Immigration poll: French-style rioting seen as unlikely in Finland

Clear majority do not want increase in number of immigrants

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A majority of Finns - 55 percent - do not believe that even a sharp rise in the number of immigrants in Finland would lead to the same kind of ethnic unrest that took place in France a few weeks ago.
      On the other hand, 43 percent feel that rioting in Finland is very, or quite likely, according to a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by Suomen Gallup. Supporters of the Centre Party were most fearful of rioting by immigrants, with 52 percent saying that they were possible.
     
Supporters of the Green League and the Left Alliance were the most confident that the French-style unrest could not happen in Finland. The highly-educated, and young people under the age of 25 generally felt that rioting was unlikely.
      Nearly all respondents - 94 percent - felt that immigrants should live together with other Finns, and not be isolated in separate neighbourhoods.
     
Most Finns - about 60 percent - felt that the present number of immigrants is sufficient for Finland, while 16 percent feel that there are too many in this country already.
      One in five Finns feel that Finland needs more immigrants.
      Supporters of the Green League differ considerably from supporters of other parties; half of supporters of the Greens feel that more immigrants are needed. Majorities of supporters of all other parties feel that the present number is appropriate.
     
Gender was found to have no bearing on opinions on the immigration issue, but the respondents’ place of residence did. In the Uusimaa region and the Helsinki metropolitan area, about one third of respondents felt that Finland needs more immigrants.
      Opinions on immigration also correlated with the respondent's profession and education, with 36 percent of white-collar employees in high positions, and 41 percent of those with a university-level degree calling for taking more immigrants.
      The feeling that there are already too many immigrants in Finland was highest among blue-collar workers - 23 percent.
     
Attitudes toward requiring work permits split respondents in half. Currently, foreigners who are not citizens of the Nordic Countries, the European Union, or Switzerland are required to have a work permit to work in Finland, which is generally not granted if Finnish labour is available in the profession.
      Just under half of respondents felt that the work permit requirement should be dropped, and that all foreigners should be put on an equal footing with Finns on the job market.
      The greatest deviation from the mainstream was among supporters of the Green League, 67 percent of whom felt this way.
      Also supporting easier work permit practices were a majority of white-collar employees in high positions, students, and university graduates.
      Half of respondents opposed the idea. Supporters of the Centre Party and the Left Alliance were most keen to maintain the present restrictions.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish employers fail to take advantage of immigrants skills (11.11.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat