Immigration in Germany / Survey says it eases investment abroad and the effect of age but puts extra burden on the social security system

Seventy percent of those asked said immigration made it easier for international firms to invest in Germany, while 62 percent said that immigration could ease the effects of Germany’s ageing society. And half said immigration as an effective means against the country’s lack of skilled labour.

But two-thirds of Germans also saw immigration as an extra burden on the social security system, and as a source of conflict with “native” Germans and a source of trouble in schools, according to the Emnid survey commissioned by the Bertelsmann Foundation.

And fewer than half of the 1,002 people asked were in favour of easing naturalization procedures, allowing dual citizenship, and toughening anti-discrimination laws.

“Germany underestimates the importance of its ‘welcoming culture’ and overestimates its appeal as a country of immigration,” concluded Ulrich Kober, integration specialist at the Bertelsmann Foundation.

Choosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor from

via ‘Immigrants cause problems’ say Germans – The Local.

Job Market Monitor : Integration problems are getting worse almost everywhere in the world since the recession. To perceive that unemployment among immigrants and its costs are increasing should not come as a surprise.

Immigration policies are not well aligned on labour market needs. At best, the adjustment lags. One could even add that labour market needs are not be the principal consideration, or should they be ?

The problem is not the “immigrant”. Nor is it the perception of the cost of immigration. The problem is unemployment.

For analysis of the situation in Canada:

Immigration | Fiscal Burden | Canada : Recent immigrants cost an estimate of $16.3G to $23.6G annually

“Canada’s immigrant selection process needs to be revamped to focus on admitting people with Canadian job offers and skills needed by employers, recommends a new report released today by the Fraser Institute, Canada’s leading public policy think-tank.” This is what says the Press Release on Patrick Grady and Herbert Grubel’s Immigration and the Canadian Welfare … Continue reading »