Swedish government proposes substantial increase in return grant for foreign nationals

The Swedish government, as part of its Tidö Agreement with the Sweden Democrats (SD), has focused on incentivizing the return of foreign nationals to their home countries. Initiatives have included information campaigns and the establishment of return centers. However, these efforts have not significantly increased the number of people choosing to return. Earlier this year, it was reported that only one individual took advantage of the existing return grant of 10,000 SEK.

In August, a government investigation recommended against significantly raising the return grant. However, recent reports indicate that the Tidö parties have agreed to draft a new regulation that would increase the return grant substantially to 350,000 SEK. This proposal is expected to cost nearly 2.5 billion SEK over three years, with the new legislation set to come into effect by January 1, 2026.

On Thursday, the government and SD will hold a press conference to unveil this proposal. Joakim Ruist, the government investigator, acknowledged his failure to meet the core objectives of his assignment, highlighting the challenges faced in increasing the rate of return migration. The proposed changes represent the largest investment in civil defense since the end of the Cold War and reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen legal processes across the board.