ABSTRACT
There are several reasons why Sweden and Denmark would approach questions relating to immigration and integration in a similar fashion. For a long time, both countries were (or at least perceived themselves to be) relatively homogeneous nation-states in terms of ethnicity. Both countries also have large, universal welfare states combined with a highly regulated labour market that limits job opportunities for low-skilled workers. During the 1970s and 1980s, there were also many similarities in terms of migration and migrant policy, which was based on a broad, cross-party consensus. However, by the early 1990s, the two countries started to diverge significantly as both Danish policy and the rhetoric surrounding it became notably more restrictive compared to Sweden, especially with regard to immigration.
