The majority of immigrants moving to Sweden in 2023 were Swedes returning to Sweden. Nearly 10,600 Swedes returned to their home country in 2023. The remaining top five countries of origin were India, Poland, Germany, and Syria. In total, 95,000 people immigrated to Sweden in 2023.

Syrians largest immigrant group

Of Sweden's foreign-born population, Syrians made up the largest group. Following the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, many people left the country in search of a better life in Europe, some of which landed in Sweden. In 2022, Sweden hosted the world's 7th largest group of Syrian refugees.

Immigration drives population increase in Sweden

Over the past decade, Sweden has seen a positive migration rate, with more people immigrating to the country than people leaving. This is one of the main reasons why the country's population has been increasing steadily over recent years.

Until 2016, Sweden had among the most generous asylum laws within the European Union. As a result, the immigration increased for several years, reaching 163,000 immigrants in 2016. During 2016, Sweden sharpened their asylum laws, and the number of immigrants started to decline. In 2020, also as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of immigrants in Sweden fell to 82,500, before increasing slightly again in 2021 and 2022. Over the last years, there was also a decline in the number of asylum grants in Sweden.

Large inflow of refugees

The so-called refugee crisis in the European Union that started in 2015 was characterized by a large inflow of refugees from non-European countries, mainly traversing the Mediterranean Sea in order to reach the European Union. In regards to the immigration trends to Sweden, one of the biggest groups in the last years consisted of Swedes returning to Sweden. Further countries that were among the top countries of origin in the latest years, were India, Syria, Germany, and Poland.

Decline in asylum grants in the European Union

Sweden is not the only country that sharpened the rules for asylum grants in 2016, it has been observed within the whole European Union. Since the end of 2016, there has been a significant decline in the number of accepted first instance asylum applications within the European Union.

Historical dataset showing Sweden immigration statistics by year from 1960 to 2015.

Sweden experienced a positive migration flow since 2010. Many individuals are migrating to Sweden every year, and fewer individuals are emigrating. In 2023, more than 20,000 more people immigrated to Sweden than people emigrating from it. This has been a major contributing factor for Sweden's population growth, despite a declining fertility rate.

The immigrants 

A large group of immigrants were Swedes who once left their home country to settle in another country for at least 12 months, and then returned. This was the largest group of immigrants in 2022, followed by Indians.

The emigrants 

When it comes to people emigrating from Sweden, a high number leave for the Nordic countries Denmark and Norway, but people returning to the Untied Kingdom made up the largest group in 2022. A large group of individuals who emigrated from Sweden were born abroad, immigrated to Sweden and lived there for at least 12 months, before returning to their countries of birth.

Sweden SE: Net Migration data was reported at 200,000.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 253,958.000 Person for 2012. Sweden SE: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging 132,774.500 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 262,453.000 Person in 2007 and a record low of 18,798.000 Person in 1972. Sweden SE: Net Migration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

People born in Syria made up the largest group of Sweden's foreign-born population in 2023. Nearly ******* people born in Syria lived in Sweden as of 2023. Iraqis made up the second-largest group of foreign-born citizens, followed by Sweden's neighboring country, Finland. The total number of foreign-born citizens living in the Scandinavian country increased over the past 10 years. Migration contributes to population growth Sweden's positive net migration rate meant that it's population increased steadily since 2000. In 2022, over 100,000 people immigrated to Sweden, which was still significantly lower than the record year 2016. Syrians fleeing civil war The record number of refugees arriving in 2016 was driven by Syrians fleeing the Civil War in the country. Following the Arab spring and protests for democracy in 2011, fighting broke out between the Syrian national army and several armed factions. Several million people fled the country as a result, some of them seeking refuge in Sweden.

In 2023, a record of over 70,000 people emigrated from Sweden. The high number is due to the Swedish Tax Agency conducting a major clean-up of their numbers to avoid welfare fraud. In 2023, around 95,000 immigrated to Sweden.

Sweden Number of Immigrants: Female: Israel data was reported at 105.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 81.000 Person for 2016. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Female: Israel data is updated yearly, averaging 156.000 Person from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 271.000 Person in 2006 and a record low of 71.000 Person in 2015. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Female: Israel data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Sweden. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.G009: Number of Immigrants: by Sex and Country.

