The Swedish government announced on Thursday its decision to significantly increase grants for immigrants who choose to return to their home countries. This new initiative, set to begin in 2026, will provide eligible immigrants with approximately 350,000 Swedish kronor or $34,000.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell told reporters,“We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in our migration policy,”
The right-wing Swedish government, supported by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, is working on a comprehensive reform agenda in collaboration with the Sweden Democrats, who came second in the country’s recent general election in 2022.
Under the current financial support system, adults receive a maximum of 10,000 kronor ($976) per adult, while children receive 5,000 kronor ($450) per child, with a cap of 40,000 kronor ($3,903) per family to assist with their return home.
“The grant has been around since 1984, but it is relatively unknown, it is small and relatively few people use it,” Ludvig Aspling, Sweden Democrats spokesperson on immigration, told reporters.
Despite a recent report advising against a significant increase in grant amounts due to concerns about cost-effectiveness, the government is moving forward with this initiative.
Other European countries also offer grants as an incentive for migrants to return home. Denmark pays more than US$15,000 per person, compared to around US$1,400 in Norway, US$2,800 in France and US$2,000 in Germany.
Since the 1990s, Sweden has welcomed a large number of migrants from conflict-ridden countries like the former Yugoslavia, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, and Iraq. According to government data, Sweden received 5,600 asylum applications up to July 28 this year.
In 2015, Sweden received 163,000 asylum applications, the highest per capita figure in Europe, as reported by the BBC.
Upon assuming office in 2022, Conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson promised to counter immigration and crime issues. His minority coalition government, supported by the Sweden Democrats, is committed to implementing policies aimed at managing these challenges effectively.
