Sweden to pay immigrants up to US$34,000 to go back to home country

Sweden plans to boost payments to up to US$34,000 to immigrants who leave the nation that has been a haven for the war-weary and persecuted, the right-wing government said Thursday.

The Scandinavian country was for decades seen as a “humanitarian superpower”, but over the years has struggled to integrate many of its newcomers.

Immigrants who voluntarily return to their countries of origin from 2026 would be eligible to receive up to 350,000 Swedish kronor (US$34,000), the government, which is propped up by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, told a press conference.

“We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in our migration policy,” Migration Minister Johan Forssell told reporters, as the government presented its latest move to crack down on migration.

Currently immigrants can receive up to 10,000 kronor per adult and 5,000 kronor per child, with a cap of 40,000 kronor per family.