Sweden Offers $34,000 to Migrants Who Voluntarily Return Home Amid New Immigration Strategy

• Sep 14, 2024

Sweden's government has announced plans to increase financial incentives for immigrants who choose to voluntarily return to their home countries, offering up to 350,000 Swedish kronor (approximately $34,000). This move is part of a larger shift in migration policy led by the right-wing government, which has been heavily influenced by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.

At a press conference on Thursday, September 12, Migration Minister Johan Forssell declared, “We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in our migration policy,” highlighting the government's focus on reducing immigration and increasing repatriation. Currently, migrants can receive a smaller grant, capped at 40,000 kronor per family, if they opt to return to their country of origin. The new proposal drastically raises these amounts in the hopes that it will encourage more people to take advantage of the offer.

Ludvig Aspling, a representative from the Sweden Democrats, explained that while the grant has been available since 1984, it remains relatively unknown and underutilized. He argued that increasing the grant's visibility and size could lead to a higher uptake among migrants.

This announcement comes despite warnings from a government-appointed probe last month, which advised against increasing the grant amount. The report questioned the effectiveness of such a policy, suggesting the high costs might not justify the expected outcomes.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who came to power in 2022 with a minority coalition supported by the Sweden Democrats, has consistently promised to take a tough stance on immigration and crime. Since the 1990s, Sweden has accepted large numbers of migrants, particularly from war-torn nations such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia. However, the country has faced ongoing challenges with integrating these migrants into Swedish society.

While the exact eligibility criteria for receiving the increased grant have not yet been clarified, this policy shift is part of a broader effort by the Swedish government to tighten immigration rules. The Swedish Migration Agency has already reported a significant decrease in asylum applications, projecting that 2024 could see the lowest number of applicants since 1997. The agency also noted that for the first time in half a century, Sweden is experiencing net emigration.

Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard praised these developments, emphasizing that the reduction in asylum-related residence permits and the current trend toward net emigration signal progress toward sustainable immigration. This shift, she argues, is crucial for better integration and reducing social exclusion in the country.

Statistics from the Swedish government indicate that, in 2023, emigration rates increased among migrants from countries such as Iraq, Somalia, and Syria. The Swedish government is now aiming to encourage even more migrants to return home by offering them significant financial support, despite the economic concerns raised by the recent government probe.

Sweden's approach to migration has evolved dramatically since 2015, when the country received 163,000 asylum applications, the highest per capita in Europe at the time. With migration policies tightening, Sweden is now undergoing a notable transformation in its stance on immigration.