Message from the Head of Secretariat
The government's budget proposal for 2026 has recently been submitted to the parliament. A budget proposal of several hundred pages naturally contains many important sections that affect the whole society, but we at Delmi have of course been particularly focused on what the proposal says about Delmi's future. In this regard, the proposal states the following: ‘The Migration Studies Delegation (Delmi) is an independent committee that contributes to research on migration policy. The government intends to review Delmi's organisational structure and how the future governance and organisation of its activities can meet the need for knowledge.’
In practice, this means that we will continue our activities in the coming year. For the longer term, we look forward to participating in a dialogue on how Delmi can be developed to further strengthen the role of knowledge in future migration and integration policy. While we look ahead with confidence regarding Delmi's mission and operations, we are fully occupied with our ongoing projects and activities. In October, we will mark the third anniversary of the Tidö Agreement with a podcast episode, in which we will talk to the State Secretary to the Minister for Migration, the Legal Director of the Swedish Migration Agency and a senior lawyer at the Swedish Refugee Law Centre to highlight how the migration issues in the Tidö Agreement have been addressed so far. Later in October, we will launch an interesting knowledge overview on repatriation (return of migrants holding a permanent residence), an issue that has received a lot of attention recently. At the beginning of November, it will be time for a closing conference in Delmi's AMIF-funded return project Return as international migration policy, where we, in collaboration with two other AMIF-funded return projects from Stockholm´s Stadsmission and Resurscentrum in Strömsund, will showcase our project results and highlight the need for collaboration in the return process in various ways.
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As our AMIF-funded return project enters its final phase, our new AMIF-funded project is in its initial stages, which you can read more about further down in this newsletter. It concerns the importance of information dissemination in third countries in relation to legal migration. The project will soon be in full swing with the collection of material, which will partly take place on site in the countries to be studied more specifically – Iraq, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. This is yet another example of how Delmi, through its own research, can help to fill knowledge gaps in the field of migration.
When we talk about what is happening at Delmi, the focus is often on our various publications and the dissemination of results. However, we do a lot of additional things too, and one of our other important tasks is to formulate consultation responses to inquiries and proposals from the government in the field of migration and integration. So far in 2025, we have managed to submit no fewer than six different consultation responses concerning the reception act, the issue of moral conduct, work related crime, the new act and ordnance on introduction housing for certain newly arrived immigrants, deportation due to crime and increased subsidies for repatriation. Further consultation responses to other inquiries are currently being prepared. Read about Delmi's work with the Tidö Agreement and all consultation responses (only available in Swedish) on our Tidö tab on the website.
| Agneta Carlberger Kundoori,
Head of Secretariat
| | | | | Picture: Mostafa Meraji via Unsplash. Interview about a new project on Legal Migration On September 1st, 2025, a new AMIF-funded project was launched at Delmi. The project, "From Information to Migration: Information Sharing in Third Countries and Its Significance for Legal Migration to Sweden", aims to enhance knowledge about the opportunities and challenges related to information sharing about legal migration in Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. The project manager, Anna Hammarstedt, Research Coordinator at Delmi, provides an update on the current status of the project.
Can you briefly describe the project that Delmi is working on? The goal of the project is to deepen and nuance the understanding of how information is shared about legal migration and how these activities are designed and implemented in third countries, as well as the opportunities and obstacles that exist. This will be done by taking a closer look at activities that provide information and advice to potential migrants in three different contexts: Iraq, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
What was the reason behind launching this specific project on legal migration, and in what way does it fill an important knowledge gap? The EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum emphasizes the importance of legal migration pathways through cooperation with third countries, talent partnerships, and resettlement programs. Today, there are close to 300 legal migration pathways to the EU. This is information that should be conveyed in a way that benefits the individual considering migrating, the country they may be migrating from, and the EU countries experiencing labor shortages that they may be migrating to. The hope is that the project will guide policymakers and practitioners in designing future migration policy initiatives aimed at promoting the use of legal migration pathways to Sweden.
| "Today, there are close to 300 legal migration pathways to the EU. This is information that should be conveyed in a way that benefits the individual considering migrating, the country they may be migrating from, and the EU countries experiencing labor shortages that they may be migrating to. Anna Hammarstedt, Project Manager. | | | | What stage is the project in right now? The project is currently in its start-up phase. The researchers have developed a solid plan for how to proceed with their research questions, theoretical framework, and methodology. Trips to Pakistan, Iraq, and Uzbekistan are actively being planned. Want to know more? Visit Delmi's newly launched section on the website, Legal Migration, for more information and regular updates.
| Policy Brief 2025:7 Supporting Mental Health and Integration: Long-Term Solutions for Displaced Ukrainians in Sweden
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, became a global challenge for the international community. Over 6 million Ukrainians fled their homes and entered the reality of displacement and an uncertain future across Europe. The third year of the war has turned emergency response into lasting challenges for the host countries, with mental health needs among displaced populations often left unaddressed. The policy brief is based on the findings from Help Ukraine Gothenburg’s (HUG) project Better You&Me, in which they conducted a comprehensive theoretical analysis of mental health issues among Ukrainian temporary protection holders living in Sweden.
The publication focuses on the crucial role that mental health plays in the integration process, as well as the unique challenges faced by Ukrainian temporary protection holders in Sweden.
| | The authors of the policy brief, Viktoriia Svidovska (PhD in Pedagogical Sciences) and Yaroslava Shven (PhD in Psychology), are both involved in the Better You&Me project by HUG and have extensive backgrounds within psychology. Svidovska is currently a researcher and mental health coach, and Shven is a team leader for mental health coaches and methodologist at HUG since 2023.
