Free Republic

Immigrants to Sweden should be able to become citizens within two years if they learn Swedish quickly, a new report has proposed. While current regulations stipulate a five year minimum for anyone wishing to become a citizen, researchers Dan-Olof Rooth and Per Strömblad recommend shortening the waiting period for newcomers who manage to become proficient in Swedish at an earlier stage. In a report commissioned by the government's Globalisation Council, the researchers stress that the proposal would not lead to stricter rules for anyone seeking a passport, but would provide an incentive for those wishing to speed up the process....

Unless you were one of the thousand Canadians invited to opine on the issue, you probably missed a recent international survey to determine the "top nation brand." Canada wasn't among the countries being ranked, but perhaps the key reason the rankings escaped your attention was that the winner was … Sweden. When it comes to countries, being a dimly comprehended, far-off, quasi-socialist paradise obviously pays. Never mind that companies are leaving Sweden in droves, that the real unemployment rate has been calculated at 20%, and that a new women's party was recently formed on the basis that Swedish men are...