Sweden's right-wing government, supported by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, announced a significant increase in grants for immigrants who choose to return to their home countries voluntarily.
Starting in 2026, eligible immigrants can receive up to 350,000 Swedish kronor ($34,000), a substantial rise from the current 10,000 kronor.
This policy shift aims to encourage more migrants to leave Sweden, despite a government-appointed probe advising against such a large increase due to cost concerns.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell emphasized, "We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in our migration policy." Sweden has historically struggled with integrating immigrants, many of whom come from conflict-ridden regions like the former Yugoslavia, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, and Iraq.
The country has been accepting a large number of migrants since the 1990s but has faced ongoing challenges in ensuring their successful integration into Swedish society.
Ludvig Aspling of the Sweden Democrats noted, "The grant has been around since 1984, but it is relatively unknown. It is small, and relatively few people use it."
He added that increasing awareness and the grant size could lead to more immigrants taking advantage of the offer.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who came to power in 2022 with a minority coalition government, has made countering immigration and crime a priority.
The Sweden Democrats, now the second-largest party in Sweden with 20.5 percent of the vote in the general election, have been instrumental in shaping this new policy direction.
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