Immigration to Sweden is the process by which people migrate to Sweden to reside in the country. Many, but not all, become Swedish citizens. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused some controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants, settlement patterns, impact on upward social mobility, crime, and voting behaviour.

At the turn of the 20th century, Sweden had very few immigrants. In 1900, the nationwide population totaled 5,100,814 inhabitants, of which 35,627 individuals were foreign-born (0.7%). Most of the residents, who numbered 21,496 people, were from the other Nordic countries. An additional 8,531 people were from other European countries, 5,254 from North America, 90 from South America, 87 from Asia, 79 from Africa, and 59 from Oceania.^[1] As of 2010^[update], 1.33 million people or 14.3% of the inhabitants in Sweden were foreign-born. Of these individuals, 859,000 (64.6%) were born outside the European Union and 477,000 (35.4%) were born in another EU member state.^[2] Sweden has been transformed from a nation of net emigration ending after World War I to a nation of net immigration from World War II onward. In 2013, immigration reached its highest level since records began, with 115,845 people migrating to Sweden while the total population grew by 88,971.^[3]

In 2014, 81,300 individuals applied for asylum in Sweden, which was an increase of 50% compared to 2013 and the most since 1992. 47% of them came from Syria, followed by 21% from the Horn of Africa (mostly Eritrea and Somalia). 77% (63,000) requests were approved but it differs greatly between different groups. Nearly two weeks into October 2015, a record figure of 86,223 asylum applications was reached. In 2016, 28,939 people applied for asylum. As of 2014^[update], according to Statistics Sweden, there are around 17,000 total asylum immigrants from Syria, 10,000 from Iraq, 4,500 from Eritrea, 1,900 from Afghanistan, and 1,100 from Somalia.^[4] In the year 2017, most asylum seekers come from Syria (267), Eritrea (263), Iraq (117), and Georgia (106).^[5]

According to an official report by the Swedish Pensions Agency on order from the government, the total immigration to Sweden for 2017 is expected to be roughly 180,000 individuals, and after that 110,000 persons every year.^[6][7]

Immigrants in Sweden are mostly concentrated in the urban areas of Svealand and Götaland. The largest foreign-born populations residing in Sweden come from Finland, Iraq, Poland, Iran, the former Yugoslavia, and Syria.

History

World War II

Immigration increased markedly with World War II. Historically, the most numerous of foreign born nationalities are ethnic Germans from Germany and other Scandinavians from Denmark and Norway.^{[citation needed]} In short order, 70,000 war children were evacuated from Finland, of which 15,000 remained in Sweden. Also, many of Denmark's nearly 7,000 Jews who were evacuated to Sweden decided to remain there.^{[citation needed]}

A sizable community from the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) arrived during the Second World War.^[8]

1945 to 1967

During the 1950s and 1960s, the recruitment of migrant workers was an important factor of immigration. The Nordic countries signed a trade agreement in 1952, establishing a common labour market and free movement across borders. This migration within the Nordic countries, especially from Finland to Scandinavia, was essential to create the tax-base required for the expansion of the strong public sector now characteristic of Scandinavia. This continued until 1967, when the labour market became saturated, and Sweden introduced new immigration controls.

On a smaller scale, Sweden took in political refugees from Hungary and the former Czechoslovakia after their countries were invaded by the Soviet Union in 1956 and 1968 respectively. Some tens of thousands of American draft dodgers from the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s also found refuge in Sweden.

Contemporary immigration

Since the early 1970s, immigration to Sweden has been mostly due to refugee migration, especially from former Yugoslavia (due to the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s) but also from countries in the Middle East and Latin America.^[9]

Beginning in 2008, there was a long-term shift in the countries of origin, with a larger share of migrants with low education from non-European countries.^[10]

In 2009, immigration reached its highest level since records began with 102,280 people migrating to Sweden while the total population grew by 84,335.^[11] In 2010, 32,000 people applied for asylum to Sweden, a 25% increase from 2009, one of the highest numbers in Sweden since 1992 and the Balkan wars.^[12] The number of people that were granted asylum stayed the same as previous years. In 2009, Sweden had the fourth-largest number of asylum applications in the EU and the largest number per capita after Cyprus and Malta.^[13]

