Freedom seekers in paradise - Investigating the relationship between Swedish remote workers in Lisbon and the local population

Abstract: In this research study, which has focused on Swedish lifestyle migrants in Lisbon (Portugal), the attitude towards the phenomenon of lifestyle migration has been investigated more deeply. Lifestyle migration is an academic concept that describes the people who are relatively privileged and who move to a cheaper country to improve their quality of life. The phenomenon has grown significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Pull factors are often warm weather, getting more for the money, fun activities, and meeting like-minded people. From the interviews conducted with Portuguese residents in Lisbon, with lifestyle migrants from Sweden, as well as through web surveys with international lifestyle migrants, five recurring themes were particularly mentioned: In what ways lifestyle migration (1) improved the quality of life. How it possibly contributed to (2) gentrification. The sometimes lack of integration that created (3) social imbalance with the local population. How lifestyle migration can create (4) local development. But also, how it can create a sense of (5) social and economic injustice.