Sweden plans on paying immigrants to depart country
Date
9/17/2024 8:05:58 AM
(MENAFN) In a major policy shift, Sweden has announced a new program that will offer immigrants up to 350,000 Swedish kronor (approximately USD34,000) to voluntarily return to their home countries. Migration Minister Johan Forssell revealed this decision during a press conference on Thursday, marking a significant reversal from the country’s previous liberal stance on immigration.
Starting in 2026, immigrants who choose to leave Sweden will be eligible for this substantial financial incentive. This move represents a dramatic increase from the current system, which offers a maximum of 10,000 kronor (USD970) per adult and 5,000 kronor (USD485) per child. Under the existing scheme, only one person opted to leave with the grant last year, according to Forssell.
The new policy has been advocated by Ludvig Aspling of the right-wing Sweden Democrats, a party that supports the centrist government. Aspling believes that the increased grant amount and enhanced awareness of the offer could make it more appealing, especially to those who are unemployed or in low-wage jobs dependent on government assistance.
This initiative marks a significant departure from Sweden’s migration policies of the past decade. In 2015, under then-Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, Sweden embraced a humanitarian approach by opening its borders to over 160,000 asylum seekers, the highest per capita in Europe at the time. Since then, nearly one million people, predominantly from the Middle East and North Africa, have immigrated to Sweden.
The influx has been accompanied by a rise in violent crime, with cases of murder and manslaughter nearly doubling between 2012 and 2023, and sexual offenses increasing by 56 percent between 2013 and 2021. A 2017 investigation by the Dagens Nyheter newspaper found that 90 percent of perpetrators involved in shootings in Sweden were either first or second-generation immigrants.
This new policy reflects Sweden’s shifting approach to immigration, driven by concerns over crime and social integration challenges. The government’s decision to offer substantial financial incentives for voluntary repatriation underscores a broader trend towards more restrictive immigration measures.
MENAFN17092024000045015687ID1108682422
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.