Download the Research Overview here: Supporting Mental Health and Integration: Long-Term Solutions for Displaced Ukrainians in Sweden - Delmi | | | |
The Changing Roles of Municipalities in Labour Market Integration
On October 7, 2025, Delmi will launch a new policy brief based on the research project Changing Roles and Emerging Networks. Municipalities as Employers, Procurers, and Entrepreneurs in Labour Market Integration, led by Patrik Zapata at the University of Gothenburg.
The project is funded by the Swedish Research Council as part of a ten-year national research programme on migration and integration, commissioned by the Swedish government in 2017. In addition to strengthening research in the field, the programme aims to ensure that research findings are disseminated and made accessible beyond the academic community.
This publication will only be available in Swedish. Contact Delmi for more information. Read more about the publication here: The Changing Roles of Municipalities in Labour Market Integration - Delmi | | | |
The Role of the State in Voluntary Return Migration: A Systematic Literature Review of State Interventions Beyond Economic Incentives
On October 20, 2025, Delmi will publish a new knowledge overview titled "The Role of European Host Countries in Voluntary Return Migration: A Systematic Review of the Evidence", authored by Professor Andrea Voyer at Stockholm University. The overview examines the existing literature on non-economic factors related to voluntary return migration, in this case: specifically repatriation. It primarily focuses on the role of host countries in encouraging and supporting voluntary returns, taking into account both the positive and negative consequences of government interventions. The report also explores how the effects of such interventions vary depending on the conditions in both host and origin countries, as well as the characteristics of the migrant groups. Read more about the publication here: The Role of the State in Voluntary Return Migration: A Systematic Literature Review of State Interventions Beyond Economic Incentives - Delmi | | | |
Health and Migration in a Global Context
In October 2025, Delmi will launch a report entitled "Health and Migration in a Global Context" by Mikael Elinder, Professor, Department of Economics, Uppsala University, and Oscar Erixson, Associate Professor, Institute for Housing and Urban Research (IBF), Uppsala University.
The report examines the link between health and migration, with a particular focus on, and based on the hypothesis that, healthier individuals are more likely to wish to migrate. The study is based on data collected from a large number of countries of origin and covers individuals' attitudes to both internal and international migration.
The results of the study confirm that individuals who perceive themselves to be in better health are, on average, slightly more inclined to migrate. The report's conclusions reinforce the view that migration should not only be seen as a challenge for the receiving countries, but can also be an important addition to society's resources.
The publication will only be available in Swedish. Contact Delmi for more information. Read more about the publication here: Health and Migration in a Global Context - Delmi | | | | Picture: Alexander Psiuk via Unsplash. Interview about Delmi's AMIF-funded project on return migration
The AMIF-funded Delmi project “Return as international migration policy: coordination within and across national borders” will soon launch its third part, focusing on Frontex. Author Suzanne Planchard provides a status update on the project.
Can you briefly describe the project Delmi is working on? Within the framework of the AMIF-funded Delmi project “Return as international migration policy: coordination within and across national borders”,
we are now working on the third and final project, which examines how Swedish authorities use Frontex resources in the area of return. By identifying current forms of cooperation between Frontex and Sweden in the planning and execution of return operations, the study aims to highlight good examples and opportunities for improvement in the cooperation between Sweden and Frontex in this area.
What role does Frontex play in return operations? Frontex plays a significant role in both Sweden and Europe when it comes to return migration. In addition to financing return operations, the agency works to harmonize and promote best practices in this area. Frontex is also a key player when it comes to coordination between member states, as well as developing booking systems and training programs for operational staff.
You have just been on a work trip to Uzbekistan. What was the purpose of your trip? We had the opportunity to accompany a Frontex-funded return operation to Uzbekistan to observe the work. The purpose was to see how larger charters work in reality, as well as to see how the agency and Sweden collaborate. Our observations will be included in the final report, which will be launched at the end of the year.
| "By identifying current forms of cooperation between Frontex and Sweden in the planning and execution of return operations, the study aims to highlight good examples and opportunities for improvement in the cooperation between Sweden and Frontex in this area." Suzanne Planchard, author. | | | | How can the experiences and perspectives you gained during the trip be used in the final stages of the project? If possible, it is always important to gain an insight into the activities you are writing about. We have looked at many government reports, regulations, and governing documents, and even though the project largely concerns areas such as strategic work, training, the standing force, and Frontex's expanded mandate, in the end, everything boils down to the operational level. What does cooperation look like when it really matters? Does it make repatriation more effective, humane, or sustainable? Read more about Frontex’s Role in Return Operations – Perspectives from Sweden on Delmi's website. A public final seminar is planned in December. For updates on this seminar, please visit our website, where we will post current information about dates and programs. |
Watch Delmi’s seminars online
Did you know that Delmi usually records its seminars? This means you can choose to attend in person in Stockholm, where our office is based, or follow the seminar online. On October 7, Delmi will arrange a seminar in Swedish. You will have the opportunity to watch the live broadcast on Delmi’s website – and if you miss it, you can of course watch the recording afterwards, whenever it suits you best.
Watch all our recorded seminars on Delmi's seminar page on the website. | Delmi wishes you a enjoyable autumn! | |
