The Swedish people’s attitude toward integration is guided by a clear principle: those who work and do their part should be allowed to stay. A Novus survey shows that as many as 92% of Swedes believe it is important for immigrants to become part of society, and eight out of ten want compliance with the law and self-sufficiency to be the basis for residence permits. There is a strong desire to deport more people, but this is primarily directed at those who do not follow the law—not at those who contribute to society. At the same time, there is widespread opposition to revoking permanent residence permits, as a majority fears this would undermine the willingness to integrate.

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Parts of the study were presented in an opinion piece in Dagens Industri on April 15, 2026; it can be read at di.se

There is strong consensus among the Swedish people that integration is crucial; as many as 92% believe it is important for immigrants to become part of Swedish society. The view on who should be granted the right to stay in the country is clearly linked to the individual’s own efforts. Just over eight in ten Swedes believe that law-abiding behavior, self-sufficiency, and employment should be the primary grounds for a residence permit.

In addition to analyzing public opinion as a whole, this report highlights the differences between political parties. Examining these nuances is particularly relevant during an election year, when issues related to integration and immigration policy are often high on voters’ agendas.

At the same time, the survey reveals skepticism toward political proposals that risk undermining integration. A majority of the population opposes the revocation of permanent residence permits, and more than half of those surveyed believe that such a measure would reduce the desire to become part of Swedish society. Although there is a widespread desire to deport more people, this is primarily directed at criminals and those who do not support themselves, rather than at those who work and contribute to society. Even among supporters of the Sweden Democrats, who are generally the most critical of the effects of immigration, a majority believes that those who obey the law and are self-supporting should be allowed to stay.

Integration and Work

There is strong support for immigrants to become part of Swedish society.

• The importance of integration: A large majority (92%) of Swedes believe it is important for immigrants to become part of society. Of these, 73% say it is “very important” and 19% say it is “important.”
• Work and law-abiding behavior: 81% believe that people should be allowed to stay in Sweden if they are law-abiding and self-supporting. An equal number (81%) believe that it should be easier to stay if one has a job.
• Wage levels: A majority of 67% oppose allowing asylum seekers to work for lower wages than Swedish citizens.

Views on residence permits and deportation

Opinions on the regulations governing residence permits are divided, but are marked by concern about the future of integration.

• Permanent residence permits: 58% believe that Sweden should not revoke permanent residence permits in order to convert them into temporary ones.
• Impact on integration: 56% believe that the motivation to become part of society would decrease if permanent residence permits were revoked. Such a decision is therefore seen as a direct threat to integration.
• Deportation: 42% believe that Sweden should deport more immigrants. The analysis shows that this view is primarily linked to crime and public costs, rather than to the immigrants’ country of origin.

The SD's party-political differences

Supporters of the Sweden Democrats stand out the most in the survey, but they also share certain fundamental values with the rest of the population.

• Common ground: A majority of SD supporters believe that people should be allowed to stay if they obey the law and are self-sufficient, and that employment should make it easier to obtain residency.
• Points of disagreement: The Sweden Democrats are the only party in which a majority (72%) wants to revoke permanent residence permits. Their supporters also express a higher level of concern about crime and a lack of integration.

A clear majority of Swedes believe it is important for immigrants to become part of Swedish society. As many as 73% say it is “very important,” and 19% say it is “somewhat important.” Only 6% of the total population believe it is not very important or not important at all.

The results show some differences based on party affiliation:

Within the same group, 9% say it is “not at all important,” a figure that stands out compared to other party groups, where the corresponding figure ranges from 0% to 1%.

Among supporters of the Sweden Democrats (SD), 65% consider it “very important,” which is slightly lower than the national average.

A large majority of the Swedish public— 81%—believes that a person who is law-abiding and self-supporting should be allowed to stay in Sweden, even if that person does not qualify for asylum. This view is shared by a majority in all political parties, but the level of support varies:

The strongest support for this principle is found among supporters of S+V+MP+C, where a full 92% answer “Yes.” Among Sweden Democrats (SD) supporters, 60% believe that law-abiding behavior and self-sufficiency should be sufficient grounds for being allowed to stay. At the same time, there is clear opposition within the SD’s voter base; nearly one-third (30%) do not believe these factors are sufficient grounds for being allowed to stay without a valid reason for asylum.

