Analysis and description of the difficulties perceived by migrants in Malaga.

Abstract

Immigration is a phenomenon of total actuality that entails numerous difficulties associated with the migratory process. The present research aimed to analyze and describe the main difficulties perceived by immigrants in Malaga. 2375 immigrants who live in Malaga have taken part, 27.5% from Latin-America, 25.1% from Africa, 23.8% from Europe and 23.6% from Asia and have answered an open question about these difficulties. A system of categories has been used to analyze and describe the answers given by respondents. Results show that the main difficulties that immigrants perceive are linked to the labor sphere, language skills, integration and discrimination, with significant nuances according to gender, age, origin and time elapsed since leaving the country of origin. Results suggest the need to deepen the understanding of these difficulties that harm welfare and life satisfaction indexes. Results also raise the necessity to design psychosocial interventions that take into account these difficulties perceived by migrants. Some proposals are included in the discussion.
This research is included in a Project I+D.