Net immigration is minus 15 percent up to and including May this year, compared to last year. At the same time, emigration has increased by 60 percent, according to preliminary figures from Statistics Sweden (SCB). This means a net deficit of around 5,700 people.
In 2023, emigration increased among people born in, among others, Iraq, Somalia, and Syria. The net immigration figures for people born in these countries were negative last year.
The number of asylum applications is heading towards a historically low level. The asylum-related residence permits are continuing to decrease, says Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) at a press conference.
"Stopped being a asylum country"
But is this development good, considering the shortage of labor in several occupations and also historically low birth rates?
We need more qualified and highly qualified labor immigration. That's why we have also drastically reduced processing times and given the Migration Agency new tasks to prioritize highly qualified individuals, says Stenergard to TT.
In the EU, the number of asylum seekers is currently increasing – but Sweden is going in the opposite direction. The Migration Agency's forecast for the number of asylum seekers for 2024 has been revised down to around 10,000 – which would be the lowest number of asylum seekers since 1997.
Sweden has stopped being an asylum immigration country, says Stenergard.
The Minister for Migration mentions several times "immigration that is good for Sweden". At the same time, she does not want to say that asylum immigration is bad.
"Very poor integration"
But unfortunately, we have seen that we have had high asylum immigration in combination with very poor integration. And it is many, not least foreign-born, who suffer from exclusion. We must have a significantly reduced immigration over a long period, and then with a focus on asylum immigration, she says.
Next week marks the tenth anniversary of Fredrik Reinfeldt's appeal to "open your hearts". Since then, The Moderate Party has completely reversed its migration policy. And there will be no return to Reinfeldt's line within the foreseeable future, Stenergard emphasizes.
We received a very clear mandate to get immigration in order and not least combat crime. And that's what we work every day to deliver to the voters. And then it's up to them to decide how it will look in ten years.
