Sweden, once celebrated for its welcoming stance toward migrants, has shifted dramatically over the past decade. In 2015 the country accepted 163,000 asylum seekers, the second‑highest per capita figure in Europe, but by 2025 that number had fallen 96 per cent. Since the start of 2026 a coalition government that pledged to curb immigration and crime has begun offering non‑EU residents up to 350,000 Swedish crowns (about £27,100) to leave the country.
The initiative, backed by the far‑right Sweden Democrats, has a budget of 1.3 billion crowns. To date, only 171 people have taken up the cash incentive. The party has promoted the scheme with bus adverts aimed at Somali immigrants, asking, “Do you miss Mogadishu?” and promising a remigration grant to help them return home.
The policy has attracted international attention. German Alternative for Germany (AfD) politician Mary Khan‑Hohloch welcomed the Swedish move, citing the financial and social burdens of migration on European states. However, Bram Frouws, director of the Mixed Migration Centre, warned that such schemes are largely symbolic and unlikely to produce a significant rise in voluntary emigration.
In Stockholm’s working‑class suburb of Satra, a group of immigrants—including a Sudanese artist, refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan and China—have met to practice Swedish. None are interested in the offer to leave. “I want freedom, to be able to work and live a good life,” said 42‑year‑old Elena Ibrahim, who fled her former husband and religious oppression eight years ago. Imam Mahmoud Khalfi of the city’s largest mosque described the policy as divisive and anxiety‑inducing, noting that highly educated migrants might leave for places like London or Dubai, while those with fewer opportunities have no choice.
Sweden’s broader immigration crackdown includes revoking permanent residency after three years and introducing mandatory citizenship tests covering topics such as the monarchy and midsummer celebrations. Migration Minister Johan Forssell defended the tests as reasonable, arguing they reinforce the value of citizenship and its accompanying responsibilities.
