“We are basically copying the Danish model and significantly increasing the amount to make it easier for those who want to return to their home countries because, for whatever reason, they don’t feel they can find a good life in Sweden,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.
The payment package to each refugee was €900 before Kristersson announced plans to increase it to €32,000 to incentivize a greater number of refugees to return.
He defended the pay bump by explaining that the previous amount was “not successful.”
According to the Swedish Migration Agency, 70 refugees were offered €900 to leave in 2023, but only one accepted the offer.
Kristersson said that while many may not support raising the amount, refugees and immigrants who cannot integrate into Swedish society may consider returning to their home countries with the decision.
The new initiative is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.
Sweden has large refugee communities from Syria, Iraq, and Somalia, according to the UN refugee agency. Restrictive immigration policies in recent years have led to a decrease in the number of asylum seekers and a shift in the country’s approach to migration.
