The Executive Office in Belfast published its 2025 report on ‘Young People’s Attitudes to Refugees and Asylum Seekers’ on 18 December, offering a timely snapshot for stakeholders on both sides of the border. The survey, covering 2,000 respondents aged 16-24, shows 62 % agree that the region should offer refuge to people fleeing war—up eight percentage points from 2023.
Although Northern Ireland is under UK immigration rules, the softening of attitudes matters for the Republic, where cross-border commuting and shared media ecosystems shape public opinion. Researchers link the shift to school-based integration programmes and widespread coverage of the war in Ukraine.
![Survey finds Northern Irish youth increasingly supportive of refugees]()
Still, concerns linger: nearly one-third of respondents worry that refugees could burden housing supply, highlighting an area where Dublin and Belfast authorities may need joint solutions, especially as many newcomers cross the invisible land border.
For employers placing staff in Northern Ireland or along the border counties, the findings suggest a more welcoming social environment, potentially easing relocation of non-EEA employees and their families.
Although Northern Ireland is under UK immigration rules, the softening of attitudes matters for the Republic, where cross-border commuting and shared media ecosystems shape public opinion. Researchers link the shift to school-based integration programmes and widespread coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Still, concerns linger: nearly one-third of respondents worry that refugees could burden housing supply, highlighting an area where Dublin and Belfast authorities may need joint solutions, especially as many newcomers cross the invisible land border.
For employers placing staff in Northern Ireland or along the border counties, the findings suggest a more welcoming social environment, potentially easing relocation of non-EEA employees and their families.
Source: The Executive Office (NI)
