Who should be let in? Public attitudes towards immigration selection criteria

Immigration has become an emotive topic of debate globally. The question of who should be allowed to cross national borders has divided people in Europe and the United States, and we have seen walls go up all over the developed world. But what about South Africa? Who do the general public think should be allowed to enter the country's borders? According to the findings of the HSRC's South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), they seem to prefer immigrants with work skills and education.

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Publication Details

Journal
Human Science Research Council SA
Published
2026-05-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.14749/32379381
Primary Topic
South African History and Culture
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Who should be let in? Public attitudes towards immigration selection criteria

Human Sciences Research Council
Human Science Research Council SA
South African History and Culture
article

Who should be let in? Public attitudes towards immigration selection criteria

Human Sciences Research Council
article en

Abstract

Immigration has become an emotive topic of debate globally. The question of who should be allowed to cross national borders has divided people in Europe and the United States, and we have seen walls go up all over the developed world. But what about South Africa? Who do the general public think should be allowed to enter the country's borders? According to the findings of the HSRC's South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), they seem to prefer immigrants with work skills and education.

Human Science Research Council SA
Reduced inequalities
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
South African History and Culture
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Who should be let in? Public attitudes towards immigration selection criteria — Human Sciences Research Council · Human Science Research Council SA (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS