Indians looking for greener pastures have looked at the US, Canada and Europe. However, Sweden is witnessing hordes of Indians leaving the country. What is behind the trend is explained by an Indian software engineer and the CEO of the Sweden-India Business Council. They reveal what is likely behind the outflow of Indians from Sweden.
Between January and June 2024, Sweden saw a dramatic 171% increase in Indian emigrants, with 2,837 departures, marking a historic shift in migration patterns. This is the highest emigration of Indians from Sweden since 1998.
Software engineer Ankur Tyagi, who has been living in Sweden, took to social media to share his thoughts on why so many Indians are choosing to leave Sweden, the fifth-largest European country, despite its “beautiful landscapes, unique culture, and new experiences”. Tyagi’s post has gone viral.
According to Tyagi, several factors contribute to this trend. He identified “professional growth in India” as a major reason.
“With India’s economy booming, highly skilled professionals now have access to competitive salaries and exciting career opportunities, making a return home appealing,” Tyagi wrote on X.
Additionally, “loneliness and lack of close friends” play a role. Many Indians struggle to form close connections in Sweden due to cultural and language barriers, missing the strong social bonds they had back home.
This comes even as the Swedish government is planning to pay “foreign-born” Swedish citizens to move out of the country in an effort to reduce net migration.
“A voluntary exit scheme currently offers 10,000 Swedish crowns (approximately $960) plus travel costs for refugees to leave the country,” according to The National news.
WHY INDIANS ARE LEAVING SWEDEN. INDIAN TECHIE GIVES CLUE
Software engineer Tyagi also highlighted challenges faced by spouses of Indian professionals in Sweden, who often struggle to find employment due to a “lack of Swedish language skills”.
“Despite having qualifications and work experience, many spouses struggle to find jobs in Sweden due to a lack of Swedish language skills,” Tyagi posted on X.
Many return to support “aging parents” and to be closer to family, which enhances overall happiness, especially for children who benefit from spending time with their grandparents.
Another factor Tyagi mentioned is “social integration”. Indians may find it difficult to fully integrate into Swedish society, leading them to feel more comfortable returning to India. The “harsh Swedish weather” and “high cost of living” are also significant issues, making India’s warmer climate and lower cost of living more attractive.
The rise of “remote work flexibility” due to the pandemic has enabled many to work from anywhere. This has led some Indians to return to India while continuing to work for international employers.
Robin Sukhia, Secretary-General and CEO of the Sweden-India Business Council, has also cited several challenges faced by Indians in Sweden, including a “shortage of service apartments” and “general accommodation issues”.
“We do not believe there is a single reason for this change. It’s likely due to various factors, including high living costs, a shortage of service apartments, and general accommodation issues. A full-year assessment is needed to understand the trend,” Sukhia told The Local Sweden.
INDIANS STILL KEY IMMIGRANTS, JUST BEHIND UKRAINIANS
Statistics from Sweden show that the number of Indian-born people leaving the country has surged, making them the largest group of emigrants, surpassing those from Iraq, China, and Syria. This shift marks the first time since at least 1998 that Sweden has experienced a negative net migration of Indian-born residents in the first half of the year.
Despite this increase in emigration, Indians are still one of the largest groups of new immigrants to Sweden in 2024, coming in second only to Ukrainians, according to The Local Sweden.
A total of 2,461 Indian-born individuals moved to Sweden between January and June 2024, down from 3,681 in the same period last year.
Excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, this represents the lowest level of Indian immigration since 2017.
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