One in three incorrectly believe their country is one of the biggest hosts of refugees globally

Key findings

• One-third think their own country is one of the three countries hosting the most refugees worldwide – in most cases overstating its true position. Few correctly identify the countries which really do host the most refugees.
• The majority in most countries surveyed support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country.
• One-third say all countries should have responsibility for helping refugees, regardless of where they are or how wealthy they are, and three in ten say the wealthiest countries should have the greatest responsibility for helping refugees.

One in three people believe their own country is one of the three countries in the world hosting the greatest number of refugees

Many of those surveyed by Ipsos across 28 countries overstate their country’s contribution to hosting refugees, with one-third (a global country average of 33%) thinking their own country is one of the top three taking in the most refugees worldwide. Excluding Turkey, Colombia, and the United States, who are the actual top 3, this means that three in 10 in the other 25 countries surveyed incorrectly overstate the true position of their country, according to data from the UNHCR for 2021.

When asked to select the three countries that hosted the most refugees in 2021, few correctly identified Turkey, Colombia, or the United States, which collectively host 25% of the world’s internationally displaced people (considering refugees, asylum-seekers, and Venezuelans displaced abroad). The survey, which was conducted online between 22 April and 6 May 2022 with 20,505 adults aged under 74 in 28 countries, shows that:

• Misperceptions are most prevalent in Sweden (49% of Swedes think their countr is among the three hosting the most  refugees, but its true rank is 26th), Italy (48% of Italians think it is in the top 3, true rank 35th), and Canada (46% of Canadians think it is in the top 3, true rank 34th).
• While three-quarters (77%) of those in Turkey know that Turkey is one of the top 3 , less than half in Colombia (45%) and the US (42%) selected their respective country. Nearly half of Germans (47%) think their country is in the top 3, while its actual rank is 5th.
• On average globally, only one in seven (15%)know that Turkey is in the top 3. In 2021, Turkey hosted 14% of internationally displaced people, despite being home to only 1% of the world’s population. Only 5% globally picked Colombia, which is second, although 26% correctly chose the United States (ranked third).
• Overall, a global country average of 40% correctly chose one of the top 3 countries. Outside of Turkey, Colombia, and the US itself, people in Mexico (59%), Peru (54%), and Saudi Arabia (53%) were most likely to correctly pick at least one of the countries, while those in Spain (22%), Japan (23%), and Belgium (25%) were least likely to be able to identify even one.

A majority in most countries support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country

With UNHCR recording 4.9 million Ukrainian refugees across Europe since the conflict began in February this year (as of 13th June), the majority of people in most of the 28 countries surveyed (a global country average of 54%) support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country, with only one in seven (15%) opposed.

• The three countries where support for allowing more refugees from Ukraine is highest are Sweden (73%), Brazil (69%), and the US (67%).
• In only eight of the 28 countries do less than half support allowing more refugees from Ukraine into their country: Japan (48%), South Africa (48%), Saudi Arabia (44%), Hungary (43%), South Korea (40%), Turkey (31%), China (26%), and Malaysia (18%).
• However, in Turkey, which currently hosts more internationally displaced persons than any other country in the world, only three in ten (31%) support allowing more refugees from Ukraine. Nonetheless, this exceeds support in Turkey for allowing more refugees from other countries.

This support for refugees from Ukraine has been accompanied by a positive shift in attitudes toward refugees in general in most of the countries surveyed since last year, with over three quarters (78%) agreeing in principle that people should be able to take refuge in other countries, including in their own country.

However, there are lower levels of support for refugees from other countries

Levels of support for accepting refugees from other countries are lower than support for those from Ukraine, suggesting that while the war in Ukraine may have softened attitudes toward refugees, this is not unconditional, and other issues may be affecting views towards refugees from other countries.

• In all but two of the countries surveyed, more participants support allowing refugees from Ukraine than from any other country; the exceptions are Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, where support for Syrian refugees is higher (59% and 24%, respectively, support allowing more refugees from Syria).
• On average globally, only around one-third support accepting more refugees from Syria (32%), and a similar proportion oppose more refugees from Syria (30%). Countries where majorities support allowing more refugees from Syria are Saudi Arabia (59%) and Brazil (58%).
• Three in ten support accepting more refugees from Myanmar (31%, vs 25% oppose).
• Three in ten support accepting more refugees from Venezuela (30%, vs 28% oppose), with three in five in Brazil (60%) and just over half in Argentina (51%) supporting it. In Colombia, which hosts more Venezuelans displaced abroad than any other country in the world, 34% support allowing more refugees from Venezuela.
• Three in ten support accepting more refugees from Afghanistan (30%, vs 32% oppose).
• Just over one-quarter support accepting more refugees from South Sudan (27%, vs 30% oppose).
• When asked if they support more refugees from any part of the world where there are refugees, however, support stands at 36% (22% oppose). The greatest levels of support for this are in Brazil (64%), Saudi Arabia (52%), Argentina (52%), and Mexico (50%).

There is widespread agreement with the principle of international responsibility to support refugees, but views differ as to which countries should be most responsible

Views differ as to which countries should be most responsible for hosting refugees. A third (global country average of 33%) say all countries should have the greatest responsibility for helping refugees, regardless of where they are or how wealthy they are, but another three in ten (30%) think the wealthiest countries should have the greatest responsibility for helping refugees.

• Mexico (41%), South Africa (39%), and the US and Brazil (both 38%) are most likely to agree that all countries should be responsible.
• Colombia (42%), Turkey (41%), and Italy (41%), on the other hand, are most likely to agree that the wealthiest countries should be responsible; notably, Turkey and Colombia hosted the largest populations of internationally displaced people in the world in 2021.
• A minority (16%) think countries in the same part of the world should bear the greatest responsibility. This view is most prevalent in the Netherlands (30%), China (29%), and Sweden (29%), and is least so in Turkey (7%).
• Few (6%) think that no countries should be responsible for helping refugees. This opinion is most common in South Korea (15%), Japan (12%), and Turkey (12%).

About this study

These are the results of a 28-country survey conducted by Ipsos on its Global Advisor online platform. Ipsos interviewed a total of 20,505 adults, aged 18-74 in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, and Turkey, and aged 16-74 in 23 other countries between April 22nd and May 6th, 2022.

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