Now, the Swedish government is set to debate a proposal that offers financial incentives for “foreign-born” Swedish passport holders to emigrate; some have branded this a deepening welfare crisis. The initiative, intended to cut net migration, would extend the current voluntary exit scheme that provides 10,000 Swedish crowns and travel expenses to leave the country to refugees, including naturalised Swedish citizens and migrant families.
Making sense of Sweden's voluntary exit scheme
Sweden’s already existing voluntary return scheme was originally designed to help refugees return to their home country. Under the scheme, whoever leaves Sweden is handed a financial grant along with the cost of travel. However, the recent proposal of change would extend this scheme to naturalised citizenship; thus, it would essentially be offering them the same amount of money to emigrate. The investigation group behind the proposal has made it clear that they do not want to make immigrants feel less welcome in Sweden but want to deal with migration in a way that is sustainable.
The rationale behind the proposal
Long-term sustainable immigration policies that can provide integration efforts and reduce social exclusion are what are essential, claims Swedish Minister of Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard. She underlined that the number of asylum applications in Sweden was at a record low level and that fewer residence permits had been issued for asylum purposes. This would be a way to hold on to migration control while trying to cope with other challenges: rising social tension and gang violence in a number of Swedish cities.
Controversy and Ethical Concerns
This proposal outraged most people, with arguments being made about how it would look in the eyes of societal integration. Critics pointed out that money for naturalised citizens to return home would only give the wrong message, thus damaging the very essence of integration and inclusion. The inquiry group warned of grant money on the rise since this action would add more fuel to the fire. For example, Denmark provides a much larger amount, around $14,800, to promote emigration. This move, some views hold, tells immigrants that they are not welcome there.
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the PM’s Economic Advisory Council, took to social media to rebuke the idea, asking how such a policy would be rated on Sweden’s democracy index. Much as his misgivings bring out deeper reservations about the ethical implications of incentivising emigration among naturalised citizens and beg a host of questions on striking a balance between migration control and democratic values, his comments rather pointed to concerns over the impact of such a measure on Swedish society. Possible Effects on Swedish Society
Such a proposal could have far-reaching consequences in terms of easing pressure on public services and starting to reduce rising crime and social exclusion but risks alienating immigrant communities and sending a message that could damage Sweden’s reputation as a tolerant, inclusive society. It may further result in serious implications concerning the labour market of Sweden itself, since important people already running the economy after naturalisation will abandon this country.
This is a debatable proposal that mirrors wider challenges Sweden has in striking a balance for migration that will help have social cohesion, public safety, and ethical considerations. This still remains a controversial proposal owing to the fact that these issues are yet to be sorted out by the Swedish government; fate of this proposal is yet to be known.
Conclusion
It’s a very controversial and complex issue: Sweden’s proposal to pay “foreign-born” for leaving the country relates to problems in migration, integration, and democratic values.Even as the government is trying to manage migration in a sustainable way, ethical and social implications cannot be sidestepped with respect to such a policy. Especially in the long term, as this debate furthers, it will be important for Sweden to consider these impacts carefully in society and what message that sends out into the world.
