From The First Great Migration (1881-1924) until recent years, economists have discussed the opportunity costs immigrants represent, and how to best take advantage of the wealth they generate. The so called “economics of immigration” is a topic that is in constant debate among academics in the United States, creating a divide in opinions that has affected governmental policy in recent years. Be it for the highly skilled or the degreeless, policies must be tailored to create some sort of symbiotic relationship between the individual, the host country and the native population. That is to say, if studies from leading economists such as David Card or George J. Borjas point to an overall increase in wealth to the country but a decrease in wages …show more content…
In addition to expanding the labour supply, these immigrants can also increase the demand for labour. By expanding consumer demands for goods and services, they create more job and investment opportunities for the native population. On the other hand, high-skill immigration might produce “wider impacts”, since they often select entrepreneurial individuals or those that belong to knowledge intensive sectors. These are the kind of individuals that maintain the United States at the front of technological innovation.
However, in order for the host nation to enjoy all of these benefits, some sacrifices have to be made. According to economist Giovanni Peri, “For immigration to boost wages and growth, flexible labor markets and cultural assimilation are essential”. For this reason, immigrationist policies must involve integration programs in order to avoid situations such as ghettos, where communities of immigrants are isolated from the rest of society. Furthermore, a vetting process that is rigorous with language proficiency and that allocates people to inclusive areas might also help resolve some of the issues with