Do 79% of Swedish asylum seekers go on holiday to the country they fled from?

Understanding the Refugee Vacation Stat

A controversial claim circulated on social media states that 79% of refugees in Sweden have returned to vacation in their home countries, implying that these asylum seekers are not genuinely fleeing danger. This figure originated from a survey conducted by a Swedish polling company, which questioned 1,000 individuals born abroad, including those who identified as refugees. While the survey indicated that 79% of the potential refugees had traveled back, the respondents were likely long-time residents rather than recent arrivals, making it important to clarify the context of the data. This misunderstanding highlights the need for nuance when discussing such statistics, as the implication that current asylum seekers are vacationing in unsafe countries does not accurately reflect the findings of the survey.