Is your region resilient to brain drain? Policy workshop at Reglab 2025

2025 March 26

Local communities in Sweden are losing population and skilled people to the larger cities. Most regions rely on migration for upholding and developing local life. On 13 March at the annual Reglab conference in Sundsvall, participants working with regional development gathered for a workshop exploring what the future might look like without migrants, what’s holding regions back from attracting talent, and what actions can strengthen local resilience. 

Resilience was the theme at the two-day conference where PREMIUM_EU hosted a learning session for members of The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR). The project partners from Nordregio set the stage for the policy lab workshop by outlining the demographic trends in Sweden. After an ice-breaker excersise, group discussions followed zooming in on future scenarios, current barriers and prioritised areas to meet challenges effectively. While the risks were clear—declining tax bases and weakened public services—the groups also presented creative and actionable ideas for how to move forward.

A future without migrants? An undesirable scenario

The groups agreed that their regions would face serious consequences with no migrants coming in. Issues raised included reduced access to services like healthcare, restaurants, and public transport, shrinking tax revenues, and a rapidly aging population. One group highlighted a pattern where migrants come to study but leave shortly after, drawn to bigger cities and stronger social networks. Another warned of the risks of increasingly homogeneous populations discussing effects on public health, and emphasised the need to shift focus from purely population growth to qualitative development—investing in social cohesion, education, and well-being.



 

Shared obstacles: From national policy to housing and labour market constraints

A recurring concern across all groups was the role of national policy, the lack of long-term strategies, and limited political will. Several key barriers emerged in the discussions.

National policy misalignment: Participants pointed to restrictive immigration rules, such as high salary thresholds and unclear permit processes. One of the groups described that regions are doing a lot to tackle challenges but national politics limit their options.

Housing challenges: In some areas, low property values discourage selling, creating vacant, deteriorating homes. In others, high prices and segregation push businesses and residents away.

Mismatch in labour needs: Regions need both high- and low-skilled workers, yet current systems often make it difficult to attract or retain them. Vocational and technical education gaps were also highlighted.

Administrative complexity: The groups noted burdensome processes around work permits, integration, and lack of coordination.

Limited internal mobility: Interregional migration within Sweden remains low, and some regions find it easier to attract international talent than domestic workers. At the same time, countries and regions want to retain their own talent, which makes international recruitment more difficult. This led to a broader question: how can we avoid a zero-sum game where one region’s growth comes at the expense of another?

Are we asking the right questions? One group raised whether there's enough insight and engagement with the target groups: "Do we truly know what people want and need?" Another called for more research on push and pull-factors.

Turning challenges into actions: What can be done?

Despite the challenges, all groups shared ideas that could make a difference—especially when tailored to the local context.

Invest in the whole life experience: Attractiveness isn’t just about jobs. It's about whether people can envision building a life in the region. This means investing in housing and public transport; education and childcare; culture, sports, and leisure. One region noted an example where they lost doctors not due to job quality but because of weak cultural offerings and poor travel connections. Another stressed the need for more venues for youth, like sports and cultural spaces. Participants emphasised targeting people aged 20–30, which is the stage of life when most moves happen.

Strengthen education and employer partnerships: Groups discussed and encouraged building new education models aligned with local industry needs, as well as aiming efforts at making certain professions more attractive and visible. In this area, employers can play a key role.

Build strong place branding: The groups pointed to regional storytelling as a vital tool. Examples included Film in Västernorrland as a cultural branding project and promotion of region's outdoor life to attract new talent. Participants also stressed international profiling and targeted campaigns to reposition places in people’s minds.

Support integration and welcome initiatives: Concrete suggestions included "welcome guides" and "Welcome Houses" for newcomers, language support and tailored job matching, as well as validation tools to support career development (e.g., from care assistant to certified nurse).

Foster stronger collaboration: To make all this work, collaboration is essential. Groups recommended cross-regional coordination, stronger EU partnerships, local support networks for migrants (e.g., childcare access, social integration). The regional level could play a significant role in coordinating local implementation, according to participants. "Eldsjälar" or local champions—committed individuals within municipalities, regions, or communities—were seen as key to making these efforts successful.

Final takeaway: Shift the narrative

Instead of focusing only on growth, the groups called for a broader conversation about development. What makes life in a region meaningful? How can we better support people to live well, stay longer, and contribute?

Swedish regions may not be able to replicate what cities like Stockholm offer—but they can highlight what they do offer: simplicity, nature, time, and community.