Överkalix attracts immigrants: "Months to give a true picture"

Through an active presence on Facebook and Instagram, Överkalix reaches many potential movers. In relation to the number of inhabitants in the municipality, Överkalix grew the most in the county in 2024. They aim to increase to 3,500 inhabitants by 2030. 

Two projects may result in a permanently employed move-in guide in the future. Move-in guides or similar services are available in most of the county's 14 municipalities. In Överkalix, move-in assistance is provided through the Överkalix utmärkning and Move on up projects.

Sofi Wiippa Lahti, the project manager for Move on up in Överkalix, believes it is the way of working with social media that has created the relatively high interest in the town, compared to other municipalities in the county.

 Close-up portraits are interspersed with information about typically Swedish traditions such as Lucia or Midsummer and various kinds of arrangements. All text is in both Swedish and English.

– We are not trying to sell a happy life, but rather want to give a true picture of living in Överkalix, with winter, cold and snow removal, says Sofi Wiippa Lahti.

She continues:

– I write about real people. Both those who have moved here from other countries and are happy, good examples, but also locals who have lived in the municipality their whole lives and talk about their Överkalix.

Create participation

It has proven to be a winning concept. The choice to not only target potential immigrants but also the local population is a conscious strategy to create participation.

– I want everyone to feel that they are important. Those who live here and have chosen to stay and those who move here.

With a twinkle in her eye, Sofi Wiippa Lahti uses what she likes as a starting point when writing, photographing and filming content for Facebook and Instagram and come up with new ideas to spark interest. 

– Others might hire an advertising agency, but with us, Sofi does everything and I can sponsor a post for 1,000 kronor. Most recently, we targeted Amsterdam and the surrounding area, says Sara Söderberg, responsible for culture and leisure in the municipality and for Överkalix excellent.

Sofi Wiippa Lahti films, takes photos and posts on social media. A post about growing vegetables in Överkalix caused her inbox to overflow with emails from the Netherlands. She has also built and maintains the municipality's special website for moving in, "Move to Överkalix".

The fact that it is possible to grow vegetables here in the north got the Dutch excited. Within a few hours, over 30 new expressions of interest rattled into their email inbox.

– We thought it was spam, but it wasn't, says the social media director.  

Steady stream of interested people

Since the project started, Move on up Överkalix has received around 150 emails in its inbox, an average of two to three families a week. Sofia Wiippa Lahti answers all of them.

Sara Söderberg and Sofi Wiippa Lahti emphasize that the project is not an employment agency or housing broker, but both are involved in the process of finding housing and work for immigrants. Together with others in the municipality, they help each other. They highlight the advantage of being a smaller town.

– We have a flat organization, no one is sitting on their high horses and the decision-making paths are short. We have great collaboration with our colleagues around the municipality, with our associations and other projects, says Sara Söderberg.

Of course, they can't control what people want to work with, but they hope that some of the new residents will want to step in and make a difference in healthcare, social care and education.

Sofi Wiippa Lahti has also been at the Emigration Expo in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Several people who have moved to Överkalix have had their eyes opened to the municipality there. Here, visitors were able to take a look at Överkalix in VR glasses. Photo: Nino Pels.

Remain

Step one is to get people to move to Överkalix and step two is to get them to enjoy themselves and stay in the municipality. This requires them to find work, housing and last but not least, the opportunity for good leisure time.

That's where Överkalix ambassadors come in. They are local residents who can answer questions and provide support and assistance to families who have moved or want to move here.

– We already have several ambassadors, but we want there to be one in every village. We are not there yet, says Sofi Wiippa Lahti.

Her role also includes organizing social gatherings with food, coffee, musical entertainment, quizzes and activities. 

– We had a family day with a magician, face painting and stations with activities aimed primarily at children. We want to show that families with children are important. Associations were also invited to talk about the local community life and perhaps find new members, says the project manager.

This film about the project was produced by the Swedish ESF Council - as a way to let more people share the lessons learned from the successful project. How did it happen when Andrea and his family swapped Italy for Överkalix?

An important part of her task is to write down routines and document how things went when different methods of working with move-ins have been tried. The knowledge should not be dependent on certain people but can be used by a move-in pilot in the future.

To break the ice, newly moved-in guests who want to are introduced on Facebook and Instagram. 

– The post means that people already know the new residents a little bit and vice versa. The comments field quickly fills with welcoming greetings from Överkalix residents.

More housing is needed

The municipality has gained many new residents in 2024. So much so that there is a shortage of housing. An issue the municipality is working intensively to find different solutions to.

– We have made an inventory of plots and houses that may be for sale before, but it is needed continuously so now we are taking another look. We are also looking at the possibility of small houses, so-called tiny houses, in the municipality, says Sara Söderberg.

Överkalix Municipal Director Jan Johansson has set the bar for moving in high and the issue is prioritized in the municipality.

The municipality's mayor, Jan Johansson, decided when he took office in 2023 that Överkalix would become an important player in the immigration game. He gives Sara Söderberg and Sofi Wiippa Lahti high praise for Överkalix's success in increasing its population in 2024.

Sara Söderberg highlights the importance of anchoring higher up in the organization when trying something new. 

– Having support from above is absolutely essential in all change work. Without Janne, this wouldn't have worked. He says just keep going. It's better to try and then redo and try again. 

The work of attracting immigrants has also proven to have another positive side effect. 

– Previously, I could hear people say: “Why should they move here because there is nothing special here?” I think I notice a different pride for the hometown.

FACTS: Population figures

Norrbotten increased its population in 2024. The largest percentage increase was accounted for by Överkalix municipality with +1,2 percent, which corresponds to 39 people.

Överkalix's population on 31/12 2024 amounted to 3201 people. During the year, 181 moved there and 113 left. 23 children were born and 52 residents died. SOURCE: Statistics Sweden

Text and image: Anneli Sundbom

The text was originally published on the Norrbotten Region intranet in July 2025.