Most Italians believe that immigration should be restricted. According to the 59th Censis ReportAccording to a survey released this Friday (5), 63% of the population supports limiting migration flows. The survey also shows widespread negative perceptions towards foreigners.
According to the research, 59% of Italians believe that The significant presence of immigrants in a neighborhood leads to the degradation of the area.. Furthermore, 54% see foreigners as a threat to national identity and culture.
Resistance to integration is also significant. Only 37% of the population declares themselves in favor of non-citizens participating in public competitions. Allowing foreigners to vote in administrative elections receives support from only 38% of those interviewed.
Foreign presence and social exclusion
The report indicates that more than 5,4 million foreigners currently live in Italy, representing 9,2% of the resident population. The majority live in conditions of social exclusion.
Among the 2,5 million foreign workers, 29% have temporary contracts or are involuntarily employed part-time. Almost 30% work in unskilled jobs. Among those with a university degree, 55,4% perform jobs below their qualifications, a significantly higher proportion than among Italians (18,7%).
The absolute poverty rate among foreigners is 35,6%, compared to 7,4% among Italian citizens.
Population distribution and growth
The number of foreign residents increased mainly in cities such as Parma (+4,9%), Prato (+3,8%) and Latina (+3,7%). The main reasons for this growth are job opportunities and the presence of established immigrant communities.
At the same time, 11 Italian metropolitan areas registered a population decline between 2014 and 2024. The largest decreases were in Messina (-7,1%) and Florence (-1,6%). Rome showed stability, and cities like Milan and Bologna They grew by 1,9% during the period.
