Most of the populations of countries that are top destinations for migrants say newcomers strengthen their countries rather than end up as a burden, according to new research. 

The Washington-based think tank The Pew Research Center surveyed the 18 countries that host half of the world’s migrants.

In 10 of the countries surveyed, – among them some of the largest migrant hosting countries in the world: the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Australia – the majorities of populations view immigrants as a strength rather than a burden.

In Australia, 64 per cent of people view immigrants as a strength.

But majorities in five countries surveyed – Hungary, Greece, South Africa, Russia and Israel – see immigrants as a burden to their countries.

Meanwhile, public opinion on the impact of immigrants is divided in the Netherlands. In Italy and Poland, more say immigrants are a burden, while substantial shares in these countries do not lean one way or the other (31 per cent and 20 per cent respectively).

In the US, the nation with the world’s largest immigrant population, six-in-ten adults (59 per cent) say immigrants make the country stronger because of their work and talents, while one-third (34 per cent) say immigrants are a burden because they take jobs and social benefits, the Pew Center found.

This view has shifted since the 1990s, when most Americans said immigrants were a burden to the country.

Meanwhile, in six European Union countries surveyed, public opinion about the impact of immigrants has changed since 2014.

In Greece, Germany and Italy, three countries that experienced high numbers of recent arrivals, the share of adults saying immigrants make their countries stronger dropped significantly.

By contrast, public opinion shifted in the opposite direction in France, the UK and Spain, which have received fewer asylum seekers in 2015, the Pew Center research found.

In all three countries in 2018, majorities said immigrants made their countries stronger, up from about half who said the same in 2014.

The research found that in most of the countries surveyed people on the left of the political spectrum were more positive about immigration’s impact on their country than those on the right.

Similarly, those with higher levels of education, younger adults, and those with higher incomes are more likely to say immigrants make their countries stronger because of their work and talents.

Attitudes are mixed on immigrants’ willingness to adopt the destination country’s customs or wanting to be distinct from its society.

A median of 49 per cent among countries surveyed say immigrants want to be distinct from the host country’s society, while a median of 45 per cent say immigrants want to adopt the host country’s customs and way of life.

The Pew Center research found that in recent years, security concerns about immigration have become part of the public debate in many countries. Some of these concerns are about crime and immigration, while others are about terrorism and immigration.

In several immigrant destination countries, large majorities say immigrants are not more to blame for crime than other groups. This is the case in Canada, the U.S., France and the UK.

In Australia, only 29 per cent of people thought immigrants were more to blame for crime, while 67 per cent said they were no more blameworthy.

Among other countries surveyed, only in South Africa, Sweden and Greece do majorities believe that immigrants are more to blame for crime than other groups.

In countries where majorities see immigrants as a strength, majorities also tend to say immigrants are not more to blame for crime.

Notable exceptions are Germany and Sweden, where majorities say that immigrants strengthen their countries, but pluralities of adults say that immigrants carry more responsibility for crime, the research found.

Populations across top migrant hosting countries are split on whether or not immigrants increase the risk of terrorism in their countries.

In seven countries, majorities believe immigrants do not increase the risk of terrorism in the host country. These include all surveyed countries in North America (Mexico, Canada and the US), as well as South Africa and Japan.

Populations in France and Spain, two European countries that were not at the centre of the 2015 refugee crisis, also hold this view.

By contrast, majorities in seven European nations – Hungary, Greece, Italy, Sweden, Russia, Germany and the Netherlands – believe immigrants increase the risk of terrorism in their countries.

Views on the topic are equally divided in the UK, Australia and Israel.

Majorities in most immigrant hosting countries surveyed support the deportation of people who are in their countries illegally, the Pew Center research found.

In seven of the 10 EU countries surveyed, majorities support the deportation of immigrants living in their country illegally.

In 2007, between 1.7 million and 3.2 million unauthorised, or irregular, migrants were estimated to be living in the 10 EU countries surveyed. The number of asylum seeker applications has increased following the 2015 refugee surge.

Similarly, majorities in Russia, South Africa, Australia and Japan also support deporting immigrants living in those countries illegally, the research found.

In Australia, 61 per cent of people supported deportation and 31 per cent opposed it.

In the US, public opinion is divided on the issue. About half (46 per cent) of the public supports deporting immigrants residing there illegally, while the other half (47 per cent) opposes their deportation.

The Pew Center estimates 10.7 million unauthorised immigrants lived in the US in 2016, which represented less than a quarter (23.7 per cent) of the US immigrant population.

The number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. has been falling since 2007 and is now at levels last seen in 2004.

In most countries surveyed, those on the right of the political spectrum are more likely to support deportation. Similarly, older people in several countries surveyed are more likely to support the deportation of immigrants living illegally in their countries.

Laurie Nowell 
AMES Australia Senior Journalist