How to promote immigration—and why
The findings of the empirical studies carried out by economists over the past fifteen years came to the conclusion that rich countries benefit from a high rate of immigration. In our aging Western societies, immigrants increase the numbers in the workforce, improve the employment rate, contribute to innovation, and raise the average standard of living. They also have a positive impact on the public finances.
Immigration is a highly sensitive topic in the United States and in most European countries, stirring up strong feelings and fueling populist movements. One of the key questions is whether, overall, rich countries benefit from a high rate of immigration. Despite certain methodological challenges, the findings of the empirical studies carried out by economists over the past fifteen years are clearly positive in this regard. In our aging Western societies, immigrants increase the numbers in the workforce, improve the employment rate, contribute to innovation, and raise the average standard of living. They also have a positive impact on the public finances.
Labor market integration does however vary substantially depending on the country of origin, gender, level of education, reasons for immigration, and of course the policies pursued by the host country. France has one of the poorest records on labor market integration. In this regard, the example of Canada is worth looking at in detail. The country is proud of its policy of multiculturalism, and leads the world in migrant acceptance. This is, however, the result of a particular history and geography, which have favored the implementation of an immigration policy that welcomes large numbers of new arrivals but is highly selective.
Several recent studies have helped refine our understanding of the economic effects of immigration on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Economist Ekrame Boubtane provides a summary of this literature in her article for the journa…