British Social Attitudes survey shows latest attitudes on migration

The 29th British Social Attitudes Survey has been released, including the latest findings on attitudes towards migrants in the UK. Findings highlighted by the BSA team on migration include:

• Demands for a reduction in overall immigration have increased while views about the impact of migration have grown more negative. Three out of four (75%) respondents advocate a reduction in immigration overall, a rise from 63% since 1995. 51% want a large reduction. The proportion who view the economic impact of migrantsnegatively increased by nine percentage points between 2002 and 2011, from 43% to 52%. Negative judgements about the cultural impact of migration increased by 15 percentage points during the same period, from 33% to 48%.
• However, the characteristics of different types of migrants are strongly linked to people’s attitudes towards them. Migrants’ qualifications are paramount in predicting attitudes, regardless of countries of origin: More than 50% of respondents regard professional migration as a good thing, regardless of whether it is from Eastern Europe or Pakistan, but less than 20% feel positively about unskilled labour migration from these regions.

For detailed analysis of the findings relating to migration, visit the BSA website.