Putting SE in a global perspective, its integration policies tend to be more responsive and evidence-based, more ambitious, better supported and more effective in many areas of life. The needs of non-EU newcomers in SE are similar to those in other Northern European countries. Ranked 1st out of 38, SE’s policies aim to respond to these needs by strictly scrutinising any obstacles in laws or in policies, offering targeted solutions to specific needs and getting mainstream services to better serve a diverse public. Newcomers and all residents of disadvantaged areas should be able to use their rights and invest in their skills in order to take up equal opportunities in all areas of life. Policymakers are constantly looking for quicker and more cost effective solutions and include more hard-to-reach groups. Similar top-scoring MIPEX countries aim just as high (e.g. FI, NO, CA, NZ). These high expectations are also shared by the public and a general political consensus in SE and the other top-scoring countries, where overwhelming majorities think that immigrants should benefit from the same rights as citizens.

SE's comparative high bar for success is both a key factor improving integration and a source of frustration for the SE public, who have come to expect such high standards of living, equality, education and active citizenship. Newcomers have yet to benefit from these high standards and their lives do improve over time in SE, but larger gaps may be expected between immigrants and the native-born in SE than in less developed or equitable societies. Certain inequalities persist over time and require greater attention, especially for women, early school leavers and disadvantaged areas with many newcomers. SE should not forget that integration policies are just one – and sometimes not the major – factor influencing the integration process.

Still, compared to other European countries, SE’s ambitious policies seem to be more effective than other countries at reaching most immigrant residents in need. Immigrants and their children are more likely to invest in their skills than elsewhere in Europe. Nearly all non-EU immigrants are guaranteed in law and in practice the same rights as SE citizens in economic, social, family and democratic life. Residents in SE are most likely to reunite together and become permanent residents, voters and citizens. More people in SE are informed of their rights as potential victims of discrimination and using these rights to take the 1st steps to access justice.

The challenge for SE and other top-scoring countries is to expand access to the most effective programmes for all newcomers and disadvantaged residents. Like SE, the top-scoring countries are also among the very few with integration policies based more on evidence than on politics, thanks to the use of pilots, experiments and impact evaluations to test and improve policies. In recent years, SE has also been targeting its investments in policies and programmes proving themselves in evaluations to be effective for boosting integration outcomes. So far, mainstream politics and society has maintained its consensus and commitment to constantly improve integration in practice.