2 Transatlantic Trends: Immigration TTI is a public opinion survey conducted using randomized telephone interviews In each country around 1,000 people.

2

http://www.fbbva.es/TLFU/tlfu/ing/home/index.jsp

Transatlantic Trends: Immigration• TTI is a public opinion survey conducted using randomized telephone interviews • In each country around 1,000 people aged 18 and over were interviewed

between September 1 and September 17, 2009• For national samples, the maximum margin of error is +/-3.1% (at the 95%

confidence level)• For the total European sample, the maximum margin of error is +/- 1.3% (at the

95% confidence level)• Total sample size is 8,032

Year Total Coverage European Coverage

2008 U.S. + Poland + EU5

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Poland

2009 U.S. + Canada + EU6

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain

3

Overview

• The economic crisis • The perception-reality gap

• Legal vs. illegal immigration

• Immigration policy preferences

• Immigrant integration

• Government evaluations and decision-making

• Special focus: Environmental migration

4

United Kingdom

France

Germany

Italy

Canada

European Average

United St

ates

Netherlands

Spain

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

30 3133 34

36 36

44 44

57

20

57

18

5

11

75

7

The most important issue facing the country today

Economy Immigration

Perc

ent

5

Canada France Germany Netherlands Italy European Average*

United States

Spain United Kingdom

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

25

43 44 45

49 50

54

58

66

39 3936

4543

50

61

Increase in skepticism: Immigration more of a problem than an opportunity

2008 2009

Perc

ent

“Immigration is more of a problem:”

*EU5

6

Netherlands Canada France Italy European Average

Germany United States

United Kingdom

Spain0

10

20

30

40

50

60

25

32

17

25

31 31

44

54

37

2830

34

4042 43 44

48

55

DO IMMIGRANTS TAKE JOBS AWAY OR BRING DOWN WAGES?

Immigrants take jobs away from native-born workersImmigrants bring down wages of native-born workers

Perc

ent a

gree

ing

7

United States France Italy Spain Canada Germany Netherlands United Kingdom

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

18

2322

2526

3536

41

17 1718

1920

27

30

33

WORRIED ABOUT LEGAL IMMIGRATION, BY FINANCIAL SITUATION

Got worse Stayed the same/got better

Perc

ent w

orrie

d

Household financial situation in the last 12 months...

8

Left Center Right Democrat Independent Republican0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

33

49

58

45

50

58

35

50

65

48 47

73

“IMMIGRATION IS MORE OF A PROBLEM,” BY DECLARED POLITICAL LEANING

2008 2009

Europe* United States

Perc

ent

*EU59

Overview

• The economic crisis

• The perception-reality gap• Legal vs. illegal immigration





10

United Kingdom

Italy Spain United States Netherlands Germany Canada France0

10

20

30

40

50

60

55

51 5048

32

28

24

2928

39

29

36

40

46 47

51

118

20

10

22 22 21

16

TOO MANY IMMIGRANTS?

Too many A lot, but not too many Not many

Perc

ent

11

12

Canada United States United Kingdom

France Netherlands Spain Germany Italy0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

37

35

2726

2524

23 23

20

14

109

11

13 13

6

IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS: ESTIMATES VERSUS OFFICIAL STATISTICSPerception Reality

Perc

ent

Overview


• The perception-reality gap

• Legal vs. illegal immigration• Immigration policy preferences




13

CanadaFra

nce

Netherlands

United St

ates

Germany

European Average

United Kingdom

Spain

Italy

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

22 21

33

17

29 27

36

22 21

50

57 5861 63

67 6871

81

MORE WORRIES ABOUT ILLEGAL THAN LEGAL IMMIGRATIONWorried about legal immigration Worried about illegal immigration

Perc

ent

14

Are hard worke

rs

Help to fill j

obs where th

ere are labor s

hortages

Are a burden on schools a

nd hospitals

Increase cr

ime in

socie

ty

Increase th

e likelih

ood of a te

rroris

t attack

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

7571

37 35

26

5964 62 60

41

Perceptions of Legal vERSUS Illegal Immigrants

Legal immigrants Illegal immigrants

Perc

ent a

gree

ing

15

France Canada United States

United Kingdom

European Average

Germany Netherlands Spain Italy0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

24

29

23

36 37

47

54

35 3431

51

58 5961

64

69 70

77

INCREASING CRIME IN SOCIETY: LEGAL VERSUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Legal immigrants increase crime Illegal immigrants increase crime

Perc

ent

16

Overview




• Immigration policy preferences• Immigrant integration



17

Know the national lanugage

Have a job offer Be highly educated Have a family member in country

Come from a Christian country

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

8886

62

46

30

91

7269

4944

89

77

70

54

32

PREFERENCES FOR ADMISSION

Europe United States

Canada

Perc

ent

It is important for immigrants to...

