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MEMO/11/529

Brussels, 20 July 2011

Eurobarometer on Migrant Integration

The first ever Eurobarometer on Migrant Integration was conducted in Marchand April 2011. Research employed a qualitative approach involving anumber of discussion groups and individual depth interviews.

How has the Eurobarometer on Migrant Integration been conducted?

During the months of March and April 2011, and at the request of the Commission,TNS Qual+ conducted the first ever Eurobarometer on Migrant Integration. The

research employed a qualitative approach involving a number of discussion groupsand individual depth interviews.

Two group discussions amongst EU citizens were conducted in each Member State:one with a younger group (aged 18 to 35 years) and the second with an older group(aged 45 to 70 years). Participants from these groups came from a wide range ofeducational backgrounds and employment status and from mainly urban locations.

Research was also conducted with third-country nationals in 14 Member States:Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, theNetherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

These Member States were selected on the basis of two factors: those with the

highest levels of migration from third countries and the feasibility of conducting theresearch within the available timeframe.

In the selected 14 Member States, one discussion group was conducted with firstand second generation of third-country nationals who had been living in the receivingcountry for 5 years or more. A further 6 individual depth interviews were conductedwith third-country nationals having lived in the Member State for less than 3 years.The nationalities of the interviewed migrants were selected on the basis of the mostrepresented communities in each Member State and according to residence permitsgiven in 2009.

Over 500 EU citizens and 200 non-EU migrants participated in the Eurobarometer.

What are the main conclusions of the Eurobarometer on MigrantIntegration?

The main elements provided by the respondents to this survey can be summarizedas follows:

- EU citizens and migrants agree that in order to make integration work moreefforts are needed from the side of governments, migrants and the generalpublic. EU citizens feel that migrants need to be integrated for their country tobenefit from immigration. The top four most important factors that facilitateintegration are perceived to be, among EU citizens: speaking the language;having a job; respecting local cultures; and enjoying legal status. The same

factors are identified by migrants, but in a slightly different order: speaking thelanguage; enjoying legal status; having a job and respecting local cultures.

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- EU citizens and third-country nationals agree on the importance of interaction atwork and in schools and on the positive contribution of migrants to the localculture. This confirms that more efforts should be made to facilitate migrants'access to work and their participation in education in order to improveinteraction. The lack of language knowledge is perceived as a main barrier toboth interaction and integration. Hence, integration policies should include moreactions to support language learning.

-Both third-country nationals and EU citizens agree that segregation of migrantsin disadvantaged neighbourhoods has a detrimental effect on integration. Mostpeople have a natural drive to go and live where they feel connected to othernationals of the same origin. Yet policies need to aim to stimulate naturalmeeting places and counter segregation between migrants and EU citizens.

- EU citizens believe that the way in which migrants contribute economically tosociety is mainly through paying taxes, whereas studies in some Member Statesshow that migrants contribute to the economic development as workers,entrepreneurs, consumers and tax payers.

- There is a fear in some Member States that migrants are taking employmentopportunities from the local population, while many see that there is a role for

migrants doing the jobs that local people do not want to do. These contradictoryviews need to be met with better monitoring of the actual situation in the labourmarket. High unemployment levels caused by the economic crisis, especially insome Member States, could explain some negative attitudes.

- There was considerable confusion and a lack of understanding of the distinctionbetween regular and irregular migrants. Moreover, both the general public andmigrants are of the opinion that the media has a responsibility in creating andreinforcing negative stereotypes. The Commission and Member Stategovernments have a responsibility to communicate better their policies on legalmigration, their actions to support integration of regular migrants and theirefforts to discourage irregular migration.