During 2010 the most common reason for immigrating to Sweden was:

1. Labour migrants (21%)
2. Family reunification (20%)
3. Immigrating under the EU/EES rules of free movement (18%)
4. Students (14%)
5. Refugees (12%)^[14]

In 2010, 32,000 people applied for asylum to Sweden, a 25% increase from 2009; however, the number of people who received asylum did not increase because the large increase was much due to the allowing of Serbian nationals to travel without a visa to Sweden.^[12] Sweden has the highest asylum immigration per million inhabitants in Europe.^{[citation needed]}

The number of asylum seekers coming to Sweden increased beginning in 2014. 81,300 applied for asylum in 2014, which was an increase of 50% compared to 2013. It was the most since 1992, when 84,018 persons applied for asylum during the war in Yugoslavia. 77% (63,000) requests were approved but it differed greatly between different groups, such as Syrians and Eritreans where nearly everyone gets their application approved.^[15] In February 2015, it was expected that 90,000 apply for asylum in 2015 and 80,000 in 2016. The Swedish Migration Agency currently has shortage of 15,000 accommodations so they have to rent from private actors.^[16] At the end of April 2015, the figure for the year 2015 was revised down to 68,000–88,000 with 80,000 as the main scenario. Long processing times and that the situation in Iraq has not developed in the way the Swedish Migration Agency are the reason for the revised figures.^[17] Nearly two weeks into October 2015, 86,223 had applied for asylum so far during the year. That was a record, surpassing the 1992 figure of 84,018 during the war in Yugoslavia. Emergency accommodation such as drill halls or offices is needed.^[18][19] As of 2014^[update], according to Statistics Sweden, there are around 17,000 total asylum immigrants from Syria (an increase of ~16,000 from 1990), 10,000 from Iraq (an increase of ~6,000 from 1990), 4,500 from Eritrea (an increase of ~4,400 from 1990), 1,900 from Afghanistan (an increase of ~1,800 from 1990), and 1,100 from Somalia (an increase of ~300 from 1990).^[4] In the year 2017, most asylum seekers come from Syria (267), Eritrea (263), Iraq (117), and Georgia (106).^[5]

A series of violent riots starting with the 2008 Malmö mosque riots and including the 2009 Malmö anti-Israel riots, 2010 Rinkeby riots, 2013 Stockholm riots, 2016 Sweden riots and 2017 Rinkeby riots, during which immigrant youth torched cars and buildings and threw rocks at police, led many Swedes to question Sweden's ability to integrate migrants.^[20]

By November 2015, Swedish willingness to accept large numbers of migrants was decreasing.^[21]

According to official data from January 2016 by the Swedish Migration Agency, 70.4% of the immigrants during 2015 were men, and 29.6% were women.^[22]

A 2016 SOM Institute survey published by University of Gothenburg reported that between the years 2011 and 2016, the estimated share of people with concerns about the increasing number of immigrants increased from around 20% to 45%. In the period 2014-2016, the share of people having concerns about xenophobia increased from 38% to 45%,^[23] and the proportion of individuals having concerns over an increased number of refugees rose to 29% in 2015.^[24] On the question of repatriation of the asylum immigrants, 61% of native respondents in 1990 thought that it was a good suggestion, with this figure steadily decreasing over the ensuing years to a low of around 40% in 2014. In 2015, there was an increase in respondents in favor of repatriation; 52% deemed it a good suggestion. The proportion of respondents who felt repatriation was neither a good nor bad proposal simultaneously dropped from almost 40% to 24%.^[23]

The four largest and most well known Swedish newspapers reported more negative than positive news about immigration in the years 2010-2015.^[25] The reporting in other Swedish media may not have offered a less negative picture of immigration to Sweden.^[26]

In April 2016, Reuters reported that at least 70 girls under 18 were living married in asylum centres in Stockholm and Malmö. Reuters added: "In Sweden, the lowest age for sex is 15 and marriage 18."^[27]

