Why are some immigrant groups more successful than others?

15 November 2017

Edward Lazear of Stanford University visited IFN on Wednesday and launched a public seminar. Lazear has studied immigration to the United States, as well as to Sweden, and found that the underlying mechanisms are much the same in both countries. He explained that the success of the new arrivals is more dependent on the rules set by the recipient country than the country from which new arrivals have come. If integration is defined as immigrants learning the language of the new country, those immigrants living in areas with many people from their old home country are integrated, into society as a whole, at a much lower rate.

From left to right: Edward Lazear, Stanford University, Cecilia Garme, moderator, Paulina Neuding, Editor in Chief of Kvartal, Erik Nilsson, State Secretary to the Minister for Upper Secondary School Anna Ekström, Oskar Nordström Skans, Uppsala University.

In a subsequent panel, Oskar Nordström Skans, Uppsala University, Erik Nilsson, State Secretary to the Minister for Upper Secondary School Anna Ekström, Johan Forssell, Migration Policy Spokesperson (M) and Paulina Neuding, Editor in Chief of Kvartal.

In the photo from left to right: Edward Lazear, Cecilia Garme, moderator, Paulina Neuding, Erik Nilsson, Oskar Nordström Skans and Johan Forssell. Photo: Bosse Johansson.

On the right, Oskar Nordström Skans, Uppsala University, who took part in the panel discussion on immigration. Photo: Bosse Johansson.

Interview in DI tv with Oskar Nordström Skans in conjunction with the seminar at Medelhavsmuseet (the Mediterranean Museum) in Stockholm.

State Secretary Erik Nilsson (middle), Paulinas Neuding and Oskar Nordström Skans. Photo: Bosse Johansson.

Johan Forsell, Migration Policy Spokesperson for Moderaterna, made demands for quota systems in Sweden. Photo: Bosse Johansson

The audience was engaged when Edward Lazear presented his research. Lazear concluded with advice to Swedish politicians: Study the wave of immigration to Israel in the early 1990s. “I believe Sweden can learn a lot from it,” said Lazear. Photo Bosse Johansson.

Published November 15