VART GEMENSAMMA HEM MIGRATION OCH UTVECKLING I SVERIGE MIGRATION OUR COMMON HOME MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN SWEDEN COMMON HOME series Researched and written by Paul Lappalainen with the support of George Joseph, Caritas Sverige. Contributions and editing by Olga Kadysheva, Patrick Taran, and Piyasiri Wickramasekara (Global Migration Policy Associates - GMPA) and Davide Gnes and Shannon Pfohman (Caritas Europa). Graphic design by Vanden Broele Group with the support of Leticia Lozano (Caritas Europa) Cover illustration by Jean Bernard Boulnois This publication is part of MIND (Migration. Interconnectedness. Development), a 3-year project financed by the European Commission (DG DEVCO). The aim is to raise public awareness on the relation between sustainable development and migration and the European Union’s role in development cooperation. Led by Caritas Austria, the partners of the MIND project are: Caritas Bavaria (Germany), Caritas International Belgium, Caritas Bulgaria, Caritas Czech Republic, Caritas Europa, Caritas Italy, Cordaid (Caritas Netherlands), Caritas Portugal, Caritas Slovakia, Caritas Slovenia and Caritas Sweden. For more information about MIND follow the campaign: This publication was produced in the framework of the MIND project, which has received financial support from the DEAR Programme of the European Union. The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Union. Caritas reserves the right to not be held responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided in this publication. Liability claims regarding damage caused by the use of any information provided, including any information which is incomplete or incorrect, will therefore be rejected. 1 CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 FOREWORD 5 CHAPTER 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 Sweden and migration 7 Conclusions on migration and development 9 CHAPTER 3 VISION AND VALUES 11 Migration 12 Development 12 Migration and development 14 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL REPORT ON SWEDEN 17 CHAPTER 5 THE NATIONAL MIGRATORY CONTEXT OF SWEDEN 19 Brief historical overview of Swedish emigration, immigration and development impacts 19 Immigration to/emigration from Sweden: education & socio-economic status of migrants 20 CHAPTER 6 REALITY ON THE GROUND. HOW MIGRANTS AND MIGRATION CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPMENT 29 Contributions to countries of destination 29 Contributions towards places of origin 38 CHAPTER 7 OBSTACLES THAT IMPEDE MIGRANTS TO FULL CONTRIBUTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT 41 Country of residence/destination/transit 41 Country of origin: certain obstacles 53 CHAPTER 8 OPPORTUNITIES 55 Perceptions of Sweden – country of opportunities and challenge 55 CHAPTER 9 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 59 Conclusions 59 Recommendations 60 CHAPTER 10 REFERENCES 64 Bibliography 64 3 - CHAPTER 1 - FOREWORD weden has a long history of migration as well as various periods, Sweden has nevertheless struggled with the Semigration. Movement of people across borders has adoption and implementation of laws against discrimination. occurred for a variety of reasons such as trade and work as well political crises such as war. The treatment received The early 1990s with the resulting large inflow of refugees from by immigrants and emigrants has varied with the times. former Yugoslavia was a stimulus to the establishment of our Nevertheless, whether migrants or emigrants, the goal is first anti-immigrant party in Parliament. They lost in a later generally the same, the hope of a better life, for themselves and election due to internal issues. Nevertheless the groundwork in particular for their children. was laid. During the 1800s and early 1900s Sweden emigration was During the 2000s Sweden had a relatively generous refugee the primary term used to describe Sweden. About 1.5 million policy. There was even a large amount of consensus. This was Swedes left for other countries, mainly the United States. to change, particularly with the very large arrival of migrants The goal of a better life for the emigrants as well as for future in 2015 seeking international protection. That year around generations was a key motivator. 163.000 migrants came to Sweden. At the outset this stirred a great interest in civil society and thousands of volunteers The same has occurred with immigrants to Sweden with helped in receiving these migrants. The media was also positive the reasons ranging from such factors as work, to fleeing in its reporting. from persecution due to war or similar factors to family reunification. During the times of substantial outflows from But this arrival also put a major strain on government and Sweden, immigration to Sweden stayed at a fairly small local authorities, and also on the social services when it came scale. Nevertheless, the contribution of the migrants to the to finding housing, places in schools for the children and development of the country’s economy and political system access to health care. Taken together the costs for receiving has been significant. such a large number of persons rose dramatically. Beginning in the mid-20th century, after World War II This in turn provided momentum to Sweden’s growing far more substantial changes took place. Sweden’s factories were right party in its ongoing critique of migration as such. The still standing in country where there was more than full media began reporting on the various effects, and the general employment. The solution became a sharp increase in labour public attitudes started shifting, and became more negative to immigration. During the late 1960s a choice was made to receiving more migrants. This resulted in substantial stress for increasingly rely on workers at home. However, the 1970s were the other parties. Finally, the government shifted gears and a time when the number of political refugees from Europe introduced a new bill to cut down on the benefits given to and Latin America began to rise. This was later followed by the “new arrivals” and in granting visas. A temporary law was an inflow of refugees from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, passed and went into effect on the 20th of July 2016 for a period drawn here partly by the country’s fairly generous refugee of three years. Among other things, this law restricted the policies. issuing of permanent residence visas to a minimum. Instead temporary permits were given, if at all. Family reunification The inflows of immigrants have generally resulted in various became virtually impossible for asylum seekers with subsidiary forms of racism bubbling to the surface concerning the “other”. form of protection needs, and difficult to obtain for refugees, While the attitudes of most Swedes remained welcoming in due to conditionality. 5 “THE GOAL OF A BETTER LIFE FOR THE EMIGRANTS THEMSELVES AS WELL AS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WAS A KEY MOTIVATOR” The new minority government formed in January 2019 The MIND project aims to improve public understanding has agreed to prolong the temporary on aliens another two of the relation between sustainable development and years, while promising an examination of certain details migration, the role of migration in EU member states, and such as family reunification. However, what is clearly needed the EU contribution in development cooperation. It intends is a complete review of this field of law, given the confusing to increase the engagement of European society, its actors and patchwork of amendments, laws and regulations developed its institutions, including government authorities, civil society over many by differing political majorities. organizations (CSOs), the private sector, faith-based actors, universities and knowledge centres, grassroots organisations, Caritas Sweden is a part of the structure of the Catholic Church migrants and diaspora organisations, and refugee self- in Sweden. It is a member of Caritas Internationalis uniting organisations. The project aims to address three areas of more than 160 national Catholic aid organizations, thus being concern: one of the world’s largest actors in the field of humanitarian aid and development. • Root causes: identifying reasons that force people to migra- te, contributing to the understanding of linkages between In its work Caritas Sweden has been active in its advocacy on migration and sustainable development, and addressing issues concerning migrants, refugees and victims of trafficking the immediate needs of people forcedly displaced. since the 1990s. Since 2017 Caritas Sweden is also involved in the “MIND” project led by Caritas Austria in the framework • Welcoming societies: identifying safe and legal pathways of the operating grant financed by the European Commission, of migration, promoting encounter and contributing to DG DEVCO. long-term solutions for building welcoming societies as well as changing anti-migration narratives and addressing MIND, which stands for Migration, Interconnectedness, racism and xenophobia. Development, is a three-year project that seeks to contribute to increased awareness and understanding of the complexities • Migrants’ contribution to sustainable development: enhan- of migration in Europe. It includes Caritas organisations in cing recognition of migration and involvement of mi- 11 EU member countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech grants as development actors in countries of origin and of Republic, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, destination. Slovenia and Sweden as well as the regional secretariat of Stockholm in April 2019 Caritas Europa. Henrik Alberius