Unchanged attitude to immigrants

Norwegians have a basically unchanged attitude to immigrants and immigration policy, a recent survey shows. The survey revealed that the populace has not changed its views since 1996 on four opinion questions posed.

Sixty-seven per cent agreed that "Norway should admit refugees and asylum seekers to at least the same extent today". This is a decline of three percentage points from 1996.

The percentage that agrees that "immigrants should have the same opportunity to work as Norwegians" is unchanged at 86 per cent.

The percentage who believe that "immigrants have too easy access to social assistance compared to Norwegians" dropped by one percentage point to 53 per cent.

Unchanged from 1996, 44 per cent, agree with the assertion that "immigrants are more criminal than Norwegians".

Elderly most sceptical

As in previous years, the oldest age groups (67-79 years) and people with the lowest education are among those who are the least favourably disposed towards immigrants and immigration. The most favourably disposed are persons with a university or college education and young and middle-aged people. Fifty-two per cent of the youngest disagree that immigrants are more criminal than Norwegians, while only 20 per cent of the elderly are of the same view.

Women most trusting

Women have greater faith in the law-abidingness of immigrants than men. While 50 per cent of men agree that immigrants are more criminal than Norwegians, only 37 per cent of the women are of the same opinion.

New Statistics

Attitudes to immigrants and immigration policy, 1997.
Statistics are published every year in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and in the Notes series. More information: Svein Blom, tel. +47 21 09 48 72, e-mail: sbl@ssb.no.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 43, 1997

Attitudes to immigrants and immigration policy, 1997:

Unchanged attitude to immigrants

New Statistics

Attitudes to immigrants and immigration policy, 1997.Statistics are published every year in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and in the Notes series. More information: Svein Blom, tel. +47 21 09 48 72, e-mail: sbl@ssb.no.

Attitudes to immigrants and immigration policy, 1997.
Statistics are published every year in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and in the Notes series. More information: Svein Blom, tel. +47 21 09 48 72, e-mail: sbl@ssb.no.