Determinants of Immigration and Immigration Policy in Scandinavia

Abstract

The current study examined critical factors shaping immigration and immigration policies in Scandinavia. Scandinavian countries were selected for this study due because they continue to experience high immigration rates more than any other region in the world. The study was guided by the following key research questions: What are the immigration policy requirements across the Scandinavia countries? And what are the critical factors influencing immigration and immigration policy in Scandinavia? A comparative design was appropriate in comparing different aspects of immigrants across the three countries. The qualitative method was also adopted to facilitate the collection and analysis of detailed data from secondary sources. The results indicate that politics, press media, interest groups, socio-economic factors, and public preferences and opinions are the main factors shaping immigration and immigration policies. Notable among these countries is Denmark with an exclusively restrictive immigration policy against asylum and family immigration since the early 1980s. On the contrary, Norway and Sweden have experienced a shift of both restrictive and liberal immigration policies. The study recommends a shift towards a moderate immigration policy in Scandinavia.