Hej,

Our story about how more Indians are leaving Sweden was still rumbling on this week, after several readers got in touch to say it had been misinterpreted in India, where the story had been exaggerated to send a message that Sweden is terrible for Indians.

One reader told us he had had to explain quite a few things about life in Sweden to his Indian family, and asked us to follow up with more articles that explain the nuances.

I always think that the best way to accurately tell the whole story about life in Sweden is to ask our readers. So we did, in a reader survey where more than two-thirds of respondents told us they would recommend Sweden, with all its perks and downsides, to fellow Indians.

I touched last week on some of the things that emerged from that survey, and the article we’ve written on the back of it is probably the best place to get a sense of the truly diverse range of reasons as to why Indians leave Sweden – and why they stay.

I suspect readers from other countries will also be able to relate to quite a few of their points!

One thing I’ve noticed when speaking with people about this though, is that most seem to assume that Indians who leave Sweden move back home. But last year, of the Indians who left Sweden, fewer than half were registered as moving back home to India.

A possible conclusion (one of many possible conclusions, I’m sure) is that other countries are becoming more competitive than Sweden in terms of attracting international talent. How do we fix that?

When I’m not editing The Local, I sometimes also train journalists in a concept called solutions journalism. It’s not that different from other kinds of journalism, except that it tackles problems from a different angle, focusing on how people respond to problems.

We try to incorporate these principles into as much of The Local’s reporting as we can, and one of the questions you often ask in solutions journalism is “who’s doing it better?” So I’m interested in writing about what other countries are doing to attract and retain labour migrants, and whether similar solutions would work in Sweden. Who’s doing it better?

Are you someone, or do you know anyone, who has left Sweden for another country (not their country of origin), who would be willing to share their experience with The Local? Please let me know. I hope it could contribute constructively to the Swedish debate.

In other news

Tax deadlines, a new budget, a possible interest rate cut and… crayfish. Here’s what’s in store for Sweden in September.

As the 2024 presidential election draws near, here is everything Americans in Sweden need to know about voting from overseas.

Also for Americans in Sweden, you now have the opportunity to make your voice heard on issues such as taxation for US nationals abroad by filling out a short survey sent out by the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Two Indian fathers who have embraced Sweden’s generous system of parental leave told The Local how it changed their relationship with their children and why other fathers should take it too.

A Swedish court this week locked up four people, including a record-long jail sentence for one of the teenage boys, in connection with one of the most horrifying murders of the country’s brutal gang conflict. I should warn you, this is very unpleasant reading.

Sweden’s government has brought back the biofuels obligation, the central plank of its predecessor’s climate plan. Is it enough to meet Sweden’s climate goals, and won’t voters be confused, asks The Local’s Nordic Editor Richard Orange in his Politics in Sweden column.

Ever felt like spending your summers lounging around on your own island? Or have you always wanted to build a James Bond-style supervillain fort in the middle of the Stockholm archipelago? You’re in luck: We’ve now got a guide to buying your own Swedish island.

Thanks as always for reading,

Emma

Inside Sweden is our weekly newsletter for members which gives you news, analysis and, sometimes, takes you behind the scenes at The Local. It’s published each Saturday and with Membership+ you can also receive it directly to your inbox.