The Swedish government has revealed plans to offer migrants up to Sh. 4.4 million ($34,000) to voluntarily return to their home countries, starting in 2026.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell announced the policy shift, describing it as a ‘paradigm shift’ in Sweden’s migration approach.

“We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in our migration policy,” Forssell stated.

Currently, the government runs a smaller program offering up to Sh. 500,000 ($3,903) per family for those willing to return to their home countries. Kenyans and other immigrants can receive up to Sh. 126,204 per adult and Sh. 62,600 per child.

This policy has faced poor reception, with only one migrant taking up the offer last year since its launch in 1984.

A Swedish politician from the democratic party mentioned that these grants have been available for a long time, but very few people are aware of them.

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He stated that the incentive is likely to be striking to migrants such as Kenyans who have lived in Sweden and failed to get jobs or are earning low incomes.

“That’s the group we think would be interested,” he further added.

With immigration remaining a divisive topic across many EU nations, the updated policy was anticipated to attract migrants who have been unemployed for extended periods or those reliant on state benefits.

Countries like Germany, France, Norway, and Denmark also have programs similar to Sweden’s, offering incentives to immigrants who choose to voluntarily return to their home countries.