Sweden SCB Forecast: Immigrants data was reported at 109,178.000 Person in 2060. This records an increase from the previous number of 108,875.000 Person for 2059. Sweden SCB Forecast: Immigrants data is updated yearly, averaging 101,171.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2060, with 101 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 163,005.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 25,084.000 Person in 1962. Sweden SCB Forecast: Immigrants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Sweden. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.G010: Migration: Forecast: Statistics Sweden.

Sweden - Foreign-born population was 2169296.00 in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Sweden - Foreign-born population - last updated from the EUROSTAT on October of 2025. Historically, Sweden - Foreign-born population reached a record high of 2169296.00 in December of 2024 and a record low of 1337214.00 in December of 2010.

Sweden was the Nordic country that received the highest number of immigrants from 2001 to 2021. In 2021, nearly ****** people immigrated to Sweden, but was overtaken by Denmark in 2022. Sweden was also the country in the region with the highest net migration over the last years. Iceland, which also has the smallest population of the five, had the lowest number of immigrants. Migration to Sweden As the Nordic country with the highest number of migrants, nearly ** percent of survey respondents consider immigration an important issue for Swedish society, more than other European countries. In 2023, most immigrants to Sweden were Swedes returning to the country, followed by India, Poland, and Germany. The need for migration in Nordic nations Migrants often fill in gaps within labor markets that local populations cannot fill. In Nordic nations, these gaps are becoming more apparent as fertility rates decrease. Over the past decade, crude birth rates have decreased in all Nordic countries. Meanwhile, those aged 70 years and older are becoming larger portions of Nordic societies. Declining birth rates combined with aging societies mean that labor markets will be challenged to have enough workers.

This dataset was generated through the Diversity Barometer, a study tracking attitudes towards ethnic diversity and immigration in Sweden since 2005. The data were collected annually between 2005 and 2014, and biennially thereafter. Unweighted samples, consisting of adults aged between 18 and 75 years were used. The data can be managed and analyzed in the statistical program SPSS. The dataset includes the following variable categories: 1. Respondent descriptives 2. Interaction with persons with foreign background at school, work and in the neighborhood. 3. Cultural rights for persons with foreign background. 4. Social rights for persons with foreign background. 5. Immigration as beneficial to the Swedish society. 6. Immigration as a threat to the Swedish society. 7. Attitudes towards Swedish immigration policies. 8. Immigrants are exploited in the Swedish labor market. 9. Interest in interacting with immigrants and learning foreign cultures. 10. Attitudes towards religion in general, and Islam in particular. 11. Willingness to live in the same neighborhood as immigrants. 12. Immigrant-neighborhoods are problem neighborhoods.

Sweden Number of Immigrants: Male: Mali data was reported at 6.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.000 Person for 2016. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Male: Mali data is updated yearly, averaging 4.500 Person from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 2001. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Male: Mali data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Sweden. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.G009: Number of Immigrants: by Sex and Country.

Sweden Number of Immigrants: Laos data was reported at 14.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.000 Person for 2016. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Laos data is updated yearly, averaging 17.500 Person from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 43.000 Person in 2001 and a record low of 10.000 Person in 2002. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Laos data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Sweden. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.G009: Number of Immigrants: by Sex and Country.

Historical dataset showing Sweden net migration by year from 1960 to 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Net migration for Sweden (SMPOPNETMSWE) from 1962 to 2017 about migration, Sweden, Net, 5-year, and population.

In 2023, immigrants aged 25 to 34 years formed the biggest group in Sweden with nearly 30,000 people. The second biggest group of immigrants was people aged 35 to 44, closely followed by the age group 15 to 24. A total of 102,000 immigrants arrived in Sweden in 2022.

Sweden Number of Immigrants: South Sudan data was reported at 35.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.000 Person for 2016. Sweden Number of Immigrants: South Sudan data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 Person from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 2011. Sweden Number of Immigrants: South Sudan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Sweden. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.G009: Number of Immigrants: by Sex and Country.

Sweden Number of Immigrants: Female: Albania data was reported at 207.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 144.000 Person for 2016. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Female: Albania data is updated yearly, averaging 43.500 Person from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 207.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 16.000 Person in 2001. Sweden Number of Immigrants: Female: Albania data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Sweden. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.G009: Number of Immigrants: by Sex and Country.

Graph and download economic data for International Migrant Stock, Total for Sweden (SMPOPTOTLSWE) from 1960 to 2015 about migration, Sweden, and 5-year.