Second-generation foreigners in Spain 'feel Spanish' and only 10 per cent 'suffer discrimination', says research

Although the research by Princetown University and the University College of Ortega y Gasset found that the process of integration for children is 'difficult', they are now feeling more at home than ever.

Concentrating on kids born in Spain to foreign parents, or those who moved to Spain with their parents before they reached the age of 12, the study found that 48.3 per cent do not consider themselves to be closer to the nationality of their family of origin.

This figure has made a giant leap in the last four years, with 28.7 per cent admitting similar sentiments at the end of 2008.

The case study found a significant difference between children born in Spain to foreign parents – where 80 per cent feel Spanish – and those who moved to the country at an early age.

But half of them say the majority of their friends have Spanish parents – particularly children born into families from Argentina, Veneuela and Chile, although far less so in the case of Bolivian, Ecuadorian or Chinese children.

Philippine and Bulgarian children are the most integrated, whereas Bolivian and Chinese kids less so, the research found.

Only 10 per cent of the total, across nationalities, say they feel they have suffered discrimination for being foreign, and just two per cent have left the country since reaching adulthood, even where their parents return home.

Of those children born in the 1990s in Spain to foreign parents or who relocated to the country before age 12, a third are just finishing compulsory schooling, 45 per cent are working on their Bachillerato – Spain's answer to A-levels – or equivalent-level professional or vocational qualifications, and five per cent have managed to get into university.

Although almost the same number of second-generation immigrants as native Spanish youngsters hope to go to university – 68 per cent and 71 per cent respectively – only 57 per cent of foreign teenagers expect they will be able to do so in the end.

In general, expatriate children were found to be worse off financially than natives, with two-thirds living in family units where the total net monthly income did not reach 1,500 euros, and the remainder where the figure was under 1,000 euros, compared to Spanish children – a quarter of whom live in households where the total monthly income did not exceed 1,500 euros.

There was very little difference found in unemployment statistics between second-generation foreigners and their Spanish counterparts of the same age, with 16 and 14 per cent respectively being out of work.

The research compilers say this data is 'very positive' and that the high level of integration is largely due to the native Spanish population having been 'extremely welcoming', but warn that the trend could reverse in future years due to funding aimed at helping foreigners become part of mainstream society is diminishing constantly.

This information and the figures quoted related mostly to non-EU citizens or those from newly-joined member States – such as Bulgaria and Romania – with practically no data concerning British, Irish or other northern European expatriates and their children.