Sweden increases voluntary return grants to $34,000 for immigrants

Sweden’s government announced yesterday a substantial increase in grants for immigrants who choose to return to their home countries, aiming to encourage more voluntary departures.

Starting in 2026, immigrants opting to return will be eligible for up to 350,000 Swedish kronor ($34,000), according to the right-wing administration supported by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats. Migration Minister Johan Forssell described this move as a “paradigm shift” in Sweden’s migration policy during a press conference.

Currently, the return grant offers up to 10,000 kronor per adult and 5,000 kronor per child, with a maximum of 40,000 kronor per family. This grant has been in place since 1984 but remains relatively unknown and underutilized, according to Ludvig Aspling of the Sweden Democrats. He believes that increasing both the grant amount and awareness will likely lead to more immigrants accepting the offer.

The announcement follows a recent government-commissioned review that recommended against a significant increase, citing concerns that the potential benefits did not justify the costs.

Since taking office in 2022, Conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, leading a minority coalition supported by the Sweden Democrats—who became Sweden’s second-largest party with 20.5 percent of the vote—has pledged to address immigration and crime more aggressively.