A recent study by polling company Ipsos has revealed that 54% of Belgians are in favour of regularising undocumented migrants who have been in Belgium for a five-year period and granting them a work permit (with some added caveats that include proof of 'integration'). The figures represent a 23% rise from last year's survey.
On Wednesday, French-speaking magazine Le Vif released the findings of a survey conducted at their request, alongside the Belgian civil society organisation, CNCD-11.11.11.
Among the questions asked to respondents, the answers to the following garnered the strongest reactions: are you in favour of the regularisation and the granting of a work permit to undocumented migrants residing in Belgium for at least five years and having proven their integration?
Overall, over half of the respondents (54% to be exact) responded favourably compared to 31% in 2021.
What is the most surprising is the evolution between linguistic communities, as a little under a third of Flemish respondents are said to have changed their minds (with 51% of them being in favour this year compared to 23% in 2021) and a rise from 42% to 58% among French speakers.
Furthermore, the number of respondents opposed to regularisation has decreased from 41% last year to 24%, of which only 25% of Flemish respondents, where as 49% were opposed last year.
Reasoning behind the rapid rise
To gage why so many Belgians seemed to have changed their opinion, Le Vif contacted Jean Faniel, Director at the research centre CRISP, who gave two reasons behind the growingly favourable opinion to regularisation.
Faniel stated that the change in wording between last year's question and this year's played an important role. This is due to this year's survey including the mention of migrants living in Belgium for a five-year period, plus showing 'proof of integration.'
In his view, the lengthening of the question is due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and influx of Ukrainian migrants seeking refuge in Belgium.
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The survey showed that 50% of respondents approved the EU's decision to grant them temporary protection across the 27 Member States. Furthermore, 42% of Belgians believed that this protection should be extended to refugees from other countries too.
Given that the energy crisis generated by the Russian war in Ukraine, as well as the pandemic, have led to a growing shortage of workers among various sectors, a recent survey by Randstad also showed that 60% of Belgians approve migrants filling gaps within labour shortage-ridden fields.
