The Swedish government has instructed multiple agencies to track the travel habits of refugees, aiming to prevent the misuse of asylum protections by those who may no longer require them.
The Swedish Migration Agency, in collaboration with police authorities and Swedish embassies, will develop new protocols for sharing information about such trips.
“If someone has been granted asylum because they are fleeing persecution, it’s concerning if they return to that country. It raises questions about whether their need for protection was genuine or if false information was provided,” said Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell.
The initiative addresses growing public and political concerns about refugees taking holidays in their countries of origin. A 2022 survey by Novus for the online publication Bulletin revealed that 79% of refugees in Sweden admitted to returning to their home countries for vacations.
“There is abuse, I believe, but the extent is unclear. Hopefully, this effort will provide more clarity,” Forssell added.
The government expects to present findings from the new measures by next summer. Discussions on tightening laws regarding residence and travel permits, including potential changes to the rules for revoking residence status, are also ongoing.
This policy reflects broader migration reforms pursued by Sweden’s center-right coalition government, supported by the hard-right Sweden Democrats.
However, the approach has drawn criticism from organizations like Human Rights Watch and Civil Rights Defenders. They have expressed concern over Sweden's stance on migration and its alignment with the EU’s Migration and Asylum Pact. Both groups urged Stockholm to uphold fair asylum processes and protect human rights, warning against policies that might harm those seeking refuge. Photo by Mstyslav Chernov, Wikimedia commons.