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Eurobarometer Data Service

Attitudes towards Immigrants

1) Acceptance of Immigrants

If people from ... wish to work (seek political asylum etc.) here in the European Union (in the West etc.), do you think that they should ... 

  1. be accepted without restrictions
  2. be accepted but with restrictions
  3. not be accepted 

Eurobarometer 35 to 48

  • ... people from different countries of the South of the Mediterranean, who wish to work here in the European Community/Union? 

Eurobarometer 35 ff.

  • ... people coming from Eastern Europe who wish to work in the West?

  • ... people suffering from human rights violations in their country, who are seeking political asylum? 

Eurobarometer 39 ff.

  • ... citizens of other countries of the European Union, who wish to settle in (OUR COUNTRY) 

Eurobarometer 53

  • ... people from Muslim countries who wish to work in the European Union?
  • ... people fleeing from countries where there is a serious international conflict?
ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (1)
203135.0 3 1991 Q.27(2) V38-V40
214137.0 3-4 1992 Q.70(2) V441-V443
234639.0 3-4 1993 Q.34 V156-V159
295948.0 10-11 1997 Q.45  
329653 4-5 2000 Q.54-Q.58  

2) Number of Immigrants (Feeling)

Generally speaking, how do you feel about people living in (OUR COUNTRY) who are not nationals of the European Community countries: are there too many, a lot but not too many or not many?

CCEB2002.2

Generally speaking, how do you feel about foreigners living in (OUR COUNTRY): are there too many, a lot but not too many, or not many?

ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (1)
171530 10-11 1988 Q.169(3) V135
203135.0 3 1991 Q.28 V41
214137.0 3-4 1992 Q.71 V444
234639.0 3-4 1993 Q.35 V160
249141.1 6-7 1994 Q.57(4) V209
256342 11-12 1994 Q.84(4) V436
293647.1 3-4 1997 Q.50(9) V348
295948.0 10-11 1997 Q.46(4)  
329653 4-5 2000 Q.52(9)  
3979CCEB2002.29-102002Q.55

3) Rights for Immigrants

Still thinking of these people, do you think that there rights should be ...?

  1. Extended 
  2. Restricted 
  3. Left as they are
ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (1)
196034.0 10-11 1990 Q.42(5) V121
203135.0 3 1991 Q.29 V42
214137.0 3-4 1992 Q.72 V445
249141.1 6-7 1994 Q.58 V210

4) Disturbed by Immigrants and other out-groups

Some people are disturbed by the opinions, customs and way of life of people different from themselves.

  1. Do you personally find the presence of people of another nationality disturbing in your daily life?

  2. An do you find the presence of people of another race disturbing?

  3. An do you find the presence of people of another religion disturbing?

  1. Disturbing
  2. Not disturbing
ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (1)
196030 10-11 1988 Q.223/225(6) V236-V238
214137.0 3-4 1992 Q.73 V446-V448
234639.0 3-4 1993 Q.36 V161-V163
256342 11-12 1994 Q.85 V437-V439
295948.0 10-11 1997 Q.44  
329653 4-5 2000 Q.46-Q.48  
3979CCEB2002.29-102002Q.54a-c

5) Immigrants as a Problem

Do you think immigrants and/or political asylum seekers are a big problem for (OUR COUNTRY), or are they not a big problem?

ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (1)
234639.0 3-4 1993 Q.37 V164
256341.1 6-7 1994 Q.59 V211

6) Number of Immigrants (Estimation)

Which country of the European Community has the most immigrants and/or political asylum seekers?

ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (1)
234639.0 3-4 1993 Q.38A (7) V165
256341.1 6-7 1994 Q.60 V212

7) Opinions about Immigrants

I'm going to read out some statements. For each please tell me whether you tend to agree with it or tend to disagree?

  • a) foreigners' children in school reduce the standard of education

  • b) foreigners' exploit our social welfare system

  • c) the presence of foreigners in our country increases unemployment

  • d) the presence of foreigners is one of the causes of delinquency and violence

  • e) having foreigners as neighbours creates problems

  • f) being married to a foreigner generally ends bad

ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (1)
234630 10-11 1988 Q.236/243 (8) V256-V311
256341.1 6-7 1994 Q.61 V213-V218
293647.1 3-4 1997 Q.49 (10) V213-V218
329653 4-5 2000 Q.51 (10)  
452866.3 11-12 2006 QA25 (11)  

New trend: Opinions on immigrants and other ethnic groups

For each of the following propositions (statements), please tell me whether you ...

EB 62.1 and 64.2: totally agree, trend to agree, tend to disagree or totally disagree:

  • We need immigrants to work in certain sectorsof our economy.
  • The arrival of immigrants in Europe can efficiently solve (EB 71.3 ff.: be effective in solving) the problem of Europe’s ageing population

EB 66.3 ff.: tend to agree or tend to disagree:

  • People from other ethnic groups enrich the cultural life of (OUR COUNTRY) 
  • The presence of people from other ethnic groups is a cause of insecurity
  • The presence of people from other ethnic groups increases unemployment in (OUR COUNTRY)

Additional items EB 71.3

  • Immigrants can play an important role in developing greater understanding and tolerance with the rest of the world
  • (Legal) immigrants contribute more in taxes than they benefit from health and welfare services
ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name 
423062.1 11 2004 Q.B9 V147-V148
450865.46-72006Q.A4_1(12)V80
441464.2 10-11 2005 Q.A58 V358-V359
452866.3 11-12 2006 Q.A25 V197-V198
497371.3 6-7 2009 Q.H1  

(1) Please note that the variable names refer to the final ICPSR/ZA codebook editions, if available. 

(2) Slightly different question wording: "Some people from different countries of the South of the Mediterranean wish to work here in the European Community. Others coming from Eastern Europe wish to work in the West. Yet others, suffering from human rights violations in their country are seeking political asylum. For each of these types of immigration, what do you think should be done here in the European Community?"

(3) Generally speaking how do you feel about the number of people of another nationality, living in (OUR COUNTRY): are there ... (part of a question battery asking also for people of another race, culture, religion, and social class)

(4) Generally speaking about foreigners living in (OUR COUNTRY): are there ...

(5) Referring to a different preceding question: "Thinking about people living in (YOUR COUNTRY), who are not citizen of any European Community country, who should decide on their social and political rights?"

(6) Additional items: d) people with another culture, e) people belonging to another social class

(7) Additional items: b) ... is particular hostile to immigrants, c) ... is particular anti-Semitic?

(8) Asking for people of another nationality and in addition for people of another race, religion, culture, and people belonging to another social class, as well as for the additional items: "their customs are difficult to understand" and "their presence in the neighborhood modifies the prices of property".

(9) Different question: (Again, ...)"Speaking generally about people from minority groups in terms of race, religion and culture, do you think there are not many, a lot but not too many, or too many of them living in (our country)?"

(10) Eurobarometer 47.1 (Q.49) and 53 (Q.51) ask for opinions about (of different nationality, race, religion or culture) in general, including among others items a), b), c), and d) but with different wording for the respective statements.   

(11) Only item c repeated (plus other negative and positive items). See also QA4 in the framework of Eurobarometer 65.4 (ZA4508) and the new trend "opinions on immigrants and other ethnic groups" starting with Eurobarometer 62.1.

(12) Only one comparable item: "People of different ethnic origin than the rest of the population living in (OUR COUNTRY) enrich the (NATIONALITY) culture".