Return - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

2.4 BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED
Assessments and Evaluations
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SWEDEN
In 2001, the Swedish Migration Board financed a study on voluntary return programmes, which
emphasized the importance of maintaining good relations with countries of origin in order to
ensure sustainable returns. One of its main recommendations was that contacts with these countries
should be facilitated through a better migration management policy with more liberal visa
policies, which it was argued eased the pressure of illegal migration.
Following this evaluation, a joint Nordic Seminar was held with officials, researchers and nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) in Oslo in November 2002. It was emphasized by all countries,
that the decision of the individual to return was more complicated than a simple decision to
return or not to return, and involved long-term implications for reintegration and the current
security situation in the country of origin, all of which needed to be addressed.
Other recommendations from the Seminar included the need for increased coordination between
welfare assistance policy and migration policy, as well as a need for follow-up in the country of
origin.
Best Practices
• “Motivation talks” by the Migration Board have proven to be successful in encouraging
unsuccessful migrants to return voluntarily;
As an incentive for voluntary return, and to promote the sustainability of return, Swedish
asylum seekers have to undergo an obligatory education or training programme, which
includes an initial language course in Swedish and English.
Lessons Learned
TABLE 2
STATISTICS FOR IOM IMPLEMENTED AVRS
Year Number of
Assisted Voluntary Returns
2000 1,372
2001 50
2002 77
January – November 2003 99
Counselling, information, job and training assistance are important to the reintegration
processes;