In June 2017, the Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden (HFD) ruled that illegal immigrants, such as those who stay in hiding after their asylum applications had been rejected in order to evade deportation, had no right to welfare benefits. A woman was denied welfare benefits (sv:socialbidrag) by the council of Vännäs and she took the council to court. The first instance (sv:förvaltningsrätten) ruled in the woman's favour, but the council took the case to the highest court HFD which ruled in favour of the council.^[28]

According to an age-testing investigation in August 2017 by The National Board of Forensic Medicine, 82% of immigrants suspected to be above 18 and who claim to be under are determined to be above 18.^[29]

According to a 2017 Swedish Police Authority report on organised crime in Sweden, in autumn 2015, the number of asylum applicants to Sweden had markedly risen. The police authorities indicate that most of these asylum seekers had arrived via people smugglers, with compatriots smuggling compatriots being the most common scenario. Police authorities estimated that the smugglers charged several hundred thousand SEK. Many of the smuggled asylum seekers owed substantial debts to the traffickers, which left them vulnerable to exploitation by organised crime.^[30]

Data indicates that the smuggling networks would capitalize on the right of asylum seekers to establish their own housing (EBO) instead of accommodation organized by the Swedish Migration Agency. The smuggling networks would thereby organize accommodation for the smuggled in especially vulnerable areas, where the traffickers already had contacts in place. The traffickers thus exploit asylum seekers by using them as cheap or free labor, coercing them into under-the-table work, and siphoning off their welfare benefits.^[31]

Demographics

Current population of immigrants and their descendants

There are no exact numbers on the ethnic background of migrants and their descendants in Sweden as the Swedish state does not base any statistics on ethnicity. This is however not to be confused with the migrants' national backgrounds which are being recorded.

As of 2011, a Statistics Sweden study showed that around 27% or 2,500,000 inhabitants of Sweden had full or partial foreign background and around 73% or 7,000,000 had no foreign background. ^{[citation needed]} Of these inhabitants; 1,427,296 persons living in Sweden were born abroad. In addition; 430,253 persons were born in Sweden to two parents born abroad and another 666,723 persons had one parent born abroad with the other parent born in Sweden.

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there is a total of 400,203 residents of Sweden who hold citizenship from European Union states and other countries in Europe, 273,787 from countries in Asia, and 110,758 from countries in Africa.^[32]

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there is a total of 8,541 foreign-born children and young adults aged 0-21 who are adopted in Sweden. Of these individuals, the most common countries of birth are China (3,977), South Korea (1,735), Colombia (1,438), Vietnam (1,241), and India (1,017).^[33]

Immigration

In 1998, there were 1,746,921 inhabitants of foreign background and their descendants (foreign born and children of international migrants) composing around 20% of the Swedish population. Around 1,216,659 or 70% came from Scandinavia and the rest of Europe and 530,262 or 30% came from the rest of the world.^[34]

In 2011, with the total population being 9,562,556, roughly 15% of the population was born abroad, 5% of the population was born in Sweden to two parents born abroad, and another 7% was born in Sweden to one parent born abroad. Resulting in 27% of the Swedish population being of at least partly foreign descent.^[35]

Country of origin for persons born abroad

30 largest immigrant populations by country of origin 2016^[36]

Country	Men	Women	Population	Change
Finland	60,806	92,814	153,620
Syria	87,485	61,933	149,418
Iraq	72,538	62,591	135,129
Poland	40,700	48,004	88,704
Iran	36,765	33,872	70,637
former Yugoslavia	33,440	33,099	66,539
Somalia	31,746	32,107	63,853
Bosnia and Herzegovina	28,832	29,349	58,181
Germany	23,708	26,481	50,189
Turkey	25,858	21,202	47,060
Norway	18,817	23,249	42,066
Denmark	21,831	19,381	41,212
Thailand	8,671	31,206	39,877
Eritrea	19,765	15,377	35,142
Afghanistan	21,093	13,661	34,754
China (excluding Hong Kong)	11,820	17,820	29,640
Chile	14,128	13,871	27,999
Romania	13,846	14,128	27,974
Lebanon	14,877	12,029	26,906
United Kingdom	17,423	9,019	26,442
India	13,289	12,430	25,719
Russian Federation	6,896	13,291	20,187
United States of America	10,487	9,527	20,014
Ethiopia	9,122	8,822	17,944
Vietnam	8,149	9,578	17,727
Greece	9,826	7,234	17,060
Hungary	8,200	8,476	16,676
Philippines	2,925	10,034	12,959
Pakistan	7,531	4,919	12,450
Lithuania	6,433	5,874	12,307
Colombia	6,077	6,001	12,078
Total immigrant population	890,095	894,402	1,784,497

