A new report from Statistics Sweden describes the emigration from Sweden during the period 2000–2024. The emigrants are divided into seven groups based on several factors, including region of birth, citizenship and grounds for residence.

A larger foreign-born population has led to an increase in emigration

The emigration increased from 34 000 per year to 62 000 per year between the periods 2000–2004 and 2020–2024. As the emigration has increased in numbers, a growing share of the emigrants are either foreign-born or children born in Sweden with two foreign born parents. In 2000–2004 these groups made up 56 percent of the emigration, and in 2020–2024 they made up 78 percent. These changes are to a large part due to a larger number of foreign-born persons in the population. Changes in the propensity to emigrate in some groups has also affected this development.

Persons with refugee background is one group where the emigration has increased both in absolute numbers and relative to the population size. Former labor migrants and persons who have immigrated to Sweden to study are less likely to emigrate in later periods. The emigration of these groups has still increased in absolute numbers, as a consequence of increased immigration for these reasons.

Young adults born in Sweden, in the ages 18–29, were previously a large group among emigrants from Sweden. It has become less common to emigrate in these ages, which has caused the number of emigrations to decrease in this group.

Demographic analysis: Emigration from Sweden 2000-2024