Open Access

ARTICLE

The Impact of EU Immigration Law and Policy on Immigrants’ Subjective Well-Being

Quan Cheng, Yun Lin, Hui Yu^*

Law School & Intellectual Property School, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China

* Corresponding Author: Hui Yu. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Determinants and Subsequences of Subjective Well-being as a Microcosm of Social Change)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2025, 27(12), 1961-1988. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.072232

Received 22 August 2025; Accepted 05 November 2025; Issue published 31 December 2025

Abstract

Background: Against the backdrop of the complex interplay between global migration flows and the European Union’s governance system, immigrants’ subjective well-being (SWB) has become a crucial indicator for assessing both their social integration and the effectiveness of integration policies. However, few studies have systematically linked immigration law and policy to SWB through a structured framework of human needs. This study aims to assess how European Union (EU) immigration policies influence immigrants’ SWB by facilitating the fulfillment of hierarchical needs based on Maslow’s theory. Methods: Using data from the European Social Survey (ESS, 2010–2023), this study analyzed 28,854 first-generation and second-generation immigrants across 24 EU member states. This study employed hierarchical regression models to assess the relative contribution of five levels of needs—physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization—in predicting life satisfaction and happiness, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results: Safety needs—comprising perceived safety and institutional trust—produced the largest model improvement (ΔR² ≈ 0.06–0.07). Physiological needs (stable income and self-rated health) also had significant positive effect (β = 0.06–0.25, p < 0.001). Social and esteem needs showed moderate associations (β ≈ 0.09–0.17, p < 0.001), while self-actualization needs (education and union membership) displayed generational variation (β = 0.02–0.10, p < 0.01). Conclusion: This study not only validates the applicability of Maslow’s theory in migration research but also empirically establishes a policy hierarchy: ensuring physiological and safety needs as a foundation, supporting social and esteem needs, and enabling self-actualization pathways are essential for enhancing immigrant well-being. The findings offer valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance for refining immigrant integration policies within the EU’s multi-level governance structure.

---

Keywords

---