Why are Indians leaving Sweden in record numbers? Viral post and expert reveal the truth

Indians seeking greener pastures have turned to the US, Canada and Europe. But Sweden is seeing hordes of Indians leaving the country. An Indian software developer and the CEO of the Sweden-India Business Council explain what's behind this trend. They reveal what's likely behind the exodus of Indians from Sweden.

Between January and June 2024 Sweden saw a dramatic increase in Indian emigrants by 171%with 2,837 departures, which represents a historic shift in migration patterns. This is the highest emigration rate of Indians from Sweden since 1998.

Sweden-based software engineer Ankur Tyagi took to social media to share his thoughts on why so many Indians are leaving Sweden, Europe's fifth-largest country, despite having “beautiful landscapes, unique culture and new experiences.” Tyagi's post went viral.

According to Tyagi, several factors are contributing to this trend. He identified “professional growth in India” as the main reason.

“With India’s economy booming, highly skilled professionals can now take advantage of competitive salaries and exciting career opportunities, making returning home attractive,” Tyagi wrote on X.

In addition, “loneliness and lack of close friends” play a role. Many Indians have difficulty forming close bonds in Sweden due to cultural and language barriers, and they lack the strong social ties they had at home.

This despite the fact that the Swedish government plans to pay foreign-born Swedish citizens money to leave the country in order to reduce net migration.

“A voluntary departure program is currently offering refugees 10,000 Swedish kronor (about $960) plus travel expenses to leave the country,” says The National news program.

WHY INDIANS ARE LEAVING SWEDEN. INDIAN TECHNICIAN GIVES ADVICE

Software engineer Tyagi also highlighted the challenges faced by spouses of Indian professionals in Sweden: due to “lack of Swedish language skills,” they often find it difficult to find employment.

“Despite qualifications and professional experience, many spouses have difficulty finding a job in Sweden due to a lack of Swedish language skills,” Tyagi wrote on X.

Many return to support their “aging parents” and to be closer to family, which increases overall happiness, especially among 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, which makes them feel more comfortable returning to India. The “harsh Swedish weather” and “high cost of living” are also major issues, which makes India's warmer climate and lower cost of living more attractive.

The rise in “remote work flexibility” due to the pandemic has enabled many to work from anywhere. This has led to some Indians returning to India while continuing to work for international employers.

Robin Sukhia, Secretary General and CEO of the Sweden-India Business Council, has also highlighted several challenges faced by Indians in Sweden, including a “shortage of serviced apartments” and “general accommodation problems”.

“We do not believe there is a single reason for this change. It is likely that several factors are responsible, including high living costs, a lack of serviced apartments and general accommodation problems. To understand the trend, an assessment for the whole year is needed,” Sukhia told The Local Sweden.

INDIA STILL THE MOST IMPORTANT IMMIGRANTS, JUST BEHIND THE UKRAINIANS

Statistics from Sweden show that the number of people born in India leaving the country has risen sharply, making them the largest group of emigrants, surpassing immigrants from Iraq, China and Syria. This is the first time since at least 1998 that Sweden has recorded a negative net immigration balance of residents born in India in the first half of the year.

Despite this increase in emigration, according to The Local Sweden, Indians will still be one of the largest groups of new immigrants in Sweden in 2024, second only to Ukrainians.

Between January and June 2024, a total of 2,461 people born in India moved to Sweden, compared to 3,681 in the same period last year.

Excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, this is the lowest level of Indian immigration since 2017.

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