Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
Get in touch with us nowA high number of Syrian immigrants
In contrast to its neighboring countries, Swedish immigration policies were less strict up until recent years, and many refugees thus found their way to Sweden in the wake of the Syrian Civil War in 2015. As a result, Syrians constitute the largest foreign-born group in Sweden. However, following the high number of refugees arriving in Sweden in that period, the Swedish government implemented more strict immigration laws. As a result, but also because fewer refugees arrived in Europe, the number of asylum seekers decreased drastically in recent years. Next to asylum seekers and refugees, people born in Sweden returning to the country made up a large number of people immigrating to Sweden. As Sweden is a member of the European Union, people from other EU countries can live and work in the country without having to apply for a residence or work permit.Men dominate among asylum seekers
Of the immigrants seeking asylum in Sweden over the last 10 years, there were constantly more men. Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, Ukrainians made up the largest group applying for asylum in Sweden that year just ahead of Afghans, even though they did not have to apply for asylum to stay in the country. Meanwhile, the highest number of total decisions that year were made on Afghan asylum seekers. Moreover, a high number of the people applying for asylum in Sweden in 2015 were unaccompanied minors, but this number has dropped radically in recent years.
