While national politicians promise lower immigration, shrinking Swedish municipalities are actively competing for foreign residents

Sweden’s national government is tightening migration policy while many shrinking municipalities are running the opposite campaign: recruiting residents from elsewhere in Europe.

Statistics Sweden says 180 of the country’s 290 municipalities lost population in 2025, up from 169 a year earlier. Gällivare, Jokkmokk, Kiruna and Överkalix now cooperate through the EU-funded Move On Up project to attract and receive newcomers.

At the Emigration Expo in the Netherlands, northern municipalities market housing, jobs, schools, space and quality of life to Europeans considering a move. Överkalix says four families relocated after meeting its staff at the fair and describes competition for new residents as hard.

SVT reports the same municipality received 61 arrivals from abroad in 2025, up from 33 in 2022. Its total population still fell by 18 to 3,183.

That is the national contradiction. Central government seeks lower asylum immigration and tighter controls, while local governments need working-age residents, pupils and taxpayers, regardless of where they were born.

DailySweden

DailySweden's desk of editors, reporters, researchers and investigative journalists. We bring readers factual, truthful and objective reporting on the issues that matter to them.

Contact the editorial desk ›