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Norrbotten returns to Emigration Expo - for the third year in a row

Under the common name Arctic Sweden, Norrbotten has attracted great interest at Europe's largest emigration fair in 2023 and 2024. Now Arctic Sweden is returning with a sharper approach. This coming weekend, the delegation from Norrbotten will meet the Europeans who could become our new neighbors, colleagues and classmates.

ICU nurse Stephanus Vermeul moved from the Netherlands and works at Gällivare Hospital.
ICU nurse Stephanus Vermeul moved from the Netherlands and works at Gällivare Hospital. Photo: Nino Pels

Behind Arctic Sweden lies a collaboration between Region Norrbotten, eleven of the county's municipalities, the employment service Eures, the County Administrative Board Nära Mat and Luleå University of Technology.

– We need to be more in Norrbotten, and we are working on that challenge in several ways. This is one of them. Every day, about 500 Dutch people move to another country. Many of them dream of a life close to nature, at a slower pace. We are here to tell them about what Norrbotten has to offer. When we stand side by side at the Emigration Expo, we convey that the whole of Norrbotten stands behind those who dare to take the step and become one of us, says Janus Brandin, Regional Development Director.

60 new Norrbotten residents

The fair attracts around 12 visitors. In addition to the Dutch, some Germans, Belgians and French people also visit the Emigration Expo. Last year, around 000 in-depth conversations were held between potential immigrants and representatives of Arctic Sweden. A year later, around 2 of them have moved to Norrbotten. But for most people, emigration is a process that takes 000–60 years from thought to action. That is why it is important to keep in touch over time and return to the fair. An important cog in the wheel is the Swedish Employment Service EURES. Through EURES, anyone who wants to emigrate within the EU can receive grants for language courses, interview trips and relocation.


Kirsi Paloniemi Lundqvist from EURES Sweden Arbetsförmedlingen is participating for the third year.

Emigration Expo has highlighted the power of regional collaboration, between municipalities and the region, other public actors and the private sector. It has also strengthened awareness of immigrants' needs and driving forces and the importance of personal encounters. When Norrbotten now returns to Emigration Expo, it is with an even sharper approach.

Aurora answers questions

– During the winter, a digital moving guide, Aurora, was launched. Aurora uses AI to answer questions related to moving into a new life in Norrbotten. Through targeted communication in social media, we have worked to create interest in Norrbotten ahead of the fair. On the website movetoarcticsweden.se, it is possible to pre-book meetings at Emigration Expo and chat with Aurora. So far, Aurora has answered 2200 questions in 300 started chats, says Petra Selberg, who leads the project at Region Norrbotten.

The County Administrative Board Nära Mat is participating for the first time to highlight the need for more farmers and food producers in Norrbotten. In the Netherlands, there is a great deal of knowledge about food production. Experience from previous years is that there is interest from trade fair visitors, which will now be captured.

“The freedom, nature and white winters attracted me”

More than a dozen Dutch people who have already moved to Norrbotten are coming to the Emigration Expo. This includes Wiepie van der Veen, who has been working with talent attraction at Stegra in Boden since last autumn.

– My husband and I visited the Emigration Expo 2023 to get more information about Jönköping. Then we met Arctic Sweden, but at first we thought it was too far away. The combination of the pleasant conversation with Arctic Sweden and the Eures service challenged us to make a visit to northern Sweden. It opened our eyes to the opportunities here in Norrbotten. A year ago, we and our child took the step and moved to Boden. The freedom, nature and white winters attracted us. We were looking for a life with less stress and interesting job opportunities. We are enjoying ourselves incredibly well and are looking forward to meeting other Dutch people at this year's Emigration Expo and telling them about our new life here, says Wiepie Van der Veen.

Participation in Emigration Expo is funded through the regional project Emigration Expo 2025.