← All EU countries

Immigration 2024116,19713th in the EU-27
Net migration 2024+29,748immigration − emigration
First-time asylum claims 20254,93511th in the EU-27 · 0.7% UE
New citizenships 202462,9895th in the EU-27

Sweden ranks 13th in the EU-27 for regular immigration: in 2024 it registered 116,197 arrivals and 86,449 departures, for a net balance of +29,748. In 2025 first-time asylum applications came to 4,935, 0.7% of the EU total; citizenship acquisitions in 2024 numbered 62,989.

Regular migration

The series includes all citizenships — EU citizens moving between member states and returning nationals included — and counts those moving their usual residence for at least 12 months. Compared with 2019, immigration is broadly stable.

Immigration Emigration

Regular migration, Sweden, by year · Eurostat
YearImmigrationEmigrationNet
2024116,19786,449+29,748
202394,51473,434+21,080
2022102,43650,592+51,844
202190,63148,284+42,347
202082,51848,937+33,581
2019115,80547,718+68,087
2018132,60246,981+85,621
2017144,48945,620+98,869
2016163,00545,878+117,127
2015134,24055,830+78,410
2014126,96651,237+75,729
2013115,84550,715+65,130
2012103,05951,747+51,312
201196,46751,179+45,288
201098,80148,853+49,948
2009102,28039,240+63,040
2008101,17145,294+55,877

Asylum applications

First-time applications for international protection lodged in Sweden in 2025 came to 4,935 (the 11th-highest in the EU). The series peak remains 2015, with 156,200 applications.

First-time asylum applications, Sweden, by year · Eurostat
YearFirst-time claims
20254,935
20246,785
20238,965
202213,205
20219,055
202011,800
201920,805
201818,675
201722,230
201622,385
2015156,200
201475,095
201349,355
201243,930
201129,695
201031,875
200923,680
200824,360

New citizenships

In 2024 citizenship acquisitions came to 62,989, the 5th-highest in the EU-27. It is a lagging indicator: today's new citizens typically immigrated several years ago. The main previous citizenships of new citizens (2024): Syria (7,625), India (2,680), Romania (1,285), Pakistan (1,136), Türkiye (1,116).

Citizenship acquisitions, Sweden, by year · Eurostat
YearAcquisitions
202462,989
202367,789
202292,225
202189,354
202080,175
201964,206
201863,818
201768,898
201661,294
201549,044
201443,510
201350,167
201250,179
201136,634
201032,457
200929,525
200830,461

Who leaves

In 2024, 39,550 of the country's own citizens moved abroad (the 9th-highest in the EU). The true number is almost certainly higher: emigration is measured through de-registrations, and people who leave do not always deregister.

How to read these numbers. Regular migration follows the UN definition (residence ≥ 12 months) and also includes EU citizens and returning nationals. “First-time applications” exclude repeat claims in the same country. Emigration, based on de-registrations, is generally undercounted. Definitions in the glossary, sources and limits in the methodology.

Compare with the other EU countries or return to the atlas.