Emigration is now greater than immigration to Sweden

The government announces that Sweden is experiencing net emigration for the first time in over 50 years and boasts that the number of residence permits granted continues to fall.

“According to the Swedish Migration Agency’s forecast, Sweden looks set to receive the lowest number of asylum seekers since 1997“, it says in a press release, emphasizing that although the number of asylum applications in the EU remains at a high level, Sweden stands out and is instead receiving fewer and fewer applications.

“Until week 30 this year, a total of 5,600 asylum applications have been registered. This is a decrease of 27% compared to the same period last year“, they note.

– The government’s efforts are paying off. The number of asylum applications is at a historically low level, asylum-related residence permits continue to decrease and for the first time in 50 years Sweden has net emigration. This trend towards sustainable immigration is essential if we are to strengthen integration and reduce exclusion“, says Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard.

Somalis and Iraqis

The government mentions, among other things, that emigration among people born in Iraq, Somalia and Syria has increased sharply and that “in 2023, the net immigration figures for people born in these countries were negative“.

“According to preliminary statistics from Statistics Sweden, Sweden has a negative net immigration until May this year. The government’s efforts to improve population registration are believed to be contributing to this outcome“, it further claims.

While the government is clearly keen to take credit for the fact that Sweden is not as attractive to migrants as it used to be, critics point out that a weak Swedish economy and soaring living costs may also be reasons why people choose to settle in other European countries instead.