Sweden’s migration clampdown spurred on by rise of
far-right Sweden Democrats
Once known for its welcome to migrants, Sweden has not only shut its borders over the last decade, its right-wing government is now paying some foreign-born residents to leave.
This is part of a tough stance on migration it hopes will help it secure it re-election this month.
As countries across Europe clamp down on immigration, Sweden has made one of the most drastic about-turns. It took in 163,000 asylum-seekers in 2015 – the second highest per capita in Europe. By 2025, that number had fallen 96pc.
Since the start of 2026, the Swedish coalition government, which took power in 2022 on a pledge to cut immigration and crime, has been offering those with residency permits from outside the EU up to 350,000 Swedish crowns (€32,000) if they leave the country.
“Do you miss Mogadishu? The remigration grant will help you get home,” reads an advert, paid for by the Sweden Democrats on a bus and aimed at Somali immigrants.
The far-right party launched the adverts in July on public transport and in areas with high numbers of migrants as campaigning for the election began. It and the three governing coalition parties are seeking to form a four-way ruling partnership.
Governments and political parties across Europe are watching as some also consider ways to send people back. Anti-immigration rhetoric has surged since over a million people, mainly Syrians fleeing war, arrived in Europe in 2015. That has given right-wing nationalist parties a boost, pushing governments to adopt increasingly restrictive migration policies focused on deterrence and returns.
However, Bram Frouws, director of the Mixed Migration Centre, a research body, said there was no evidence these kinds of schemes produce any significant increase in voluntary emigration.
“This is one of those policy proposals where this doesn’t even matter, it’s mainly symbolic, it’s about signalling how tough they are on migration,” he said.
So far this year, 171 people have taken up the offer of cash to leave. The Sweden Democrats want to extend the offer to immigrants with Swedish citizenship, if they agree to revoke it.
Sweden has also started tightening other rules for immigrants – no longer awarding permanent residency permits and making immigrants re-apply for them after three years.
In August, the government launched the first-ever citizenship tests, mandatory for all who apply. At a Stockholm convention centre 900 immigrants were tested on their knowledge of Sweden, including the line of succession for the monarchy and the midsummer holiday.
Sweden’s migration minister Johan Forssell said the tests were important in underlining the value of citizenship and that it came with both rights and demands.
“These are highly reasonable requirements,” he said. “What’s unreasonable is that until now you have been able to become a citizen without knowing anything about Sweden and without speaking a single word of Swedish.”