What happened
Migrationsverket has submitted a final report to the government on the assignment to provide information regarding voluntary return. Between January and August 2026, the agency received 763 applications for remigration grants, compared to 133 applications throughout all of 2025. Out of 590 decided cases, 200 were approved and 317 were rejected, with the most common reason for rejection being that the applicant lacked the type of residence permit required by law. The agency has initiated cooperation with UNHCR regarding counseling and with the organization IOM to handle disbursements in recipient countries such as Syria, Iraq, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Kongo-Kinshasa.
Our analysis
The government tasked Migrationsverket with increasing return migration through more information and increased incentives, but the agency's own figures reveal a significant gap between political will and reality. Of the 590 cases examined up to August 2026, 317 people – nearly 54 percent – were rejected because they did not meet formal requirements. Mainstream news reporting often highlights the increased application figures, but misses that more than half of those who apply are shut out by the regulations and that the support in practice is directed toward returning to countries with severe conflicts such as Sudan and Syria. Migrationsverket's head of unit Petra Lindh notes in the report that financial grants are not enough on their own when practical conditions are missing. Next, the government is expected to take a position on the final report, while the agency maintains a dialogue on expanding payouts to additional countries.
Explained
A remigration grant is state financial support that, under certain conditions, can be applied for by someone who holds a residence permit in Sweden but chooses to move back to their former home country.
Source: Migrationsverket