Sweden considers paying citizens to renounce citizenship

Sweden is offering a substantial financial incentive for refugees and foreigners with protected status to voluntarily return to their countries of origin. The government has increased the allowance to approximately 32,000 euros per person, with families eligible for up to 55,000 euros. This initiative aims to encourage repatriation, but uptake has been low.

“

Sweden has far too many people who are not part of the ethnically Swedish population, and this has created huge problems.

Since the program's inception, only 137 foreigners have received the emigration allowance, primarily from Syria, Somalia, and Namibia. Out of 617 applications, 250 were rejected. A common reason for rejection was that applicants obtained Swedish citizenship during the lengthy bureaucratic process, making them ineligible.

To qualify for the allowance, applicants must not hold Swedish citizenship, be free of debt to debt collectors and student loan authorities, have no outstanding prison sentences, and not plan to relocate to another EU or EEA country. The Sweden Democrats, a party collaborating with the current government, have proposed extending this incentive to include naturalized citizens who are willing to renounce their Swedish citizenship. Party spokesperson Ludvig Aspling stated that Sweden has "far too many people who are not part of the ethnically Swedish population, and this has created huge problems."

“

The goal of increasing the repatriation allowance is to give people who do not feel well here or have not integrated sufficiently into Swedish society a chance for a new start in their home country.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell initially framed the higher repatriation allowance as a way to offer a "new start" to those who do not feel well-integrated into Swedish society. However, Joakim Ruist, who authored a government report on the matter, strongly advised against increasing the allowance. He warned that it could signal that refugees are unwelcome in Sweden, potentially hindering integration efforts. Ruist's analysis of similar programs in Germany, Denmark, and Norway found no evidence that such incentives significantly increase migrant departures to their home countries, suggesting the economic gains are small relative to the risk of causing harm.

“

The economic gain from a significant increase in support is relatively small, and at the same time the risk of harm is much greater.