Immigrant populations by Statistics Sweden 2016^[36]

Region	Population
Western Asia	392,539
Northern Europe	301,926
Southern Europe	215,089
Eastern Europe	183,318
Eastern Africa	133,181
Southern Asia	88,780
Western Europe	83,943
Southeastern Asia	78,133
South America	69,645
Eastern Asia	48,847
Northern Africa	33,044
Northern America	23,771
Western Africa	18,502
Central America	8,978
Central Asia	7,493
Middle Africa	6,982
Oceania	5,575
Caribbean	4,709
Southern Africa	3,049

Ethnicity

East and Southeast Asians

115,331 people in Sweden (about 1% of the population) are born in Asia, of those 43,000 are born in East Asia and 72,000 in Southeast Asia. The largest groups are Thai (36,000), Chinese (28,000) and Vietnamese (16,000). East and Southeast Asians have moved to Sweden for very different reasons. Many Thai and Filipinos (11,500) arrived in Sweden via marriage while Vietnamese and Burmese (1,500) came as refugees. The group also consist of 10,000 South Koreans, of which the overwhelming majority came through international adoptions in the 1970s and 1980s. The Asian population is spread all over the country with some groups over-represented in Stockholm.

South Asians

Unlike its Scandinavian neighbours, Sweden does not have a large South Asian population. In 2013, there were 46,231 South Asian born people living in Sweden, which represents about 0.5% of the entire population.^[37]

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are a total 25,719 India-born, 12,450 Pakistan-born, 7,799 Bangladesh-born, and 7,101 Sri Lanka-born immigrants living in Sweden.^[38] Of those, 13,540 are citizens of India (8,316 men, 5,224 women), 7,789 are citizens of Pakistan (4,750 men, 3,039 women), 3,967 are citizens of Bangladesh (2,526 men, 1,441 women), and 1,082 are citizens of Sri Lanka (531 men, 551 women).^[39]

South Americans

66,912 people in Sweden are born in South America. The largest groups are Chileans (28,000), Colombians (11,500) and Peruvians (7,200).^[37]

Afghans

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are a total 34,754 Afghanistan-born immigrants living in Sweden.^[38] Of those, 28,049 are citizens of Afghanistan (17,602 men, 10,447 women).^[39]

Albanians

There are more than 50,000 ethnic Albanians in Sweden. They come from all Albanian-dominated parts of the Balkans (see Great Albania). Many Albanians came from Kosovo in the early 1990s because of the wars in the Balkans.

Assyrians and Syriacs

Assyrians in Sweden numbered around 120,000 people as of 2009, or 1.3% of the total population of Sweden. Their size doubled in the period of 2002 to 2009.^[40] Sweden has a particularly large Assyrians/Syriacs community that grew substantially during the Iraq war. The Swedish city of Södertälje has alone taken in more Iraqi refugees than the United States and Canada combined.^[41]

Södertälje has the largest group of Assyrians/Syriacs of any city in Europe, with more than 30,000 Assyrian/Syriacs living in Södertälje (amounting to 50% of the population), and around 50,000 Assyrians/Syriacs living in Stockholm County. Södertalje is often nicknamed "little Baghdad" or "Mesopotälje" owing to the number of Iraqi-based inhabitants in the city.^[42]

Arabs

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are 22,663 citizens of Iraq (12,705 men, 9,958 women), 116,384 citizens of Syria (70,060 men, 46,324 women), and 1,276 citizens of Yemen (750 men, 526 women) residing in Sweden.^[39]

Berbers

There are about 50,000^{[citation needed]} Berber migrants in Sweden, most of them from Morocco and Algeria.

