Monday August 19, 2024
Sweden was once known as a very welcoming place for migrants from conflict-ridden countries The country has seen significant shifts in migration patterns due to stricter immigration policies in recent years. (Getty Images)
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (HOL) — Sweden is experiencing an unprecedented migration shift, with more people leaving the country than arriving, a trend the government attributes to its stringent migration policies. Between January and May 2024, 5,700 more people emigrated than immigrated, according to data from Statistics Sweden. Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard anticipates this trend will continue, noting that asylum applications have plummeted to their lowest level since 1997.
The shift marks a dramatic reversal for Sweden, long known for its liberal immigration stance. At the height of the 2015 European migrant crisis, Sweden accepted 162,877 asylum applications. However, that number sharply declined to 28,939 in 2016 after the Social Democrats, responding to growing concerns over the strain on national resources, implemented stricter migration controls.
In October 2022, a new minority government led by conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, with support from the far-right Sweden Democrats, came into power. The coalition has continued to enforce and expand these restrictive measures. Swedish migration expert Bernd Parusel notes that these policies limit access to Swedish territory, alter the asylum process, and promote voluntary returns alongside consistent deportations.
Despite these efforts, Sweden continues to grapple with organized crime, an issue Prime Minister Kristersson has vowed to address. He attributes the rise in criminal activity to the previous government's "irresponsible immigration policy and failed integration efforts." However, experts argue that factors such as unemployment and poverty play a more significant role in fueling crime than immigration alone.
Recent reports indicate a notable increase in emigration among individuals from Iraq, Somalia, and Syria. While the motivations behind these departures remain unclear, Minister Stenergard credits the trend to the stricter policies of the past eight years, stating, "The government's efforts are bearing fruit."