As of 2026, immigrants who voluntarily return to their home countries would be eligible to receive up to 350,000 Swedish kronor ($34,000), the right-wing government, which is propped up by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, said in a statement.
"We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in our migration policy," Migration Minister Johan Forssell told reporters.
READ ALSO:
Currently, migrants returning home can receive a maximum of 10,000 kronor per adult, or 5,000 kronor per child, with a maximum of 40,000 kronor available per family.
The scheme is only available to refugees, quota refugees, people in need of subsidiary protection, on the grounds of exceptionally distressing circumstances, or family of these groups.
"The grant has been around since 1984, but it is relatively unknown, it is small and relatively few people use it," Ludvig Aspling of the Sweden Democrats told reporters.
Aspling added that if more people were aware of the grant and its size was increased, more would likely accept the offer.
The announcement came despite a government-appointed probe last month advising against a significant increase in the amount of the grant, saying the expected effectiveness did not justify the potential costs.
Conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson promised to counter immigration and crime after he came to power in 2022 with a minority coalition government propped up by the Sweden Democrats – which emerged as Sweden's second-largest party with 20.5 percent in the general election.
Comments