Bosnians

As of 31 December 2009 there are 56,127^[43] people born in Bosnia and Herzegovina living in Sweden. This figure does not include Yugoslavs of Bosnian and Herzegovinian origin who immigrated before 1992. Most of these immigrants came to Sweden during the Bosnian War in the 1990s.

Ethiopians

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are a total 17,944 Ethiopia-born immigrants living in Sweden.^[38] Of those, 6,225 are citizens of Ethiopia (3,319 men, 2,906 women).^[39]

Eritreans

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are a total 35,142 Eritrea-born immigrants living in Sweden.^[38] Of those, 32,099 are citizens of Eritrea (18,742 men, 13,357 women).^[39]

Finns

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are a total 153,620 Finland-born immigrants living in Sweden.^[38] Of those, 55,754 are citizens of Finland (23,386 men, 32,368 women).^[39]

Sweden Finns (ruotsinsuomalaiset in Finnish, sverigefinnar in Swedish) are a Finnish speaking minority in Sweden. The Finnish-speaking Swedes are not to be confused with the Swedish speaking Finland-Swedes in Finland (and Sweden). In year 2008 there were over 675 000 people in Sweden who were either born in Finland or have at least one parent or grandparent who was born in Finland.^[44]

Finns are the largest immigrant group in Sweden, and Finnish is an official minority language of Sweden. The benefits of being a "minority language" are however limited to Finnish-speakers being able to use Finnish for some communication with local and regional authorities in a small number of communities (Botkyrka, Eskilstuna, Gällivare, Hallstahammar, Haninge, Haparanda, Huddinge, Håbo, Kiruna, Köping, Pajala, Sigtuna, Solna, Stockholm, Södertälje, Tierp, Upplands Väsby, Upplands-Bro, Uppsala, Älvkarleby, Österåker, Östhammar and Övertorneå) where Finnish immigrants make up a considerable share of the population, but not in the rest of Sweden.^[45]

Iranians in Sweden

There are over 90,000 Iranians in Sweden.^[46]

Indians in Sweden

Indian-born constitutes the largest group among South Asians in Sweden with approximately 20,000^{[citation needed]} residents. About half of them came to Sweden through international adoptions and have limited connection to their country of birth. During the last decade, the number of Indians who moved to Sweden because of employment has seen an increase and the last few years Indians have been among the fastest-growing immigrant groups.

Kurds in Sweden

There are around 60,000 Kurds living in Sweden. Most of them live in the capital Stockholm, Malmö or in Uppsala. A majority of Kurdish political refugees choose Sweden as their host country and therefore they have a cultural presence in Sweden.^[47]

Poles in Sweden

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are a total 88,704 Poland-born immigrants living in Sweden.^[38]

Romani in Sweden

Romani in Sweden were formerly known as zigenare (gypsies) for Roma and tattare for Romani Travellers. More recently the romer has been adopted as a collective designation referring to both groups, with resande (Travellers) also referring to the latter only. Currently, there are approximately 50,000 Romani living in Sweden, many of them being Finnish Kale who immigrated in the 1960s. The latter, particularly women, often wear traditional dress in public.^[48]

Serbs

There are around 80,000 Serbs living in Sweden. The Swedish Serbs constituted a low percentage of the Swedish population prior to the 1960s. Some came after World War II, mostly seeking political asylum. The greatest proportion of Serbs came together with Greeks, Italians and Turks under the visa agreements in times of severe labour shortages or when particular skills were deficient within Sweden.^[49] During the 1960s and 1970s, agreements were signed with the government of Yugoslavia to help Sweden overcome its severe labour shortage.^[50] Bosnian Serbs and Croatian Serbs migrated in another wave during and after the Yugoslav wars. Another wave of Kosovo Serbs came during the Kosovo war in 1999.

Sri Lankans

There are over 7,000 Sri Lankans who are residing in Sweden. Among them are children who have been adopted by families of Swedish origin. Recent migrations are mostly caused by migrations for technology related occupations and higher studies. The Sri Lankan embassy in Sweden regularly organises events that showcase the culture with a focus on improving tourism and business relations.

