Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1000343
10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 JULY 2018 FOREIGNERS in Malta elicit no concern in 41.5% of people but many more have indicated some form of worry as the coun- try continues to attract foreign labour. People were asked to highlight the one thing that concerns them most on for- eigners who work and live in Malta. While a relative majority answered 'nothing', second in the list was the con- cern that foreigners were taking 'our jobs'. Despite record low unemployment and a jobs market that is constantly clamour- ing for more workers, 20.1% of people were concerned that foreigners were tak- ing Maltese jobs. Significantly, the third highest concern with a score of 10.7% was the abstract no- tion that foreigners are 'invading us'. The impact of foreigners on property prices and the increase in rents was a con- cern for 6.5% of respondents, fol- lowed by the fear that Malta will lose its culture and identity (5.8%). The fear that for- eigners will take our religion, which is something that was floated by Opposition leader Adrian Delia last May, is not a con- cern. But 5.8% are concerned that Malta may lose its culture and identity. The rank order of concerns is broadly reflected across all regions apart from some blips. Gozo is the only region where the con- cern on jobs upstages the 'no concern' category and occupies the top spot with 41.1%. This result is double the national average and possibly an indication of the sister island's more precarious jobs mar- ket. The highest level of concern on rising property prices and increasing rents as a result of the foreign influx is expressed in the Northern and the South-Eastern regions. In both regions, the concern hits the 11.1% mark, making it third highest in the Northern region and fourth in the South East. A negative image of asylum seekers People appear to distinguish between the foreigners who come here to fill job vacancies and asylum seekers, with the latter having a negative image attached to them. The feeling that asylum seekers are 'in- vading us' is harboured by 41.2% of people and by far the highest concern. While 24.5% mentioned some other reason, or could not identify a particular reason for their concern, third-placed was the concern over criminality at 16%. Only 7.7% said they had no concern over asylum seekers. The abstract notion that asylum seekers are 'invading us' is prevalent as the top- most concern across all regions except the Western region, where the more generic 'Other' tops the list with 38.8%. The term 'invasion' was strongest in the South Eastern (51.8%) and the Southern Harbour (50.7%) regions. It gained the least mentions in the Western region with 17.5%. The southern regions are probably con- ditioned by the higher concentration of asylum seekers in localities like Marsa, Hamrun and Birżebbuġa. The concern that asylum seekers will take 'our jobs' is significantly higher in Gozo than anywhere else with 10.3% of Gozitans citing is as their top concern. Concerns that asylum seekers will cause the loss of 'our culture and identity' were highest in the Western and Northern ANALYSIS THEY ARE INVADING US 41.21% 24.52% 15.95% 7.72% 5.67% OTHERS CRIME WILL INCREASE NOTHING WE WILL LOSE OUR CULTURE AND IDENTITY Top concerns of Maltese about asylum seekers prices and the increase in rents was a con- cern for 6.5% of respondents, fol- lowed by the fear that Malta will lose its culture and identity (5.8%). The fear that for- eigners will take our religion, which is the 11.1% mark, making it third highest in the Northern region and fourth in the South East. latter having a negative image attached to them. The feeling that asylum seekers are 'in- vading us' is harboured by 41.2% of people and by far the highest concern. While 24.5% mentioned some other reason, or could not identify a particular reason for their concern, third-placed was the concern over criminality at 16%. Only 7.7% said they had no concern over asylum seekers. The abstract notion that asylum seekers are 'invading us' is prevalent as the top- most concern across all regions except the Between an 'invasion' and no concerns: Malta's foreigner dilemma MALTATODAY SURVEY A MaltaToday survey on foreigners in Malta paints a mixed picture of an uneasy nation getting to grips with a growing population of foreigners at a time of plenty. Kurt Sansone looks at the results No 90.6% Yes 6.8% Don't know 2.6% Do you believe Malta can take more foreigners?