distance:

Distance from turbine	Compensation (‰ of annual revenue)
Up to 5× turbine height	2.5 per mille
5× to 6× turbine height	2.0 per mille
6× to 7× turbine height	1.5 per mille
7× to 8× turbine height	1.0 per mille
8× to 9× turbine height	0.5 per mille

Example: A 200-metre turbine generates a compensation zone of up to 1,800 metres (1.8 km). A homeowner 600 metres away (3× height) would receive 2.5‰ of the facility's annual revenue. A homeowner 1,500 metres away (7.5× height) would receive 1.0‰.

Who pays: The wind farm operator, not the municipality or the state.

Applies only to new permits from 1 July 2026. Existing wind farms already in operation, or those with permits issued before 1 July, are not covered by this compensation obligation.

What this means for expats: If you own a home in a rural or semi-rural area near a planned wind installation, this is a meaningful financial entitlement worth tracking. Check the local planning status of any wind farm projects near your property and note when their permits are expected to be issued.

If you rent your home: Compensation flows to the property owner, not tenants. If the property owner receives this income, it does not directly benefit you as a renter — but it is worth being aware of in lease renegotiations.

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9. Skatteverket Gets Expanded VAT Fraud Powers

Official sources:

• Prop. 2025/26:128 — Åtgärder mot mervärdesskattebedrägerier (Regeringen.se)
• Skatteverket — Nya lagar från halvårsskiftet 2026 (Skatteverket.se)

What changes: Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Authority) now has significantly expanded powers to combat VAT fraud at the registration stage, before fraudulent refunds are paid out:

• Deny new VAT registrations where there are grounds to suspect fraudulent intent or criminal activity.
• Deregister existing VAT numbers if fraud is identified after registration.
• Mark a VAT registration number as invalid in VIES (the EU-wide VAT Information Exchange System), which alerts businesses in other EU countries dealing with the registered entity.
• Withhold input VAT refunds where there is a credible risk of tax evasion, pending investigation.

Skatteverket is also authorised to conduct more thorough inspections at the point of VAT registration applications — not just after the fact.

The purpose: Sweden loses significant tax revenue annually to organised VAT carousel fraud, where companies register, claim refunds fraudulently, and disappear. These powers let Skatteverket act before the refund is paid rather than pursuing recovery after the fact.

What this means for expats running a business:

• Legitimate businesses with full documentation: The expanded scrutiny should not affect you. Ensure your registration application includes clear evidence of your business activity, ownership structure, and planned operations.
• Companies that rely on VAT refunds for cash flow: If your refund is withheld during a review, you have the right to appeal — but maintain liquidity as a buffer, as the review process takes time.
• New company registrations: Expect more detailed questions and potentially longer review times if your business type or structure resembles patterns associated with fraud (e.g. trading companies with complex ownership chains).

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10. Dance Event VAT Cut from 25% to 6%

Official sources:

• Prop. 2025/26:109 — Sänkt mervärdesskatt på tillträde till danstillställningar (Riksdagen.se)
• Regeringen — Går vidare med förslag om sänkt dansbandsmoms (Regeringen.se)

What changes: The VAT rate on entry tickets to dance events (danstillställningar) is reduced from 25% to 6%, placing them on the same footing as concerts, theatre, and other cultural performances, which have long benefited from the lower rate.

Why 25% was anomalous: Sweden applies a 6% reduced VAT rate to cultural events broadly — but dance events, and particularly dansbandskvällar (traditional Swedish dance nights with live dansband music), were excluded from this and taxed at the standard 25% rate. This had long been criticised as inconsistent treatment of a culturally significant art form.

What this means for expats: If you attend live music or dance events in Sweden, entry prices should fall modestly as venues pass on the reduced tax. Alternatively, venues may retain the margin to invest in better programmes and facilities.

Cultural context: Dansband is a quintessentially Swedish musical tradition — upbeat, unpretentious, enormously popular in rural and provincial Sweden. This change has been welcomed enthusiastically by the industry, which argued the 25% rate was suppressing a cultural sector with wide popular appeal, particularly among older Swedes.

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What to Do Before or Right After 1 July

If you...	What to do
Own a bostadsrätt and want to rent it out	Contact your bostadsrättsförening for updated terms; apply formally for permission
Work in elder care	Get an honest assessment of your Swedish level; book SFI or Komvux vocational Swedish if below B2
Receive försörjningsstöd (3+ months)	Prepare a medical certificate if ill; expect your municipality to contact you before October
Arrived recently without a bank account	Note: staffed grocery stores and pharmacies must now accept your cash
Plan to marry a cousin in Sweden	This is now illegal — seek legal advice and consult Migrationsverket if a residence permit is involved
Have a cousin-marriage reunification case in progress	Contact Migrationsverket immediately for updated guidance
Own property near a planned wind farm	Check whether the wind farm has a permit issued from 1 July onwards — that triggers your compensation entitlement
Run a business registered for VAT	Ensure documentation is complete; maintain cash reserves if you rely on VAT refunds
Organise public events or demonstrations	Familiarise yourself with the updated polislagen provisions; police can redirect events on safety grounds

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Final Thoughts

Sweden's July 2026 package is unusually broad — touching housing, employment, welfare, family law, energy, taxation, and public order in a single legislative wave.

For immigrants and expats, the changes with the most immediate practical impact are:

1. Cash payment mandate — removes a real barrier for newly arrived residents without full banking access.
2. Benefits tightening — the most consequential change for those relying on försörjningsstöd; plan ahead of October.
3. Elder care language requirement — mandatory action for foreign-born care workers; employers must now demonstrably support B2-level Swedish.
4. Cousin marriage ban — cross-party, non-negotiable, and affects family reunification cases already in the system.
5. Second-hand rental liberalisation — practical upside for bostadsrätt owners who need flexibility.

For the most current guidance on how each law is being implemented in practice, check directly with the relevant authority: Migrationsverket, Socialstyrelsen, Skatteverket, and your local municipality's socialtjänst office.