Poll: Voters from all political parties have concerns about foreign workers
More than half of respondents in a new poll believe foreign labor negatively affects wages and that language requirements should be tightened, a new study by Norstat and the Ühiskonnauuringute Instituut shows.
The data shows 85 percent of respondents believe foreign workers should be subject to the same language and qualification requirements as local employees.
The majority – 82 percent – say taxi and platform drivers should speak Estonian at a B1-level, while 12 percent of respondents do not consider the requirement necessary.
More than half of voters from all parties agree: Isamaa (96 percent), EKRE (96 percent), Reform (89 percent), SDE (79 percent), Center (65 percent).
Additionally, 82 percent of respondents think it is important that foreign workers learn Estonian within a set period.
EU vs third-country
Labor from within the European Union and from third countries is perceived differently, according to the poll.
Bringing in foreign labor from EU countries is supported by 37 percent of respondents and opposed by 52 percent. Support for EU migration is higher among more liberal voters.
Opposition to bringing in labor from third countries is significantly greater: only 19 percent support it, while 71 percent of respondents oppose it.
The majority of respondents – 76 percent – believe preference should definitely or rather be given to EU citizens over people from third countries. There is a strong consensus on this issue among supporters of nearly all political parties.
Wages and security
Foreign labor is viewed as competition in the labor market. Fifty-three percent of respondents think foreign labor negatively affects their wages, and 47 percent believe it makes it harder for them to find employment.
The sense of threat in the labor market is particularly high among Center Party supporters (often the Russian-speaking population), who perceive immigrants as a direct threat to their income.
In addition to the economy, the issue also touches on security: 58 percent of respondents consider labor from third countries to be a potential security threat. This is most keenly felt by supporters of EKRE, Isamaa, and Center.
The survey also shows that 65 percent of respondents believe the Estonian economy should use automation rather than hire foreign labor.
The Norstat survey was conducted online on March 23 among Estonian citizens aged 18 and older, with a total of 1,000 respondents.
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Editor: Helen Wright