Somalis

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2016, there are a total 63,853 Somalia-born immigrants living in Sweden.^[38] Of those, 41,335 are citizens of Somalia (20,554 men, 20,781 women).^[39]

Turks

There are around 20,000 ethnic Turks living in Sweden. Most of them came as labour immigrants in the 1960s and 1970s. Most of them live in Stockholm and Malmö.^{[citation needed]}

Disease

According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden, cases of tuberculosis have increased steadily among immigrants from about 200 in 1989 to a peak of 750 in 2015, in 2016 the number of cases dropped as fewer migrants arrived.^[51] In the same period, the number of tuberculosis cases among Sweden-born dropped from 400 in 1989 to 50 in 2016.^[51]

According to the National Board of Health and Welfare in 2016, an estimated 20-30% of asylum seekers suffer from mental disorder.^[52]

Education

According to the SFI and Vuxenutbildningen Luleå, the Swedish For Immigrants adult language program comprises three different tiers: Sfi 1, Sfi 2, and Sfi 3. Sfi 1 consists of the study courses A and B, which are aimed at pupils with little or no education and individuals who are illiterate. Sfi 2 includes the study courses B and C, which are earmarked for students who have undergone many years of schooling but are unfamiliar with the Latin script. Sfi 3 includes the study courses C and D, which are geared toward pupils with college education that are seeking further studies.^[54]

As of 2007, according to the National Center for SFI and Sweden as Another Speech (NC) and the Institute for Sweden as Another Speech (ISA), a total of 137 foreign languages were spoken as mother tongues by students within the Swedish For Immigrants program. Of these languages, the most common mother tongues of pupils within the Sfi 1 tier were Arabic (2,000), Thai (1,500), Somali (1,500), Kurdish/North Kurdish (1,150), Southern Kurdish (740) and Turkish (650).^[55]

The National Agency for Education indicates that in 2008, pupils from Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria had greater difficulties in learning the Swedish language compared to immigrants from more closely located Yugoslavia, who comprised a large portion of asylum immigrants during the 1990s.^[10]

In the five years leading up to 2012, the number of illiterate migrants doubled, they had fewer than three years to no schooling from their origin country. In 2011, about 19,200 migrants in the Swedish for immigrants programme had 0-3 years of education. For instance in Borlänge, 4 out of 10 of those who completed the introduction for immigrants had no education at all, the majority being women.^[56]

According to Statistics Sweden, as of 2012, the most common countries of birth for pupils in the Swedish For Immigrants program are Iraq (13,477), Somalia (10,355), Thailand (5,658), Poland (5,079), Iran (4,748), Turkey (3,344), China (3,408), Eritrea (3,618), Afghanistan (3,640), and Syria (3,257). The most common mother tongues spoken by the students are Arabic (18,886), Somali (10,525), Persian (7,162), Thai (5,707), Polish (5,100), English (4,796), Spanish (4,552), Tigrinya (3,623), Turkish (3,064), and North Kurdish (3,059).^[57]

Employment

According to statistics collected by OECD, Sweden had in 2014 the highest negative gap in its employment rate between native and foreign-born population of the 28 OECD countries surveyed.^[59] This was for population with both high and low education. Non-european immigrants with low education (sv: förgymnasial utbildning) of ages 20-64 had an unemployment rate of about 31.7% in 2005 which rose to 36.9% in 2016.^[60]

Effects of immigration

Public finances

According to the Swedish National Audit Office, the state budget for migration expenses increased fivefold from 6997 million SEK in 2004 to 33896 million in 2015, not counting the expenses for European Migration Crisis in the autumn of 2015.^[61] In the same 2004-2015, government forecasts consistently underestimated migration costs for migration (sv: Utgiftsområde 8 Migration) by several billion (10⁹) annually.^[62]

According to an official investigation in 2017 by The Swedish Pensions Agency on order from the government, the immigration to Sweden will double the state's expenses for pensions to the population.^[6][7]

The former Social-Democratic Party minister of finance Kjell-Olof Feldt has stated that the half million unemployed immigrants in Sweden are a ticking bomb.^[63]

