Uncomfortable facts and trends: The economic and demographic impacts of humanitarian immigration in Finland and Sweden the years 1990-2018

Abstract: Humanitarian immigration has with the recent European immigration crisis in 2015-2016 become a hotly debated subject, not least in Finland and Sweden. While there are many discussions being had surrounding this topic, few economic or demographic studies or analyses have been done. This study aims to combine the data, literature and studies done so far on humanitarian immigration in both countries in order to discuss and compare the economic and demographic effects humanitarian immigration has had in respective countries in the 1990-2018 period. The results from this study show that in both countries the net economic and demographic impacts of humanitarian immigration have been negative; with largely similar trends but certain differences in short- and long-term costs, rates of assimilation, and future prospects.