This year, the number of asylum seekers dropped to 5,600, a 27% decrease from the previous year and the lowest since 1997.
At the same time, emigration has increased by over 60%, particularly among individuals from Iraq, Somalia, and Syria, resulting in a “surplus” of approximately 5,700 people leaving the country.
Stenergard credits these results to the government’s efforts to promote sustainable immigration and improve integration and social inclusion in Sweden.
Additionally, she highlights that despite an increase in asylum applications across the European Union, Sweden has managed to reduce its own through effective internal policies.
This shift follows the 2022 elections, where anti-immigration sentiment was prominent and led to a comprehensive review of the immigration and asylum system, tightening citizenship requirements and increasing deportations of illegal immigrants, while facilitating the entry of highly skilled workers.
