Immigration and Migration Policy in the Nordic Countries

Abstract

One of the features of the modern system of international relations in terms of increasing globalization is the intensification of migration processes, the complication of the structure of migration flows. Compared to the migration crisis in Central Europe, the situation in Northern Europe looks more optimistic. Nevertheless, as the data of official statistics show, the number of arriving migrants is increasing every year, which creates an additional burden on the social institutions of society and increases tension in the societies. Another problem is the formation of ethnical enclaves on the territory of the recipient countries. For the research the Nordic region countries were selected: Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Finland. These states are included in the ranking of the “happiest” countries in the world and attract migrants with high standards of living. But the geographic location makes the Nordic countries a little less attractive for the migrants than the Central European countries. The analysis of the measures implemented within the framework of the migration policy shows that the Northern European states have different approaches to solving the migration issue. The strictest model of migration policy is demonstrated by Denmark and Norway, the softest by Sweden and Finland. Iceland, due to its geographical location, is less exposed to migration problems and demonstrates a very loyal policy towards migrants. Scandinavian countries have long been facing a choice: on the one hand, there has been and still is a need for workforce, and on the other hand, the influx of huge numbers of migrants is a threat to the stability of the state. The migration crisis in Europe, which reached its peak in 2015, forced countries with “soft” migration laws to take measures towards tighter control over migration flows.