New policy briefs from Delmi

Translation of Delmis study on return and reintegration

The project is financed by The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and analyses the returnees’ own experiences of voluntary and involuntary return, their reintegration process in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the support structures that are offered there. The policy brief Those who were sent back (2021:10) has now been translated into the respondents' native language: Arabic and Kurdish in Iraq and Pashto and Dari in Afghanistan.

A new study by Delmi shows that a majority of those deported to Iraq and Afghanistan plan to flee again since they return to an economically and socially vulnerable situation. At the same time, there is a lack of information within their network about what life as an asylum seeker looks like and why they have not been granted a residence permit in the destination country. A translation of the target group's specific needs raises the level of knowledge of people who want to migrate, have migrated, or know someone who has experience of migrating. The escalating situation in Afghanistan may lead to new refugee crisis in Europe and that many will try to return to Sweden. What does life look like upon return? Read the interview with one of the unaccompanied Afghans who came to Sweden during the refugee crisis and was later deported to Afghanistan. This is Boman's story, which also illustrates the experience of many of the respondents in Delmi's study.

Some overall conclusions and recommendations

• Our results suggest there is a need for better communication between applicants and the Swedish Migration Agency. The information regarding the asylum decision, return procedures, and available return assistance must be conveyed in a way that is fully understandable and comprehensible to the returnee.
• Implementing mechanisms of return and reintegration support must ensure that those who are eligible for and applies for a reintegration grant obtain it in a timely and manageable manner upon arrival. Reintegration programs should also be tailored to the needs of individuals.
• The relevant authorities, organizations and the academic community should reconsider definitions within the field of reintegration, most especially “sustainability”, so that these reflect the real processes and needs of individuals subjected to return and reintegration.

The policy brief is written by Henrik Malm Lindberg, associate professor of economic history, Constanza Vera-Larrucea, PHD in political science and André Asplund, PHD in international relations, all working as Research Coordinators at the Migration Studies Delegation. The translation was done by an externally hired language agency.

The translation of the policy brief to Arabic, Kurdish, Pashto and Dari is available for download on Delmi's website: Those who were sent back: Return and reintegration of rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan and Iraq.

For questions about the study, contact ju.delmi@regeringskansliet.se.

The Migration Studies Delegation is an independent committee that initiates studies and supplies research results as a basis for future migration policy decisions and to contribute to public debate.

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