Immigration to Sweden was affected more than emigration, according to the recent report from the State Treasury, Statistics Sweden.

The statement shows that a decrease in the number of immigrants was noted in April and May 2020, during which months the numbers were lower compared to the corresponding months in 2018 and 2019, reports SchengenVisaInfo.com.

The spread of the Corona virus and its new variants has also had great significance in Sweden.

Following the example of the governments of other European countries, authorities in Sweden also introduced travel bans and other restrictions as part of the work to protect the lives of citizens and prevent a further increase in the number of covid-19 infections. However, such rules have also affected immigration as well as the emigration process in this country.

However, the report highlights the fact that it is difficult to estimate the impact that the coronavirus has had on immigration to the country after the downward trend was noted even before the virus spread.

The announcement says one of the reasons the immigration process began to ease in the country last year is the lifting of travel restrictions and other bans put in place to stop the spread of the virus.

“For example, in February 2021 it became possible to enter Sweden if you could show a negative covid-19 test on arrival.” reads the statement published by Statistics Sweden.

According to the report, Sweden was the most common country of birth among immigrants in both 2020 and 2021, while the immigration of people born in Sweden marked a marked decrease during these years.

At the same time, the immigration of people born in both Nordic countries and the EU marked a marked decline in 2020, while it marked a noticeable improvement in the last year; however, the pattern has varied significantly in different territories.

The most common countries of birth among people born in the Nordic countries or other EU countries who immigrated to Sweden last year were as follows:

• Germany
• Poland
• Finland
• Denmark
• Romania
• Norway

According to the figures from Statistics Norway, the immigration of people born in Germany decreased to a lesser extent in 2020 compared to other countries such as Poland, Norway, Romania and Finland.

“In 2021, however, the immigration of people born in Germany increased sharply and was 46 percent higher than the year before. As a result, in 2021, immigration of people born in Germany was at its highest level since 2008. reads the report.

The increase in immigration of people born outside the Nordic countries and the EU last year was primarily a result of increased labor immigration. According to the report, India, Turkey, Brazil, Iran, China as well as the USA and Ukraine were the most common countries of birth for people born outside the Nordic territories and the EU who immigrated to Sweden with a work permit last year.

The report shows that seven of the above-mentioned countries account for half of the total labor immigration of people born outside the Nordics or the EU during last year.

“It was immigrants born in India who had the biggest impact, both on the downturn during the 2020 pandemic year and on the recovery the following year,” the report revealed.

It also highlighted that migrant workers from Turkey, Brazil, Iran and the United States contributed to an increase markedly last year, though to a lesser extent compared to those born in India.

The report shows that compared to immigration, small changes have been noted in emigration during 2020 and 2021.