According to The National Board of Health and Welfare, 55.5% of economic welfare went to first generation immigrants in 2014.^[64]

In Sweden an immigrant on average gives a net contribution to public finances.^[65][66][67]

According to the Swedish National Audit Office, changes in volume and composition of people seeking or being granted residence permit has significant consequences to the finances and organisations of public institutions administered by the state and municipalities. When the number of applications rise, there are nearly instantaneous volume effects for the expenses in the migration section of government budget. The expenses concern mainly extended administration of residence application by the Swedish Migration Agency and courts, reimbursing municipalities for lodging and welfare benefits to asylum seekers. Since some grants to asylum seekers and expenses for lodging are payable during the application process, the expenses are affected by the duration of the asylum process.^[69] Whereas the volume of immigration directly affects public expenses, 11 out of 26 government propositions in the 2004-2015 neclected to predict or analyse the consequences of policy changes with regards to changes in numbers. In a further 11 propositions, the proposal is stated to not impact the numbers arriving without any reason given.^[70] In 16 propositions, no investigation for costs for municipalities is performed.^[71]

Demographic

Immigration has a significant effect on the demographics of Sweden. Since World War II, Sweden has like other developed nations turned into a country with a low fertility rate. Due to the high birthrates in early post-war years and the steep decline in the late 20th century, Sweden has one of the oldest populations in the world. In 2009, 102,280 immigrants entered Sweden while the total population grew by 84,335.^[11]

According to the Sweden Democrats, the high immigration rate, low fertility and high death rate is gradually transforming the previously homogeneous nation of Sweden into a multicultural country. The party criticised the country's current immigration policies, claiming that they can pose a major demographic threat to Sweden in the future. In 2011 it was expected that the Muslim minority in Sweden would grow from 5% to 10% by 2030.^[72]

Based on UNICEF rates for the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in various countries in Africa, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) estimated in 2015 that around 38,000 foreign-born women living in Sweden may have been circumcised in their countries of origin. Socialstyrelsen indicated that there were no known instances of FGM procedures having been carried out while women resided in Sweden, and that although there may have been unreported cases, official figures for these were unavailable.^[73]

Crime

A study published in 1997 attempted to explain the higher than average crime rates among immigrants to Sweden. It found that between 20% and 25% of asylum seekers to Sweden had experienced physical torture, and many suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Other refugees had witnessed a close relative being killed.^[74]

According to Dagens Nyheter, at least 90% of all murders and attempted murders through gun violence in Sweden are performed by either immigrants or those with at least one immigrant parent.^[75]

According to Expressen, 94.5% of all members of career criminal gangs in Stockholm, Sweden, are either immigrants or have at least one immigrant parent.^[76]

The staff of the Swedish Migration Agency reported 2875 incidents of threats or violence from January to September 2017.^[77]

Migrants have been associated with a series of highly publicised crimes, including the 2016 Sweden asylum centre stabbing, the 2015 Ikea stabbing attack,^[78] and the 2017 Stockholm attack.

A study by the Sweden Democrats on crime and immigration referencing the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, using data collected from 1985 to 1989, reports that people from North Africa were 23 times more likely to commit sexual assault than Swedes, while people from Iraq were 20 times more likely, people from Romania and Bulgaria were 18 times more likely, people from Sub-Saharan Africa were 16.5 times more likely, and people from Iran, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia were 10 times more likely.^[79]

The share of foreigners admitted to the Swedish Prison and Probation Service increased from 26% in 2003 to 33% in 2013 according to its statistics.^[80]

In its 2017 report on organized crime in Sweden, police stated that in most areas of Sweden with the highest crime rates (sv: särskilt utsatta områden) population share of immigrants is around 50-60%.^[81]

Extremism

According to the Swedish Defence University, since the 1970s, a number of residents of Sweden have been implicated in providing logistical and financial support to or joining various foreign-based transnational militant groups. Among these organizations are Hezbollah, Hamas, the PKK, the GIA, the Abu Nidal Organization, the Japanese Red Army, the Red Army Faction, Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, Al-Shabaab, Ansar al-Sunna and Ansar al-Islam. In 2010, the Swedish Security Service estimated that a total of 200 individuals were involved in the Swedish violent Islamist extremist milieu. According to the Swedish Defence University, most of these militants were affiliated with the Islamic State, with around 300 people traveling to Syria and Iraq to join the group and Al-Qaeda associated outfits like Jabhat al-nusra since 2012.^[82]

