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The number of Swedes becoming residents in the coastal city of Portugal has surged considerably in the last decades, as data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) show.
According to the authority, a total of 4,900 Swedish nationals lived in Portugal as of 2019 – three times more than 1,500 living in the country in 2007. Although there was a sharp decline in 2009, which correlates with the global financial crisis, the numbers increased again in 2015 to reach a total of almost 5,000, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The majority of Swedes live in the Algarve region – 30.2 per cent as well as the capital city of Lisbon – 30.8 per cent, but their region of choice can be expanded outside these destinations considering the increasing number of new arrivals.
According to the study “Heading for a “Better Life”? Why Swedes Move to Portugal” by Daniel Rauhut, the main reasons why Swedes are opting for Portugal instead of the Scandinavian country includes convenient living costs and beneficial the tax regime, but the warm and welcoming nature of the locals, as well as the climate, were also important factors.
“Almost all of the respondents claimed that the climate and the food made them choose Portugal as a country of destination. Unanimously, the respondents also highlighted the friendliness, politeness and welcoming mentality of the Portuguese, which played an important role in the choice of destination,” the report points out.
The study points out that the attractive cost of living was the main factor in low earners, while others cited beneficial tax regimes while the quality of life as a whole attracted Swedes to Portugal. Low crime rates, security and the healthcare system were cited as significant factors that made Swedes opt for this country.
Portugal is making a reputation for being a very convenient place to move to as it has a history of British, Irish and German citizens deciding to move to Portugal. According to SEF, the Portuguese Border and Immigration Services, the number of British nationals moving to Portugal has increased by 34.6 per cent in the period between 2019 and 2020, taking the total number to an all-time high of 46,238.
In addition, Brits now represent the second-largest nationality in Portugal. The non-habitual resident tax scheme has attracted some Brits while others returned to Portugal after Brexit occurred.
Portugal’s Golden Residence Permit Programme is also a beneficiary programme for foreigners who buy property in the country and automatically gain citizenship. Portugal’s Golden Programme has scored 75 out of 100 points qualifying the country as a top Residence-by-Investment Programme.
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