18

United Kingdom

Italy

Netherlands

United St

ates

European Average*

Spain

Canada

Germany

France

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

27 27

37

49

39

4547

28

3639

44 4345

47

5255

Support for legalization of illegal immigrants2008 2009

Perc

ent

*EU519

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

33

2325

17

26

17

8

191717

23

17

23

11

20

26

21

16

38

46 47

53 54 55 5557

61

REASONS FOR LEGALIZATION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTSIt is impossible to remove everyone living here illegallyCountry benefits because they fill jobs that natives don't wantLegal status protects them from being exploited

Perc

ent

20

United Kingdom

Netherlands Germany European Average*

Italy Spain United States

France Canada0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

57 56

66 67

71

62

72

56 56

65 6568 68

7073

76

STABLE Support for permanent over temporary labor migration

2008 2009

Perc

ent

*EU521

Reinforcing border con-trols

Employer sanctions Increasing development aid

Easier to legally work and study

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

77

85

6866

85

74

50

60

85

76

59

70

SUPPORT FOR POLICIES TO REDUCE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

EuropeUnited StatesCanada

Perc

ent

United States

Canada Netherlands United Kingdom

Germany European Average

France Italy Spain0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1619 20 21

25

35

44 45

51

30

26 25

44

18

24

16

22 21

26

20

35

22

37

2522

20

16

THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF REDUCING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Increasing development aid Reinforcing border controls Employer sanctions

Perc

ent

23

Overview





• Immigrant integration• Government evaluations and decision-making


24

Canada Spain Netherlands United Kingdom

France European Average

Italy United States

Germany0

10

20

30

40

50

60

7070 69

6159 59 58 57 57

50

2830

37 3840 41 40

42

49

SUPPORT FOR POLITICAL PARTICIPATION RIGHTS FOR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Support Oppose

Perc

ent

25

Italy

Spain

France

Canada

Netherlands

European Average

United St

ates

Germany

United Kingdom

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

8784

77 75 74 72

6663

50

1116

22 23 2327

33 34

47

SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL BENEFITS FOR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Support Oppose

Perc

ent

26

Italy

France

United St

ates

Canada

European Average

United Kingdom

Netherlands

Spain

Germany

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

31

4042 43

48 49

5456

60

47 4846

37 3632

30 3127

THE GREATEST BARRIER TO INTEGRATION?Unwillingness of immigrants Discrimination by society

Perc

ent

27

Several immigrant friends A few immigrant friends No immigrant friends0

10

20

30

40

50

60

42

46

51

4139

34

RESPONDENTS WITH IMMIGRANT FRIENDS PERCEIVE BARRIERS TO INTEGRATION DIFFERENTLY

Unwillingness to integrate is the greatest barrier to integrationDiscrimination against immigrants is the greatest barrier to integration

Perc

ent

28

Overview






• Government evaluations and decision-making• Special focus: Environmental migration

29

Germany Canada Netherlands France Italy United States Spain United Kingdom

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

71

59

5350

43

34 33

2726

35

4345

53

63 64

71

ASSESSMENT OF GOVERNMENTS’ MANAGEMENT OF IMMIGRATION

Good/Fair Job Poor/Very Poor Job

Perc

ent

30

Democrats Independents Republicans0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

44

29

22

53

69

76

ASSESSMENT OF U.S. GOVERNMENT IMMIGRATION MANAGEMENT, BY POLITICAL LEANING

Good/fair job Poor/very poor job

Perc

ent

European Average United States0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

12

2428

71

58

PREFERENCES FOR IMMIGRATION POLICY DECISIONMAKING

State/Regional or Local Level National Level EU Level

Perc

ent

Immigration policy should be decided on the...

Overview








34

Spain Canada Germany Italy European Average

Netherlands France United States

United Kingdom

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

80

75 74

6668

66 65

5957

1822 23

28 2831 32

3438

ALLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL MIGRANTS TO SETTLE IN THE COUNTRY

Support Oppose

Perc

ent

35

Key Findings 2009

• Economics and politics: Economic crisis had little effect on attitudes, political leaning remains closely tied with perceptions of immigration

• Immigrant numbers: Respondents in all countries grossly overestimate

• Policy preferences: Support for permanent over temporary worker programs in all countries; legalization support is up in Europe, down in U.S.

• Government rating: Americans across the political spectrum think that the government is managing immigration poorly

36

Thank you for your attention.www.transatlantictrends.org

http://www.transatlantictrends.org/

2 Transatlantic Trends: Immigration TTI is a public opinion survey conducted using randomized telephone interviews In each country around 1,000 people.

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