As many as 81% of Swedes believe it should be easier to stay in Sweden if you have a job. Support for this principle is consistently high across all political camps.

Among Sweden Democrats (SD) supporters, there is also a clear majority of 64% who believe that having a job should make it easier to stay in the country. At the same time, this group stands out in the survey: just over one in five SD supporters (21%) believe instead that it should be harder to remain in the country despite having a job, which is the highest figure among the categories surveyed.

A clear majority of Swedes (58%) believe that Sweden should not revoke permanent residence permits in order to convert them into temporary ones.

The issue highlights a clear political divide:

The Opposition (S+V+MP+C): This is where opposition is strongest; as many as 79% of supporters oppose the revocation of permanent residence permits.

The Sweden Democrats (SD): This is the only party in which a majority (72%) supports the proposal to make permanent permits temporary. Only 17% of SD supporters oppose such a change.

The governing parties (M+L+KD): Within this group, opinions are more divided, but a slight majority (47%) believes that permanent permits should not be revoked, while 33% are in favor of doing so.

A majority of Swedes (56%) believe that the desire to become part of Swedish society will diminish if permanent residence permits are converted to temporary ones. Since 73% of the population also considers integration to be “very important,” many view such a decision as a direct threat to the integration process.

Here, too, opinions differ depending on party affiliation:

Ruling parties: Among supporters of M+L+KD, 40% expect a decrease, while 21% expect an increase.

Division within the Sweden Democrats: Opinions are divided among Sweden Democrats supporters. One-third (33%) believe it reduces the desire to integrate, while 28% believe it would instead increase the desire to become part of society.

Clear concern among the opposition: Concern is greatest within the S+V+MP+C group; as many as 73% believe that the willingness to integrate will decline if permanent security is removed.

Swedes are significantly less supportive of the idea that asylum seekers should be allowed to work for lower wages than Swedes. Only 15% believe this should be allowed, while a clear majority of 67% oppose it. 18% say they don’t know.

Some interesting observations from the statistics:

Indecision among undecided voters: Indecision is most pronounced among voters who describe themselves as undecided; one in four (25%) in this group answers “Don’t know.”

Political differences: Supporters of the governing parties (M+L+KD) and the Sweden Democrats (SD) are the most likely (just over 20%) to support lower wages for asylum seekers, compared with only 8% of opposition voters.

The attitude of SD supporters: Despite a slightly higher proportion of positive responses, opposition within the SD group is strong; as many as 70% answer “no.” It is noteworthy that this group also has the lowest proportion of undecided respondents (8%), which suggests a more firm stance on the issue.

A slight majority of 42% believe that Sweden should deport more immigrants, while 36% say no. However, in light of the survey’s other findings, it is clear that this desire for deportation is highly conditional.

It is unlikely that there is a desire to deport people who work and are self-supporting, as support for allowing these groups to remain is very high (over 80%). Instead, the results suggest that the willingness to deport is primarily directed at criminals and people who place a burden on public finances due to their inability to support themselves.

The conclusion is that most Swedes do not view immigrants who are integrated and contribute to society as a problem. Instead, the challenges they identify are linked to crime and costs. It is therefore not a matter of deportations based on origin or technicalities, but rather of upholding the principles of lawfulness and self-sufficiency.

About the survey:

The survey was conducted by Novus between February 19 and 25, 2026, and a total of 1,041 people responded. The results are representative of the views of the Swedish population aged 18–84.

For more information, visit the Novus website

Torbjörn Sjöström, Founder of Globeknot

Co-author of the opinion piece in Dagens Industri

Andreas Berg, a welfare researcher and economist at Lund University and the Research Institute of Industrial Economics, and a member of the Globeknot advisory board