While the world is in the middle of a refugee crisis, more and more people are choosing to move abroad for better career prospects, a better quality of life, or for the sake of an adventure. But what are the global views on immigration and the refugee crisis? 
Immigration has been on the rise for the past few years as reported by nearly 18,000 citizens surveyed in 25 countries around the world. While 75 per cent of respondents say there has been an increase of immigrants in their country, only six per cent believe the contrary. The highest immigration rates have been recorded in Peru, Sweden Turkey, Italy, Brazil, South Africa, Belgium, and France. On the other hand, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Poland, and Spain seem to have lower immigration rates.
There is a common perception that immigration doesn’t necessarily have a positive impact on countries. Only five per cent of Hungarians, nine per cent of Turks, ten per cent of Italians and 14 per cent of the French participants believe that immigration has a positive impact on their country. On the other hand, countries such as Saudi Arabia, India, Great Britain, Canada and the United States of America – having the highest immigration rates – seem rather satisfied with the arrival of new residents. Thirty-eight per cent of respondents in Australia (one of the top expat destinations thanks to work and entrepreneurship opportunities) feel that immigration has a positive impact on their country.
Nearly half of the respondents think that there are too many immigrants in their respective countries. Eighty-three per cent of Turkish nationals and 66 per cent of Italians share the same view while in July 2017, 11,459 refugees had sought shelter in Italy. French nationals are also quite skeptical regarding immigration with 49 per cent of respondents feeling uncomfortable. Japanese, South Korean, Canadian, New Zealanders, and British nationals, however, seem to be more welcoming to immigrants.
But what are the real stakes of immigration for the countries taken into account in this survey? While opinions diverge, there is a growing concern for the impact of immigration on public services and the economy, including the labour market. Nearly half of the respondents believe that immigration puts a lot of pressure on public services. Fourty-one per cent of them are worried about the current labour market’s situation. Turkish and Russian nationals are more worried about the immigration’s impact on jobs due to high unemployment rates. People living in Sweden, Germany, Japan, and Great Britain are positive when it comes to foreign manpower.
Only 28 per cent of respondents – especially those in Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA believe that immigration has a positive impact on their country’s economy. Unsurprisingly, these are also the top expat destinations to date both for workers and entrepreneurs seeking new opportunities and a better framework to do business. On the other hand, Italy, Belgium, and France are among the countries where citizens don’t feel that immigration could have a positive impact on the economy of their country.
New Zealand is increasingly welcoming highly skilled foreign professionals due to skilled labour shortage. You’re therefore less likely to be frowned upon in New Zealand or in Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and the United States – as all countries seem to have the same perception about skilled immigrants arriving in. Serbia, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, and Brazil, however, are less open to highly skilled professionals, so you better think twice if you have been considering any of these to reach the next level in your career.
You will also agree that immigration is expected to have a significant impact on a country’s cultural landscape. Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the US are once again a good example when it comes to their harmonious culture blend thanks to the presence of immigrants coming from all around the world. Could there be a better experience than living in a country where cultural differences are recognised and widely accepted by the society you live in? The cultural contribution of immigrants is also highly valued in Sweden, Peru, and South Africa.
The global refugee crisis remains the main concern of many countries such as Turkey, Hungary, and India where people are more in favour of closing the borders. Respondents also express their doubts on the real intentions of refugees and their integration – increasing terror threats are leading many populations, especially in Europe, to suspect refugees. Serbia, Peru, India, and Saudi Arabia are some of the few countries where refugees are more likely to be welcomed and given support.
Source: Ipsos Global Views on Immigration and the Refugee Crisis report.
