Sweden in Focus

Sweden’s population is shrinking as emigration exceeds immigration for the first time in over 50s. Is this true and if so, should it be cause for celebration? Will higher inflation numbers affect next week's interest rate cut? Why a proposal to pay refugees to return has been summarily rejected by the government’s own inquiry. Finally, we attempt to replicate some of the strange noises Swedes use to express themselves.

James Savage stands in as host this week, and is joined by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

Shrinking population

For the first time in 50 years, more people are leaving Sweden than moving in

Inside Sweden: Is it really a cause for celebration that immigration is shrinking?

Inflation

Sweden's inflation rises faster than expected

Emigration grants

Risky and best avoided’: Swedish inquiry rejects idea of paying migrants to return

Strange noises Swedes make

Twelve strange noises you can make in Swedish to sound like a local

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Stinky fish, Swedish Olympians, and why Migration Agency says 35,000 kronor is too low a salary for a CEO.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Emma Löfgren and James Savage. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• WATCH: The moment US-born Swede Armand Duplantis cemented his place in Olympic history

• VIDEO ARCHIVE: The Local's journalists taste fermented herring for the first time (Facebook Live) 
• Why Swedish fermented herring is more fun than crayfish 

• IN STATS: Number of work permits issued in Sweden halves in 2024 

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In this week's Sweden in Focus we speak to the head of Sweden's main games industry organization about how higher salary requirements for work permit holders risk throttling growth. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by Per Strömbäck, the head of Dataspelsbranschen, or the Swedish Games, an organisation that represents companies in Sweden’s innovative and highly successful video game sector.

The organisation was one of many to voice concerns last year when the government announced its plans to raise salary requirements for foreign work permit holders, a move the Swedish Games Industry feared would hamper growth in a sector that depends heavily on attracting workers from outside Sweden. 

READ ALSO: 

• How to switch to a career in Sweden's booming gaming industry
• ANALYSIS: How Sweden conquered the gaming world
• ARCHIVE: Is Sweden's gaming industry running out of workers?

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In this week's episode of Sweden in Focus we speak to the head of a Swedish organisation for startups and scaleups about the impact on growth of higher salary requirements for foreign work permit holders. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by Stina Lantz, the head of the industry association Swedish Incubators and Science Parks.

She explains why her organisation has expressed concern about the impact on innovation of Sweden’s increasingly restrictive immigration policies. As head of an organisation representing companies where foreign workers are over-represented, she also gives her view on one of the biggest news stories for immigrants in Sweden in recent times: the decision by the government to increase the salary requirement for foreign work permit holders. 

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In this week's Sweden in Focus we speak to an immigration expert about the pros and cons of moving to Sweden for work. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by Lena Rekdal, founder of the immigration and relocation company Nimmersion. 

They discuss what immigrants find most appealing about Sweden, how companies and their international employees are reacting to Sweden’s increasingly strict immigration policies, the critical things to know when moving here, and how she would design the migration system if she were prime minister of Sweden. 

READ ALSO: 

• What's the current status of Sweden's planned migration laws?
• Swedish work permits granted to top international talent drop 20 percent

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Family reunification clampdown, Swedish town's one-krona plots go viral, and is now a good time to buy property?

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's deputy editor Becky Waterton. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• Swedish government announces new plans to limit family reunification permits

• Should you buy a home in Sweden this summer? 
• Do Swedish property market experts expect house prices to rise this summer? 
• 'The Local set this off': Small Swedish town's one krona plots go viral 

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In this week's Sweden in Focus we speak to Vida Mehrannia, the wife of the Karolinska Institute researcher Ahmedreza Djalali who was sentenced to death in Iran in 2017 and was not part of a recent prisoner exchange that saw two Swedes return home. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week Vida Mehrannia. 

She talks about why the family moved to Sweden, what life was like for them here before her husband’s arrest. Also, after the release last month of two other Swedish prisoners in Iran, she tells us about what attempts have been made to secure Ahmedreza Djalali’s release and if more could be done. 

READ ALSO: 

• 'Why not me?' Imprisoned academic Djalali delivers stinging rebuke over prisoner swap 
• Wife of imprisoned academic 'disappointed' after meeting Swedish foreign minister 

LISTEN: 

• Anger over Sweden's prisoner swap with Iran 

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In this special episode of Sweden in Focus James Savage travels to the Almedalen political week on Gotland, where he asks the chief economist of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, Sven-Olov Daunfeldt, whether things might get better for work permit holders any time soon.

Also in this episode: Russia is waging a hybrid war against European countries including Sweden. But what does that mean, and what does a church near Västerås Airport have to do with it? James interviews expert Patrik Oksanen, fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences and senior advisor at the Fores think tank to find out.

Related articles:

• Sweden cuts state funding for Russian church after intelligence warnings
• Sweden's migration agency celebrates cutting waiting times for work permits
• In Detail: How Sweden plans to further toughen its work permit system

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Strawberries linked to organised crime, US designates Swedish neo-Nazis as terrorists, opinion divided over prisoner swap with Iran.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists James Savage and Emma Löfgren. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• Illegal Swedish strawberry sales raise billions of kronor for organised crime

• US designates Nordic far-right group as terrorists 

• Swedish EU diplomat freed from Iran says he's 'in seventh heaven' 
• 'Why not me?' Imprisoned academic Djalali delivers stinging rebuke over prisoner swap 

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Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists James Savage and Becky Waterton. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• The Local's ultimate guide to Midsummer's Eve

• Who are the winners and losers of Sweden's EU election? 
• Five things we learned from Sweden's surprising EU election results 
• Sweden Democrat MP steps down over racist chant 
• OPINION: Sweden Democrats have only themselves to blame for election setback 

• New study reveals most offensive words in Swedish 

Sign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ 

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.

Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription. 

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.