Shifting Perceptions: Unpacking Public Support for Immigrant Workers Integration in the Labor Market

IMF Working Papers, October 16, 2024

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Canonical URL: Shifting Perceptions: Unpacking Public Support for Immigrant Workers Integration in the Labor Market

Authors: Silvia Albrizio, Hippolyte W. Balima, Bertrand Gruss, Eric Huang, Colombe Ladreit
Published: October 16, 2024
Series: IMF Working Papers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400290374.001

This paper investigates public perceptions and support for policies aimed at integrating immigrant workers into domestic labor markets.
It provides new insights into attitudes toward migrant integration policies and the impact of different information provisions on belief updating.

Large-scale surveys involving 6,300 respondents from Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
The analysis includes an online experiment testing different information provisions: explanations of economic mechanisms, presentation of policy effects, and real-life stories of integration challenges.

Three key factors shape policy support:
- pre-existing stereotypes about immigrants,
- awareness of labor market integration policies for migrants,
- the perceived economic and social impact of these policies.
Providing information about the economic effects of integrating immigrants in the labor market significantly alters perceptions and increases support for these policies.
Explanations of the economic mechanisms underlying these policies are more effective than:
- simply presenting policy effects, or
- real-life stories of integration challenges.
Fairness considerations toward unemployed native workers emerge as the top concern and primary barrier to policy support.
Addressing individuals’ specific concerns through tailored mitigation measures can enhance support for policies aimed at better integrating migrants.
A significant challenge remains in overcoming mistrust in the government’s commitment and ability to effectively implement these policies and accompanying measures.

Prioritize communication strategies that explain the economic mechanisms of labor market integration policies rather than only presenting outcomes or anecdotal stories.
Design tailored mitigation measures that directly address fairness concerns toward unemployed native workers to increase public support.
Implement measures to build trust in government commitment and capacity to effectively implement integration policies and accompanying mitigation measures.