Elon Musk’s recent claim that nearly 80% of refugees in Sweden travel back to their home countries has sparked a viral debate. However, an analysis of the data shows the figure has been taken out of context.
Last week, Musk posted on X: “Almost 80% of ‘refugees’ go on vacation to the country they claim to have fled from.” His statement, suggesting widespread exploitation of the Swedish asylum system, has amassed over 54 million views.
However, fact-checking organization EuroVerify has refuted this claim, pointing out that the statistic originates from a 2022 survey conducted by Swedish research firm Novus for the conservative news outlet The Bulletin.
What the Data Actually Says
The survey of 1,050 foreign-born Swedes found that 79% of refugees had visited their home country since arriving in Sweden. However, most respondents had been in Sweden for over 15 years, with many arriving before 2010 from countries that are now considered safe to visit.
The survey did not ask whether these individuals went on holiday but rather whether they had visited their home country for any reason. Experts argue this distinction is crucial, as it includes trips for family visits, funerals, or other personal matters.
Sweden’s Longstanding Refugee History
Sweden, with a population of 10.6 million, has a long history of accepting refugees. Waves of Chilean refugees arrived during the Pinochet dictatorship (1973–1990), and the country now hosts one of the largest Chilean communities outside Latin America. Chile, now a stable democracy, is a major tourist destination.
Similarly, conflicts in the Balkans during the 1990s brought over 100,000 Bosnians and thousands of Kosovo Albanians to Sweden. Many of these former refugees have since integrated into Swedish society, making visits back to their home countries a natural occurrence.
Novus CEO Torbjörn Sjöström emphasized that the data does not support Musk’s claim. “There’s nothing wrong with the research, but it’s easy to equate ‘refugee’ with ‘current asylum seeker,’ which is incorrect,” he told Euronews.
Refugees with permanent residency in Sweden have the legal right to travel freely, unlike asylum seekers who are still in the process of applying for protection. Many who arrived decades ago have built new lives in Sweden while maintaining ties with family members abroad.
Shifting Migration Policies in Sweden
Sweden’s immigration policies have become increasingly strict. Migration Minister Johan Forssell, of the center-right Moderate Party, has stated that some refugees may be misusing the system but admitted that the extent of the issue is unclear.
Since 2015, Sweden has tightened asylum regulations, aligning them with the European Union’s minimum requirements. This shift followed an unprecedented surge of over 160,000 asylum seekers that year, mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.
The European Context
The fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime has reignited debate over refugee protections. In Austria, caretaker Interior Minister Gerhard Karner recently announced measures to suspend family reunifications and initiate deportations for around 40,000 Syrians granted asylum in the past five years.
Since 2015, over one million Syrians have sought refuge in Europe, and the question of their long-term status remains a contentious issue.
Conclusion
While the 79% figure Musk cited is accurate in a narrow sense, it lacks context. Many of the individuals surveyed arrived in Sweden decades ago from now-safe countries. The data does not indicate that current asylum seekers are frequently returning to the places they fled, making Musk’s claim misleading.
Related topics:
Rough Seas Pose Threat to Taiwan’s Lunar New Year Ferry Services
Poland Adds New Additional Paid Public Holiday from 2025
Higher Medical Fees Expected During Lunar New Year Holiday in South Korea