MigrantoMigration trends in Sweden
Europe
Sweden takes in more people than it loses: 2M immigrants against 223.5K emigrants. Net balance +1.8M — 17% of the country's population
10.6M
Population
2M
Immigrants
223.5K
Emigrants
+1.8M
Inflow
1 in 5 residents of Sweden was born abroad — and 1 in 48 people born in Sweden lives abroad
#34 in the world by net migration gain
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Sweden
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
734K immigrants · 114.7K emigrants
2000
- Norway replaced Finland as the main destination for those leaving
2005
- Roughly 1 in 10 residents was now foreign-born
2010
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
2015
- Migration accounted for 56% of the country's population growth
2020
- Syria overtook Finland as the largest source of new arrivals
- Surge of immigrants from Syria — 110.9K new arrivals
Today
- Without migration, the population would have declined
- Since 1990: 1.3M more foreign-born residents and 108.8K more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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