Europe's migration policy is changing: those who leave the country are paid
Sweden pays up to 350,000 Swedish kronor—about $36,000—to certain migrants who voluntarily agree to return to their home countries. However, since the beginning of 2026, only 171 people have taken advantage of the program and left the country.
In Sweden, under a program launched at the start of 2026, foreign nationals from outside the European Union who meet certain residency conditions are offered financial support if they voluntarily return to their home countries.
The government set aside 1.3 billion Swedish krona for the program. Campaigns in several languages are planned to encourage more migrants to apply.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson presents increased voluntary returns as one of the government's priorities in migration policy.
Sweden's migration policy has changed over the past decade.
In the 2015 refugee crisis, Sweden accepted about 163,000 people, becoming one of Europe's largest recipient countries relative to its population.
In subsequent years, the migration policy was progressively tightened. It was noted that asylum applications in 2025 fell to roughly 96% of 2015 levels.
While the Swedish Democrats also advocated making the program more comprehensive, the party, in July, placed advertisements on city buses calling for voluntary return, especially to Somali immigrants.
The $36,000 incentive did not generate the expected interest.
According to the first data released by the government, since the start of 2026, 171 people have accepted leaving Sweden by taking advantage of the financial incentive.
With Sweden's population of about 10.6 million and roughly 2 million of those being foreign‑born, the low number of applications has sparked debate about the program's impact.
Comments
You must sign in to comment.
Sign InYou Might Also Like
LG televizyonlarla ilgili dikkat çeken gizlilik iddiası: Ekran kapalıyken de veri topluyor
LG'nin bazı akıllı televizyonlarıyla ilgili yapılan inceleme, ekran kapalıyken dahi veri toplama faaliyetlerinin sürdürülebileceğini ortaya koydu. Araştırmada televizyonların ev ağındaki cihazları taradığı ve bekleme modunda mikrofon üzerinden ses verisi alabildiği iddia edildi.
Historic decision from American Airlines: First‑class ticket sales are ending
American Airlines is making a profound change in its premium travel concept. The airline will gradually end first‑class ticket sales from the end of 2026, while focusing on business class and Flagship Suite services for high‑end passengers.
Gold and silver at a critical turn: Markets are locked onto ABD data
Gold and silver are seeking direction amid the backing of geopolitical tensions and the pressure of the Fed's interest rate policy. The markets' focus has turned to ABD inflation data, which is critically important for the trajectory of precious metals.
.avif){kind=small}