According to Göteborgs-Posten, 11% of the youths in the north-eastern suburbs of Gothenburg admit to being in favour of Islamic terrorism (non-Muslims were included in the survey),^[83] and 80% of female Muslim students admit to live under oppression from honour culture.^[84]

According to research by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, the Muslim Brotherhood has a very strong foothold and influence in Sweden.^[85]

According to the Swedish Security Service (SÄPO), there are thousands of Islamic terrorists in Sweden,^[86][87] and it receives an average of 200 reports of planned terrorism every day.^[88]

3 times as many cases of terrorism financing were reported in Sweden 2017 compared to 2016.^[89]

Education

In the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a triennial worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) of 15 year-old native and immigrant pupils' scholastic performance, overall students in Sweden performed better than the OECD average in reading (stable since 2006), around the OECD average in mathematics (a decline since 2006), and close to the OECD average in science (a drop since 2006). Immigrants in Sweden generally underperformed compared to the OECD average and the gap in performance to native students showing a steadily widening trend since 2006.^[91]

This underperformance of immigrants in Swedish schools has been cited as a significant part of the reason why Sweden has dropped more than any other European country in the international PISA rankings.^{[92][93][94][95]}

Espionage

Espionage where foreign nationals illegally spy on compatriot immigrants in Sweden has repeatedly happened in Sweden. According to Swedish Security Service, this is particularly the case for origin countries that do not respect human rights.^[96]

Segregation

According to researcher Emma Neuman at Linnaeus University, segregation sets in at population share around 3-4% of non-European migrants in a district, while European immigration shows no such trend. The study comprised the 12 largest municipalities of Sweden for the period 1990-2007. High income earners and highly educated move out of non-European migrant districts first where ethnic segregation in turn leads to social segregation.^[97]

A study at Örebro University concluded that while Swedish parents stated positive views towards the values of multiculturalism, in practice they still chose Swedish-majority schools for their offspring so their children won't be an ethnic minority during their formative years and to get a good environment to develop their native Swedish language.^[97]

Language

• Immigrant languages in Sweden
• Rinkeby Swedish

Politics

Centerpartiet is a pro-immigration party, and in their campaign for the Swedish general election, 2006, they proposed to double the number of immigrants entering Sweden to 90,000 persons, or 1% of the Swedish population. This was to be facilitated by issuing green cards.^[98]

In late 2012 the party stated it wanted to open the borders completely to immigration, including removing requirements for some degree of job skills and a clean criminal record. The party stressed the Canadian model and referred to it as a more successful one, stating that had Sweden followed it the population of Sweden would have been over 40 million in 2012.^[99]

In December 2017 Minister for Finance Magdalena Andersson stated in an interview with Dagens Nyheter that integration of immigrants had not worked well in Sweden since before 2015 and that the situation had become very strained since. Andersson added that the possibilities were greater in other European countries to receive housing and education where the asylum process is quicker. She also expressed that the Swedish Social Democratic Party should be self-crtitical about that Sweden cannot receive more migrants than society has the capacity to assimilate.^[100]

Legal issues

Media coverage

The conservative American TV channels Fox News and Christian Broadcasting Network have aired news reports portraying immigration to the Swedish city of Malmö.^[101][102]

See also

• Outline of Sweden
• Swedish nationality law
• Refugee controversy in Sjöbo
• Södertälje
• Malmö
• Lars Vilks Muhammad drawings controversy
• Ageing of Europe
• List of countries by foreign-born population
• List of sovereign states and dependent territories by fertility rate

References

Sources

• Taub, James (10 February 2016), "The Death of the Most Generous Nation on Earth", Foreign Policy, retrieved 16 November 2017
• "Sweden and migration", Sweden.se, 20 March 2017, retrieved 16 November 2017