Repopulating and revitalising rural Sweden? Re‐examining immigration as a solution to rural decline

Abstract

Increasing international immigration is often portrayed as a potential solution to persistent economic and population decline in rural areas. Based on longitudinal register data, this study examines the extent to which international migration has contributed to demographic and labour market changes in rural Sweden between 1990 and 2010. Results show that the urbanisation rate of international migrants is very high while their employment rate in rural areas remains comparatively low. Small positive changes are noticeable in the rate of higher education, self‐employment and employment in new service‐related industries among particular groups of immigrants. Immigrants to rural areas are a highly heterogeneous group in terms of their demographic and labour market characteristics, which should be considered when estimating the contributions of immigration to socio‐economic development in rural areas. This study shows that, while international migration may dampen population decline in rural areas to some extent, particularly in the working‐age groups, its potential to stimulate socio‐economic revitalisation in rural areas needs to be questioned and examined from a more nuanced and longitudinal perspective.

Globalising Swedish countrysides? A relational approach to rural immigrant restaurateurs with refugee backgrounds

“…Academic interest in changing rural populations in 'more developed' societies has recently increased (Smith 2007;Woods 2007;Hugo & Morén-Alegret 2008;Bell & Osti 2010;Milbourne & Kitchen 2014;Hedlund et al 2017). Migrants' motives for migration related to necessity and choice are relevant themes in further studies of rural mobilities and population change (Milbourne 2007;Stockdale & Catney 2014;Findlay et al 2015).…”

“…However, due to rules, regulations, and strong loyalty to in-group members at the destinations, immigrants living on the margins of Swedish and Nordic societies can experience difficulty in entering or integrating into the labour market (Forsander 2004;Åslund 2005;Kelly & Hedman 2016). Approximately 90% of Sweden's foreign-born working population live and work in cities because finding a job in rural areas may take more time than in urban areas (Salomonsson & Israelsson 2016;Hedlund et al 2017). This indicates a missed opportunity for minor Swedish settlements, which will become dependent on an inflow of labour (including from abroad) in the near future (Salomonsson & Israelsson 2016).…”

“…The majority (38.5%) of Sweden's foreign-born rural population consists of Nordic citizens, followed by East Europeans (15.5%), West Europeans and North Americans (14.4% together), and Asians (13%) (Hedberg & Haandrikman 2014;Lundmark et al 2014, 430;Hedlund et al 2017). A minor group (8.1%) is of Middle Eastern and North African origin (Lundmark et al 2014, 30).…”

“…Labour migrants, mainly from rural Turkey, migrated to Sweden during the 1960s and 1970s, followed by mainly Kurd refugees and family reunification migrants, beginning in the 1980s (Westin 2003;Aradhya et al 2017). Specific employment statistics per origin country are not publicly available, but in 2010 the employment rate among native Swedes in urban areas was 81% and in peri-urban areas 80% (Hedlund et al 2017). Among Asian immigrants, the employment rate was 49% in urban areas and 31% in peri-urban areas, and among people from Africa and the Middle East it was 46% and 31% respectively (Hedlund et al 2017).…”

“…Specific employment statistics per origin country are not publicly available, but in 2010 the employment rate among native Swedes in urban areas was 81% and in peri-urban areas 80% (Hedlund et al 2017). Among Asian immigrants, the employment rate was 49% in urban areas and 31% in peri-urban areas, and among people from Africa and the Middle East it was 46% and 31% respectively (Hedlund et al 2017). In 2016, 1415 Iraqi, 678 Iranians, and 657 Turks migrated from Sweden (Statistics Sweden n.d.).…”