Asylum seeking in Sweden is at a historically low level.
For the first time in over 50 years, there are more emigrants than immigrants, Minister of Migration (M) Maria Malmer Stenergard announced at a press conference.
– It is a decline that started last year and I think it is positive that we are seeing a continued decline, says Stenergard.
12,500 people applied for asylum in Sweden last year, which is the second lowest figure in the 2000s. It is a decline that continues during the first half of this year, because then the number of registered asylum applications has decreased by 27 percent to 5,600 people.
When TV4 Nyheterna asks people in town, it is believed that the immigration policy and that Sweden is painted as unsafe may be the reason.
– It has become more difficult with immigration policy, so it can certainly be an explanation that more and more people are choosing to seek asylum in other countries, says Madeleine Alsaid.
– The question is whether it is perceived as unsafe, I don’t feel it but that is how it is portrayed in the media that Sweden has become more unsafe, says Jenny Stendahl.
“Must have reduced immigration for a long time”
Last year, emigration increased among people born in Iraq, Somalia and Syria, among others. The net immigration figures for people born in these countries were negative last year.
– This is a decline that started last year and I think it is positive that we are seeing a continued decline. We have very big problems with execution and a lack of integration. If we are to be able to reverse this trend, we must have reduced immigration for a long time to come, says Maria Malmer Stenergard (M), Minister of Migration.
Although the level of asylum seekers is historically low in Sweden, it remains high in the rest of the EU. One explanation is that Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war to neighboring EU countries.
“The government has been clear”
But also that the requirements have been tightened for those who want to come to Sweden.
– The government has been clear from day one, if you come to Sweden to stay then you must learn the Swedish language, you must support yourself and respect Swedish values, says Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) Migration Minister.
But not everyone agrees.
– I’m still in favor of a reasonable amount of immigration, so no, I don’t agree with the government on that, says Joel Andersson, Stockholm resident.