Labour migrations conference 2015: Integration of the second and third generations of migrants

Rasmus Ole Rasmussen, Senior Research Fellow of Nordregio gave a presentation at the Nordic-Baltic Labour Migration Conference on March 27 in Tallinn. He was interviewed by Häli Ann Reintam, Master's Student at the University of Tartu, Estonia.

You have said in your presentation that the second and third generations of migrants are the key element in the integration process. At the same time there have been several cases of different problems due to the insufficient integration of the second or third generation. How do you see it as a positive rather than negative aspect?

I think that the most important requirements for successful integration are similar ethics and higher educational level of the parents. Estonia is quite similar to Denmark in those points, which means that it is much easier to adjust to the requirements and also to get involved with local activities for both the first generation and their descendants. It also means that for immigrants coming from Africa or other more distant cultures, who bring their very different backgrounds, it is more troublesome to integrate. The integration problems might get bigger for the second generation, when their parents aren't able to raise their children according to the local cultural and work ethic requirements.