Lithuanians view migration’s economic impact more positively
Friday 9th October 2026 on 21:45 in
Lithuania
Lithuanians are more likely to see migration as beneficial to the economy than to cultural life, according to the latest available survey data cited by LRT. Views also differ depending on which groups of potential migrants people are asked about.
The findings come from the 11th round of the European Social Survey in Lithuania, conducted from September to December 2023. A total of 1,365 residents aged 15 to 90 took part in face-to-face interviews selected through probability sampling.
Asked how many people from different groups should be allowed to come and live in Lithuania, respondents were most open to people of the same race or ethnic group as the majority of the country’s population. Some 33.8% said many should be allowed in and 47.8% favoured a limited number. Another 14.3% said only a few should be allowed, while 4.1% said none.
Responses were more cautious about people of a different race or ethnic group: 17.5% said many should be allowed in, 42.2% a limited number, 30.5% only a few and 9.9% none.
Views were similar on people from poorer countries outside Europe. Some 16.1% said many should be allowed to come, 37.5% favoured a limited number, 33.2% only a few and 13.1% none.
The survey therefore found no single, uniform view of migrants. In all three cases, the most common responses were to allow a limited number or only a few people to come.
Respondents rated migration’s impact on the economy, cultural life and Lithuania as a place to live on a scale from zero, meaning negative, to 10, meaning positive. The economy received the most favourable assessment: 51% gave it a positive score of six to 10, while 27.6% gave it a negative score of zero to four. Another 21.4% chose the midpoint of five. The average rating was 5.62 out of 10.
Opinions on migration’s effect on cultural life were more evenly divided. Positive scores accounted for 39% of responses and negative scores for 37.5%, while 23.5% chose five. The average rating was 4.99.
Asked whether people arriving from other countries make Lithuania a better or worse place to live, 39.5% gave a score on the positive side of the scale.