Sweden has recorded a 30 percent reduction in asylum requests between 2024 and 2025, following tougher immigration laws introduced by the current government. The sharp decline comes after the centre-right government, backed by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, took office in 2022 with a promise to tighten migration controls.
For many years, Sweden was known for its welcoming approach to refugees, offering some of the most generous support systems in Europe. However, rising concerns over crime, social integration, and gang-related violence have pushed both left- and right-wing governments over the past decade to gradually tighten asylum and immigration rules.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Sweden’s Migration Minister Johan Forssell said immigration levels are now falling quickly. He explained that several new measures have been introduced to restrict migration and reduce asylum numbers.
These measures include offering financial incentives to migrants who voluntarily return to their countries of origin, stricter requirements for gaining Swedish citizenship, and tougher rules for family reunification. Forssell said that since the current government came into power, asylum applications have dropped by about 60 percent overall.
He confirmed that in 2025 alone, asylum requests fell by 30 percent compared to the previous year. According to the government, this shows that the new migration policy is having a strong impact.
From 2026, migrants who choose to return voluntarily to their home countries will be eligible to receive up to 350,000 Swedish kronor, which is about £28,000. The government hopes this will encourage more people to leave legally rather than remain without proper status.
Data from the Swedish Migration Agency shows that Sweden granted 79,684 residence permits in 2025. Only 6 percent of these were for asylum-related reasons, compared to 18 percent in 2018. In addition, 8,312 people left Sweden last year to return to their countries of origin.
The government plans to introduce more migration reforms in the coming months, ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for September 13. One proposal under discussion is the removal of Swedish citizenship from dual nationals under certain conditions, such as serious criminal convictions.
Another proposal would allow the deportation of migrants who fail to live what the government calls an “honest life.” Critics have raised concerns that this definition is unclear and could be misused if not clearly defined in law.
Forssell said the changes are not only about reducing numbers but also about changing the type of migration Sweden receives. He noted that the share of asylum-based migration is now at a record low.
Sweden is not alone in tightening migration policies. Several European countries have taken similar steps, and in December the European Parliament approved new measures aimed at strengthening migration controls across the EU. Germany, for example, has also recorded a sharp fall in asylum applications after tightening its border controls.
Why have asylum requests dropped in Sweden?
The drop is linked to stricter immigration laws, tougher asylum rules, and incentives for migrants to return to their home countries.