Sweden Top For Welcoming Migrants

Sweden Top For Welcoming Migrants

news.bbc.co.uk

A study of how Europe integrates immigrants has exposed wide variations in the welcome foreign workers receive.

The European Union-backed research found Sweden doing the most to help migrants settle - and Latvia the least.

Overall, EU nations are only doing half as much as they could, said researchers acting for a consortium of 25 organisations across Europe.

The study of policies across the continent ranks countries on key factors affecting immigrants' lives.

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Related News Links:
www.integrationindex.eu

The Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) measures policies to integrate migrants in 25 EU Member States and 3 non-EU countries. MIPEX covers six policy areas which shape a migrant's journey to full citizenship.

This 2006 index is the second to be issued. First one was in 2004. It will be launch at a press conference tomorrow in Brussels. Through October and November it will then be debated in the individual countries.

It's is an interesting study -- at least for Europeans concerned about immigration. Depending on the stance pro- or contra-immgration, this study shows the grace or disgrace of every country of the EU, plus Switzerland, Norway and Canada.

Seen from a pro-immigration view Sweden, Norway and Finland are in the top. Oddly enough the other Scandinavian country, Denmark are in the absolut bottom together with Latvia and Switzerland. The reason for the lack of integration is more political than cultural.

Demographics alone can hardly explain Denmark's -in my view- less than flattering position. Once, not so long ago, together with the other Scandinavian countries a humanitarian beacon, it is now devalued to a level of totalitarian states. Political disgrunt and xenophobia can explain it.

A map to show the overall stance, Canada not included, but it gets top rating.

Visit the additional link, which is the homepage of MIPEX for detailed information.

How is your country doing?

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, since I live in Sweden, I feel pretty proud seeing this! Lets hope our country can help as many people as possible get a good life without oppression.

We do have some problems though. We have civil engineers from other countries driving taxi's sometimes because they have a hard time getting a job despite their education.

We also have had increased gang violence, worse school education and many other problems related to the immigrants.

Its much like the same problems the US went through I think, but in a much lesser scale. We are only about 9 million people living here.

So if you want to come here once the US starts getting really bad, I think you have a good chance of being let in. You do not have a right to have a gun here though since we think it increases violence in society, not decreases it.


[edit on 15-10-2007 by Copernicus]

Well, I'm Danish, but thanks for the offer, I have considered to move to Sweden, because I cannot live in Denmark with my spouse of "other ethnic origine". We live in her country, but I have to spend time in Denmark a certain amount of time every year, not to loose my national affiliation.

A way to circumvent it is to settle in Sweden and after she have lived in another EU country for 2 yrs Denmark cannot deny her residence. It was a scheme that was highligted some years ago with a drama between the Danish and Swedish government. The Danish Minister of integration demanded his Swedish counterpart to put an end to the practise. His arrogance let to the answer from Sweden he couldn't dictate Swedish domestic policy. Of course he can not.

He's a prick, that the days of the Kalmar union are long gone, he didn't realize. Though he have been minister of education as well.

No, I'm ashamed of my country and the way it treats foreigners. And the degree of xenophobia openly expressed is worrying.