Public perceptions on immigration in Malta

Abstract

This section serves to provide the basis of which shows the issue at hand, a description of the research method/design and what was able to be produced from the resulting analysis and conclusion. The research question which was tackled in this dissertation is: ‘What is the impact of immigration on the economy and society in Malta ?’. The problem as such at hand are the perceptions of people in Malta towards immigration in general from the immigrants themselves to the whole procedure that it entails. Whilst it was not possible to explore every avenue of immigration in this dissertation, the main sources of immigration and the issue due to illegal immigration was highlighted, stemming from instability in North Africa and elsewhere. The introduction gives an overview of the situation that is found with regards to the topic in particular whilst also slightly expanding into what the perceptions will be entailing later on in the dissertation in the forthcoming sections. The Literature Review had the role of listing the arguments and feelings surrounding the perceptions of locals towards the subject and whilst also giving an insight upon what could have moulded the thoughts and opinions of a certain portion of the Maltese with regards to the hot-topic. The Methodology had the role of describing the way in which data will be used and presented with consideration given to how the data will not be the be-all and end-all of the analysis but it will serve to show quite a broad view in relation to the topic. Much detail was given in conjunction with the Literature Review and thus provided much firewood so to speak for the Analysis which served to show the Quantitative methods of research used. These were displayed in the form of figures which ascertained towards the perceptions of immigrants not just locally but in other European countries as well. This was ideal since it enabled the local data to be compared with other countries in order to try and provide some similarities and possibly key links which could be noted. The conclusion summarised the findings of the Analysis along with the rest of the dissertation and I provided an insight into how policy could be drafted in order to try and improve the situation which is therefore a personal touch to round off the whole dissertation.