European Social Survey to explore Estonians’ attitudes towards immigration 04.06.2026

Data collection for the European Social Survey will begin in Estonia in June. The survey has been conducted in Estonia every two years since 2004. This time, in addition to trust, wellbeing, attitudes and values, the survey will focus more closely on people's attitudes towards immigration.

In the context of declining natural population growth in Estonia and Europe, effective addressing of migration-related issues is becoming increasingly essential to ensure the long-term functioning of societies. Immigration and emigration indicators have played a decisive role in shaping overall population growth or decline in recent years. In Europe, countries with high migration turnover, i.e. where both arrivals and departures are consistently high, are facing the most challenging situations. The Social Survey measures perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks associated with immigration.

Previous data from the European Social Survey show that although people in Estonia tend to hold relatively conservative views on immigration compared with other European countries, attitudes have become more favourable here over time. Recognition of the benefits of migration has contributed to this shift.

Opinions on immigration may vary depending on migrants' country of origin. According to the 2024 survey, 3% of respondents were even opposed to immigration by ethnic Estonians, while 22% of people in Estonia were firmly against immigration from poorer countries. Research indicates that immigrants' own integration attitudes are also shaped by the receiving society and by state policy.

Data will be collected in Estonia from June to September. In addition to migration, the European Social Survey questionnaire gathers information on more than 50 research topics. The survey will include a representative sample of Estonia's adult population, selected at random. Data are collected online, by mail, and through interviews.

The European Social Survey is the largest European Research Infrastructure in the social sciences. Within the survey, 35 countries collaborate to gain an overview of people's lives, attitudes, and the impact of society across Europe. The project is part of the European and Estonian research roadmaps and the ESSlongWell research infrastructure, providing high-quality data for researchers and society. In Estonia, the survey is conducted by the University of Tartu in cooperation with Statistics Estonia.

For more information about the survey, see the webpage of European Social Survey. The ESS National Coordinator in Estonia is Liisa Talving (Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies), and the principal investigator of ESSlongWell is Mare Ainsaar (Institute of Social Studies, University of Tartu).