Why did Sweden greenlight so few new citizenships in 2025?

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In this week's episode we talk about brand new figures from the Migration Agency showing a steep drop in work permit and citizenship approvals in 2025 and we look at what some readers are telling us about why they’re choosing to leave Sweden.

We also dig into the many ways the Swedish language lets us talk about wintry weather.

For Membership+ subscribers we sink our teeth into the Swedish foods with geographical names that have earned official EU protected status from Scanian spettekaka to the polka pigs of Gränna.

Finally we discuss how to choose a school for your child now that the application period is underway.

Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. The episode also features an excerpt from a conversation with Sweden's migration minister Johan Forssell.

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

Immigration

• Number of people granted Swedish citizenship drops 40 percent
• How Sweden's government ignored warnings when revoking work permit law
• Will deported workers really be able to return to Sweden after just 19 days?
• 'I’m not valued': The reasons foreign residents are leaving Sweden

Learning Swedish

• 'Pig cold': How to talk about the winter weather in Swedish

Food and drink

• Calf dance and boiled bread: The Swedish foods with EU protection

Schools

• How to enrol your child in a Swedish school

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